Chapter 14: System Administration Mark Milan

System Administration Acquiring new IS resources Maintaining existing IS resources Designing and implementing an IS security policy

Strategic Planning Strategic plan – a set of long-range goals and a plan to attain those goals. The goals must include: –Services to be provided –Resources needed to provide those services The plan to address the goals are: –Strategies for developing services and a market for them. –Strategies for acquiring sufficient resources for operations and growth. –Organizational structure and control.

Capital resources are referred to as infrastructure and have the following characteristics: –Service to a large and diverse set of users. –Costs that are difficult t allocate to individual users. –Recurring need for new capital expenditures. –Significant operating costs for maintenance. Hardware and Software as Infrastructure

Providing infrastructure-based services to a wide variety of user requires adopting services standards. Standardization causes problems for users that want services near the leading edge. It is hard to standardize when dealing with hardware and software. Standards

Competitive Advantage Competitive Advantage describes a state of affairs in which one organization employs resources so as to give it a significant advantage over its competitors. The different forms includes: –Providing services that competitors are unable to provide. –Providing services of unusually high quality. –Providing services at unusually low price. –Generating services at unusually low cost.

Acquisition Process Determining and Stating Requirements Request for Proposals Evaluating Proposals

The acquisition process consists of the following process: 1.Determine the applications that the hardware/software will support. 2.Specify detailed requirements in terms of hardware and software capability and capacity. 3.Draft a request for proposals and circulate it to potential vendors. 4.Evaluate the responses to the request for proposals. 5.Contract with a vendor or vendors for purchase, installation, and/or maintenance. Acquisition Process

Determining Requirements and Evaluating Performance Modeling Concepts Computer System Models Application Demand Models Resource Availability Models Model Manipulation and Analysis Measuring Resource Demand and Utilization

Determining H/W Requirements and Evaluating Performance Determining hardware requirements for a specific set of application software is difficult: Computer systems are complex combinations of interdependent components. The configuration of operating and other system software can significantly affect raw hardware performance. The hardware and system software resources required by applications cannot always be predicted precisely.

Measuring and Utilizing Automated tools to measure resource demand and utilization include: –Hardware monitors –Software monitors –Program profilers

Security Security system measures: Protect physical resources against accidental loss or damage. Protect data and software resources against accidental loss or damage. Protect all resources against malicious tampering. Protect sensitive software and data resources against unauthorized access and accidental disclosure.

Security Access Controls - specific access controls can include restrictions on: Locations from which a user can log on to the system or access its resources. Days/times when access is granted or denied. The ability to read, write, create and delete directories and files. The ability to execute programs. The ability to access hardware resources such as printers and communication devices

Security Methods to enhance Password Controls and Security: Restrictions on the length and composition of valid passwords. Requirements that passwords periodically be changed. Analysis of password content to identify passwords that are guessed easily. Encryption of passwords in files and during transmission over a network. Restrictions on locations from which a user can access the system.

Physical Environment Electrical Power Heat Dissipation Moisture Cable Routing Fire Protection

Electric Power Fluctuations in power can cause: –Momentary power surges –Momentary power sags –Long-term voltage sags –Total loss of power

Heat Dissipation All computer equipment requires some means of heat dissipation. Many hardware devices use fans to move air through the unit. Auxiliary cooling can be provided within an individual equipment cabinet.

Moisture Excessive moisture is an enemy of electrical circuitry. Well-designed cabinets are one defense against the dangers of moisture. Humidity can be controlled automatically by optional components of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Cable Routing A raised floor is generally used in a room that contains multiple hardware cabinets, a single mainframe computer system or multiple minicomputers.

Fire Protection Carbon dioxide, fire retardant foams and powders, and various gaseous compounds are alternate methods of fire protection, but not for computer equipment. Halon gas is used around computer equipment since is does not promote condensation.

Disaster Planning and Recovery Measures Periodic data backup and storage of backups at alternate sites. Backup and storage of critical software at alternate sites. Installing of duplicate or supplementary equipment at alternate sites. Arrangements for leasing existing equipment at alternate sites, such as with another company or a service bureau.