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CHAPTER 7
SYSTEM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
7.0 Introduction
The real test of any system is to see how it functions as an operational system within a production environment. Unless all the previous stages have been properly accomplished and documented, it will not be possible to have a smoothly functioning system. However, even a well-designed and implemented system can fail in an operational environment unless proper control is exercised to ensure that the system functions according to standards and objectives and is properly maintained.
The normal operation of a system after conversion and implementation still requires control and planning to ensure that the operation of the system continues along the designed route. This requires scheduling, monitoring of system performance indicators, etc. A continuous maintenance effort, even for a well-designed and programmed system, will be required throughout the system life cycle. some of the sources of change in a system can be the following:
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Errors that were previously undiscovered become apparent and have to be corrected. Some errors exist in any system; for a well-designed system, the errors will be minimal.
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Modifications in the computer system software may create new opportunities or difficulties.
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New hardware may require small or extensive changes to take advantage of added features and capabilities.
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Introduction of new application system software may require modification of existing application systems.
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New systems under development may require existing systems to be modified because of interface requirements.
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Increased volume, etc., during the life of the system may require modification of the system.
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As the system is used, the maintenance team personnel will discover ways of improving system efficiency.
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As users become familiar with the system, they will be able to specify added features which prove useful, and identify existing features which cause present difficulties or are marginal utility. This is particularly true when a manual system is automated for the first time.
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In due time, the organization and the people who compose it will change, thus creating new requirements and the deletion or modification of old requirements.
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The legal or other external requirements may change; these will cause an impact on the system.
The operation and maintenance of an implemented system will require the same type of careful and thorough management control as did system design and implementation. it is imperative that there be a clearly defined decisiongroup who can make the required decisions on the system as a whole. This group is necessary if gradual system degradation, due to uncoordinated changes, is to be avoided.
Senior management personnel should appoint a maintenence and operations team and assign its duties with a clear charter of responsibilities. The composition of the team will be spelled out in the founding charter in terms of the organization to be represented, normally included:
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A representative from the analysis and programming group - normally a senior analyst
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A representative from the computer operations group.
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A representative from each major user of the system.
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Representatives of other groups; for example, auditors of financial accounting systems.
The maintenance and operations control team, hereafter referred to as the control team, will have certain higher level responsibilitie, such as:
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Approval of all significant changes to the system - "significant" beingdefined as:
- Requiring one man week of effort or more
- Requiring change of documentation and procedures at more than one point
- Having more that local impact; e.g., it is can introduce errors into the data base, etc.
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Establishment of priorties for maintenance tasks
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Ensuring that the communication channels between the various groups interfacing with the system are operating properly
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Approval and control of distribution of all final change documentation
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Resolving scheduling priorities of subsystems and representing the system when there are scheduling problems caused by events outside the system
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Performing an annual review and evaluation, as well as projections for subsequent years.
The nature of the system and the management and organizational structure will determine whether there is to be more that one user team. the user of the system is the critical control on system performance, since the system was designed to assist the user in performing his assigned functions. There must be assignment of specific, individual responsibilities for the user portion of the system if proper control is to be maintained.
As the system is implemented, the management of the user organization should assign the individual to hold prime responsibility for system performance and evaluation. Under the control of this individual will be the groups within the user team who interface with the system. specific responsibilities must be assigned and adhered to throughout system operations.
The long run effectiveness of any maintenance organization depends upon its channels of communication. Official channels must:
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Be clearly defined as to which channels are to be used
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Be governed by clear procedures as to how to use them
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Be supported by usable forms and other media to facilitate understanding
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Be changed when the information flow requirements change
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Provide for special handling of priotity and emergency information
The effectiveness of a channel is dependent upon:
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The degree of management support for the channel
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The ease with which the channel ca be used
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The time it takes to get information through the channel
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Ehether the requests for information receive any response when using the channel
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The accuracy with which information is transmitted through the channel
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The people who may use the channel and their attitudes towards it.
Analysis of communication channels involvs determining:
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Who is to communicate with whom (a typical example is that one member of a programming and analysis team is the liaiason with computer operations)
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The time requirements of the information flow
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The means used to transmit the information
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The traceability requirements of the information, such as who originated a change request
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The need to establish agreements in writing and the assigning of responsibility
The basic assumption for effective maintenance is the soundness of original design, adequacy of documentation, and effectiveness of the installation. it is unreasonable to expect a maintenance team to salvage a poor system. The Following dicussions assume that a system is basically sound and well-documented. Anby other type of system should be redisigned as a special effort.
The activities included in this discussion are to:
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Develop and monitor critical indicators (7.1)
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Schedule maintenance analysis and programming tasks (7.2)
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Schedule computer operations (7.3)
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Prevent, and recover from, run failures (7.4)
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Monitor disaster control and security plans (7.5)
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Process change requests and disseminate change documentation (7.6)
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Perform additional training (7.7)
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Review status of the system and establish annual plans for operations and maintenance (7.8)
Depending upon the particular structure within an organization, the activities concerned with this stage may be the responsibility of personnel from a different department within the organization other that those concernedin all the preceding stages. For instance, EDP functions are quite often split between those concerned with design and development, and those concerned with operations and maintenance.
The Project File, created during stages of system creation, will now be continued, containing the current and completed history of the system. The specific products produced by the above activities and reflected in the Project File are:
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Summary performance summaries and projections
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Activity descriptions
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Maintenance task schedules
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Training schedules for maintenance personnel
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Utilization log
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Computer operations schedules
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Processing chart
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Failure reports
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Failure log
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Failure analysis report
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Disaster procedures
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Backup system description
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Backup files
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Facility access logs
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Lost of personnel who have access to files
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protection procedures
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Change requests
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Instructions for processing changes
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Change request dispositions
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Final change documentation
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Training objectives
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Training schedules
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Personnel records of skills and knowledge
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Training results and evaluations
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Performance reviews
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change recommendations
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Reviewed overall schedules
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Resource cost estimates
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Disposition of the system (if appropriate)
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Plans for the following year
Exhibit 7.0-A. Suggested System Operations and Maintenance Activity Network.
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.1 Develop and monitor critical indicators
7.2 Schedule maintenance analysis and programming tasks
7.3 Schedule computer operations
7.4 Prevent and recover from run failures
7.5 Monitor disaster control and security plans
7.6 Process change requests and disseminate change documentation
7.7 Perform additional training
7.8 Review the status of the system and establish annual plans for operations and maintenance
7.1 Develop and Monitor Critical Indicators
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7.1.1. Methods
7.1.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.1-A)
7.1.3 Background
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Exhibit 7.1-A. Example of Performance statistics Form.
(To be supplied)
7.2 Schedule Maintenance Analysis and Programming Tasks
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7.2.1. Methods
7.2.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.2-A)
7.2.3 Background
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Exhibit 7.2-A. Example of Activity Description.
(To be supplied)
Exhibit 7.2-B. Example of Task Plan.
(To be supplied)
7.3 Schedule Computer Operations
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7.3.1. Methods
7.3.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.3-A)
7.3.3 Background
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Exhibit 7.3-A. Example of Utilization Log.
(To be supplied)
Exhibit 7.3-B. Example of Processing Chart.
(To be supplied)
7.4 Prevention and Recovery From Rum Failures
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7.4.1. Methods
7.4.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.4-A)
7.4.3 Background
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Exhibit 7.4-A. Example of Failure Report Form.
(To be supplied)
Exhibit 7.4-B. Example of Failure Log.
(To be supplied)
7.5 Monitor Disaster Control and security Plans
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7.5.1. Methods
7.5.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.5-A)
7.5.3 Background
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7.6 Process Change Requests and Disseminate Change Documentation
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7.6.1. Methods
7.6.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.6-A)
7.6.3 Background
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Exhibit 7.6-A. Example of Change Request Form.
(To be supplied)
Exhibit 7.6-B. Example of Change Disposition Form.
(To be supplied)
7.7 Perform Additional Training
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7.7.1. Methods
7.7.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.7-A)
7.7.3 Background
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7.8 Review Status of the System and Establish Annual Plans for Operations and Maintenance
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7.8.1. Methods
7.8.2 Products
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(see Exhibit 7.8-A)
7.8.3 Background
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