Chapter 11

1. Chapter 11

2. Phase Description • Systems Operation, Support, and Security is the final phase in the systems development life cycle (SDLC) • You will be supporting a functioning information system • You continuously will access and improve the system, and you will be alert to any signs of obsolescence • You will also address multi-level security issues

3. Chapter Objectives • Explain how the systems operation, support, and security phase relates to the overall system development process • Describe user support activities, including user training and help desks • Discuss the four main types of system maintenance

4. Chapter Objectives • Explain various techniques for managing systems operation and support • Describe techniques for measuring, managing, and planning system performance • Assess system security at five levels: physical security, network security, application security, file security, and user security

5. Chapter Objectives • Describe backup and disaster recovery policies and methods • List factors indicating that a system has reached the end of its useful life • Assess future challenges for IT professionals as technology reshapes the workplace

6. Introduction • Now that the system is operational, the IT staff members must assure that it meets user expectations, supports business objectives, and is secure • More than half of all IT department effort goes into supporting existing systems and making them more valuable to users

7. Overview of Systems Support and Maintenance • The systems operation, support, and security begins when a system becomes operational and continues until the system reaches the end of its useful life • After delivering the system, the analyst has two other important tasks: he or she must support users and provide necessary maintenance to keep the system operating properly

8. User Support Activities • User Training • Additionally, new employees must be trained on the company’s information systems • Training users about system changes is similar to initial training

9. User Support Activities • Help Desk • Often called an information center (IC) • Enhance productivity and improve utilization of a company’s information resources

10. User Support Activities • Help Desk • Might have to perform the following tasks: • Show a user how to create a data query or report that displays specific business information • Resolve network access or password problems • Demonstrate an advanced feature of a system or a commercial package • Help a user recover damaged data

11. User Support Activities • Online Chat Support • Interactive support also can be delivered in the form of an online chat • Blackboard provides a chat room called a Virtual Classroom, which is an online meeting-place where students can ask questions and interact with an instructor

12. Maintenance Activities • The systems operation, support and security phase is an important component of TCO (total cost of ownership) because ongoing maintenance expenses can determine the economic life of a system • Operational costs • Maintenance expenses • Maintenance activities

13. Maintenance Activities • Four types of maintenance task can be identified • Corrective maintenance • Adaptive maintenance • Perfective maintenance • Preventative maintenance

14. Maintenance Activities • Four types of maintenance task can be identified

15. Managing Systems Support • Maintenance Team • System administrator • Systems analysts • Analysis • Synthesis

16. Managing Systems Support • Maintenance Team • Programmers • Applications programmer • Systems programmer • Database programmer • Programmer/analyst

17. Managing Systems Support • Version Control • Archived • Systems librarian • Companies can purchase software such as Serena

18. System Security • Physical Security • First level of security concerns the physical environment • Computer room • Computer room security • Biometric scanning systems • Motion sensor

19. System Security • Physical Security • Servers and desktop computers • Keystroke logger • Tamper-evident cases • BIOS-level password • Boot-level password • Power-on password

20. System Security • Physical Security • Notebook computers • Select an operating system that allows secure logons and BIOS-level passwords • Mark or engrave the computer’s case • Consider notebook models that have a built-in fingerprint reader • Universal Security Slot (USS) • Back up all vital data

21. System Security • Physical Security • Notebook computers • Use tracking software • While traveling, try to be alert to potential high-risk situations • Establish stringent password protection policies

22. System Security • Network Security • Network • Network interface • Encrypted • Encrypting network traffic • Unencrypted – plain text • Public key encryption (PKE)

23. System Security • Network Security • Encrypting network traffic • Public key • Private key • Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) • Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) • WPA2

24. System Security • Network Security • Private networks • Private network • Virtual private networks • Virtual private network (VPN) • Tunnel

25. System Security • Network Security • Ports and services • Port • Destination port • Service • Port scans • Denial of service (DOS) • Distributed denial of service (DDOS)

26. System Security • Network Security • Firewalls • Firewalls can be configured to detect and respond to DOS attacks, port scans, and other suspicious activity

27. System Security • Application Security • Services • Security hole • Administrator – super-user • Permissions • Input validation • Patches and updates • Patches • Third-party software • Automatic update service

28. System Security • Application Security • Patches and updates • Exploits • Patches • Third-party software • Automatic update service • File Security • Permissions • User Groups

29. System Security • User Security • Privilege escalation attack • Identity management • Password protection • Social engineering • Pretexting • User resistance

30. Backup and Disaster Recovery • Backup Options • Backup policy • Backup media • Rotation schedule • Offsiting

31. Backup and Disaster Recovery • Backup Options • Schedules • Full backup • Incremental backup • Retention periods

32. Backup and Disaster Recovery • Disaster Recovery Issues • Hot site • Data replication • Companies that require a hot site view it as a justifiable and necessary business expense, whether or not it ever is needed

33. System Obsolescence • Even with solid support, at some point every system becomes obsolete • Signs: • The system’s maintenance history indicates that adaptive and corrective maintenance is increasing steadily • Operational costs or execution times are increasing rapidly, and routine perfective maintenance does not reverse or slow the trend

34. System Obsolescence • Signs: • 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

35. System Obsolescence • Signs: • Users request significant new features to support business requirements

36. IT Credentials and Certification • Credentials • Certification • Many other IT industry leaders offer certification, including Cisco, Novell, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems

37. Chapter Summary • Systems operation, security, and support 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

38. Chapter Summary • Systems analysts need the same talents and abilities for maintenance work as they use when developing a new system • Configuration management is necessary to handle maintenance requests • System performance measurements include response time, bandwidth, throughput, and turnaround time • All information systems eventually become obsolete

39. Chapter Summary • 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 • Chapter 11 complete