CHAPTER 12 SECURING AND SUPPORTING THE SYSTEM

Phase Description Systems Operation, Support, and Security is the final phase in the systems development life cycle You will support and maintain the system, handle security issues, protect the integrity of the system and its data, and be alert to any signs of obsolescence The deliverable for this phase is an operational system that is properly maintained, supported, and secured

Chapter Objectives Explain the systems support and security phase Describe user support activities, including user training and help desks Define the four types of maintenance Explain various techniques for managing systems maintenance and support Describe techniques for measuring, managing, and planning system performance Explain risk management concepts Assess system security at six levels: physical security, network security, application security, file security, user security, and procedural security

Chapter Objectives Describe backup and disaster recovery List factors indicating that a system has reached the end of its useful life Assess future challenges and opportunities for IT professionals Develop a strategic plan for career advancement and strong IT credentials

Introduction Managing systems support and security involves three main concerns: user expectations, system performance, and security requirements Successful, robust systems often need the most support In most organizations, more than half of all IT department effort goes into supporting existing systems

Overview The systems operation, support, and security phase begins when a system becomes operational and continues until the system reaches the end of its useful life After delivering the system, the IT team focuses on support and maintenance tasks

User Support User Training Additionally, new employees must be trained on the company’s information systems User training package Training users about system changes is similar to initial training Objective is to show users how the system can help them perform their jobs

User Support Help Desks Helpdesk is a centralized resource staff by IT professionals who provides users with he support they need to do their jobs Enhance productivity and improve utilization of a company’s information resources The help desk is a central contact point for all IT maintenance activities Can utilize many types of automated support

Maintenance Tasks

Maintenance Tasks Four classification of maintenance activities: Corrective Maintenance Diagnoses and corrects errors in an operational system Respond to errors in various ways, depending on nature Worst-case situation is a system failure When the system is operational again, the maintenance team determines the cause, analyzes the problem, and designs a permanent solution

Maintenance Tasks Adaptive Maintenance Adds enhancements to an operational system and makes the system easier to use The procedure for minor adaptive maintenance is similar to routine corrective maintenance Can be more difficult than new systems development because the enhancements must work within the constraints of an existing system

Maintenance Tasks Perfective Maintenance Involves changing an operational system to make it more efficient, reliable and maintainable Cost-effective during the middle of the system’s operational life Programs that need a large number of maintenance changes usually are good candidates for reengineering The more a program changes, the more likely it is to become inefficient and difficult to maintain

Maintenance Tasks Preventive Maintenance Requires analysis of areas where trouble is likely to occur IT department normally initiates preventive maintenance Often results in increased user satisfaction, decreased downtime, and reduced TCO Sometimes does not receive the high priority that it deserves

Maintenance Management The Maintenance Team System administrator Systems analysts Programmers Organizational issues

Maintenance Management Maintenance Requests Involve a series of steps All work must be covered by a specific request Initial determination The systems review committee Task completion User notification

Maintenance Management Establishing Priorities In many companies, systems review committee separates maintenance requests from new systems development requests Some IT managers believe that evaluating all projects together leads to the best possible decisions Object is to have a procedure that balances new development and necessary maintenance work

Maintenance Management Configuration Management Configuration management (CM) /change control (CC) is a process for controlling changes in the system requirements during software development As enterprise-wide information systems grow more complex, configuration management becomes critical Also helps to organize and handle documentation

Maintenance Management Maintenance Releases Each change is documented and installed as new version of the system A numbering pattern distinguishes the different releases Reduces the documentation burden Service packs-software maintenance release Version Control Process of tracking system release or versions When new version of system is installed, the prior release is Archived Essential part of system documentation

Maintenance Management Baselines Is a formal reference point that measures system characteristics at a specific time Systems analysts use baselines as yardsticks to document features and performance during the systems development process Functional baseline-is the configuration of the system documented at the beginning of the project Allocated baseline-documents the system at the end of the design phase and identifies any changes sine the functional baseline Product baseline-describes the system at the beginning of system operation.

System Performance Management Fault Management Detect and resolve operational problems as quickly as possible The more complex the system, the more difficult it can be to analyze symptoms and isolate a cause The best strategy is to prevent problems by monitoring system performance and workload

System Performance Management Performance and Workload Measurement Benchmark testing-uses a set of standard tests to evaluate system performance and capacity Metrics –can monitor the number of transactions processed in a given time period, the number of record accessed and the volume of online data Network performance metrics: Response time Is the overall time between a request for system activity and the delivery of the response Bandwidth and throughput Bandwidth describes the amount of data that the system can transfer in a fixed time period Kbps (kilobits per second) Mbps (megabits per second) Gbps (gigabits per second) Throughput-measures actual system performance under specific circumstances and s affected by network load and hardware efficiency.

System Performance Management Turnaround time Measures the time between submitting a request from information and the fulfillment of the request The IT department often measures response time, bandwidth, throughput, and turnaround time to evaluate system performance both before and after changes to the system or business information requirements Management uses current performance and workload data as input for the capacity planning process

System Performance Management Capacity Planning Process that monitors current activity and performance levels, anticipates future activity and forecast the resources needed to provide desired levels of service. What-if analysis-allow you to vary one or more elements in a model in order to measure the effect on other elements Need detailed information Need an accurate forecast of future business activities Should develop contingency plans based on input from users and management

System Performance Management System Maintenance Tools Many CASE tools include system evaluation and maintenance features In addition to CASE tools, you also can use spreadsheet and presentation software to calculate trends, perform what-if analyses, and create attractive charts and graphs to display the results

System Security Overview Security is a vital part of every computer system Security protect the system and keep it safe free from danger and reliable. System Security Concepts CIA triangle-three main element of system security: Confidentiality Integrity Availability Security policy

System Security Overview Risk Management Absolute security is not a realistic goal Risk identification - exploit Risk assessment - risk Risk control Avoidance, mitigation, transference, acceptance

System Security Overview Attacker Profiles and Attacks An attack is a hostile act that targets the system or the company itself. An attack might be launched by a disgruntled employee, or a hacker who is 10,000 miles away Attackers break into a system to cause damage, steal information, or gain recognition, among other reasons

Security Levels

Security Levels Must consider six separate but interrelated levels Physical Security First level of security concerns the physical environment Physical access to a computer represents an entry point into the system and must be controlled and protected Operations center security Servers and desktop computers Notebook computers

Security Levels Network Security Encrypting network traffic Network is defined as two or more devices that are connected Network interface-combination of h/w and s/w that allows the computer to interact with the network To provide security for network traffic,data can be Encrypted Encrypting network traffic

Security Levels Network Security Wireless networks Private networks WEP WPA Private networks Virtual private networks tunnel Ports and services Port scan Denial of service Firewalls Network intrusion detection

Security Levels Application Security Services Hardening Application permissions Input validation Patches and updates Software Logs

Security Levels File Security encryption Permissions User Groups Read a file Write a file Execute a file Read a directory Write a directory User Groups

Security Levels User Security User resistance Identity management Password protection Social engineering New technologies

Security Levels Procedural Security Operational security Dumpster diving Paper shredders

Backup and Disaster Recovery Backup refers to copying data at prescribed intervals or continuously Recovery involves restoring the data and restating the system after an interruption Backup Policies Backup policy contains detailed instructions and procedures. Should specify: Backup media Rotation schedule Offsiting Backup Types Retention periods

Backup and Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Issues Test plan Business continuity plan (BCP) Hot site Data replication Business insurance

System Obsolescence At some point every system becomes obsolete Systems operation and support continues until a replacement system is installed A system become obsolete when it no longer supports user needs or when he platform become outmoded. Signs : The system’s maintenance history indicates that adaptive and corrective maintenance are increasingly steady Operational costs or execution times are increasingly rapidly, and routine perfective maintenance does not reverse or slow the trend. A software package is available that provides the same or additional services faster, better and less expensively than the current system New technology offers a way to perform the same or additional functions more efficiently Maintenance changes or additions are difficult and expensive to perform User request significant new features to support business requirements

Future Challenges and Opportunities Strategic planning for IT professionals Working backwards from your long-term goals, you can develop intermediate mile stones and begin to manage your career just as you would manage an IT project Planning a career is not unlike planting a tree that takes several years to reach a certain height

Future Challenges and Opportunities IT Credentials and Certification Credentials Certification In addition to Microsoft, many other IT industry leaders offer certification, including Cisco, Novell, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems Critical thinking skills

Chapter Summary Systems support and security covers the entire period from the implementation of an information system until the system no longer is used A systems analyst’s primary involvement with an operational system is to manage and solve user support requests Systems analysts need the same talents and abilities for maintenance work as they use when developing a new system Security is a vital part of every computer system

Chapter Summary All information systems eventually become obsolete An IT professional should have a strategic career plan that includes long-term goals and intermediate milestones An important element of a personal strategic plan is the acquisition of IT credentials and certifications that document specific knowledge and skills

Review Questions Describe four classification of maintenance and provide an example of each type. What is configuration management and why is it important? What is release methodology? What is purpose of version control? Explain three main elements of system security. What are the six security level? List six indications that an information system is approaching obsolesces.