Chap12

PHASE 5SYSTEMS OPERATION & SUPPORT

Systems Operation and Support

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS & DESIGN

PHASE 52

SYSTEMS ANALYSIS & DESIGN 3E

SDLC Phases

Phase 5: Systems Operation and SupportObjectives

Provide maintenance and improvements for the new information system

Support users and help them obtain the most value from the new system

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Chapter 12

Systems Operation and Support

PHASE 54


Objectives

Explain how the systems operation and support phase relates to the rest of the SDLC

Describe the information center concept and how it supports user needs

Discuss the three main categories of systems maintenance

Describe standard maintenance procedures

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Objectives

Discuss the role of configuration management in systems operation

Describe the process of capacity planning, including workload and performance measurements

Recognize the signs of system obsolescence

PHASE 56


Introduction

The new system must meet user expectations and provide support for business objectives

Systems analysts perform maintenance, and also act as internal consultants to help users obtain the greatest value from the system

The more a system is used, the more features and enhancements are requested, and the more maintenance is required

PHASE 57


Introduction

Chapter topics Three types of maintenance: corrective,

adaptive, and perfective Support techniques include maintenance teams,

configuration management, and maintenance releases

System performance issues CASE maintenance tools Recognizing system obsolescence

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Overview of Systems Support and Maintenance Activities The systems operation and support phase

begins when the system becomes operational and ends when the system is replaced

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Overview of Systems Support and Maintenance Activities After delivering the system, the analyst must

perform two tasks Provide guidance and user training

Formal training sessions Technical support Creation of a centralized information center

Perform necessary maintenance Keep the system operating properly Increase its value to users

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Support Activities

User training and assistance Current employees are trained when the new

system is introduced New employees typically are trained by user

departments, rather than IS staff If significant changes take place, the IS group

might develop a user training package Special Help via e-mail or company intranet Revisions to the user guide Training manual supplements Formal training sessions

Click to see Figure 12-1Click to see Figure 12-1Package

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Support Activities

Information centers An information center has three main objectives

To help people use system resources more effectively

To provide answers to technical or operational questions

To make users more productive by teaching them how to meet their own information needs

An information center also is called a help desk


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Support Activities

Information centers Typical information center tasks

Show a user how to create a data query or report

Demonstrate an advanced system feature Help a user recover damaged data Offer tips for better operation Explain an undocumented software feature Show a user how to write a macro Explain how to access the company’s

intranet or the Internet

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Support Activities Typical information centers tasks

Assist a user in developing a simple database Answer questions about software licensing

and upgrades Provide information about system

specifications Recommend a system solution that integrates

data from different locations An information center also monitors

performance and provides support


PHASE 514


Maintenance Activities

The overall cost of a system includes the systems operation and support phase

Costs include fixed operational costs and maintenance activities

Operational costs are relatively constant, while maintenance costs vary over time High costs when system is implemented Relatively low costs during system’s useful life High costs near end of system’s useful life



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Operational costs Supplies Equipment rentals Software leases

Maintenance activities Changing programs, procedures, or

documentation to ensure correct performance

Adapting the system to changing requirements

Making the system operate more efficiently

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Three types of maintenance Corrective maintenance

To fix errors Adaptive maintenance

To add new capability and enhancements Perfective maintenance

To improve efficiency

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Corrective maintenance Diagnoses and corrects errors in the system Investigation, analysis, design, and testing are

necessary before a solution is implemented Typically, a user submits a systems request form

with supporting evidence, if necessary Response depends on the priority of the

request All maintenance is logged


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Adaptive maintenance Adds enhancements to the system An enhancement is a new feature or capability Adaptive maintenance often is required in a

dynamic business environment An adaptive maintenance project is like a mini-

SDLC, with similar phases and tasks Can be more difficult than new systems

development, because of the constraints of an existing system

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Perfective maintenance Involves changing an operational system to

make it more efficient, reliable, or maintainable Requests for corrective and adaptive

maintenance typically come from users, while requests for perfective maintenance typically come from the IS department

Techniques Reverse engineering tools aid design

analysis Reengineering tools can be used

interactively to correct errorsClick to see Figure 12-7Click to see Figure 12-7

Package

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Managing Systems Operation and Support Systems operation requires effective

management techniques Maintenance team Configuration management Maintenance releases

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Managing Systems Operation and Support Maintenance team

Consists of systems analysts and programmers Systems analysts on maintenance work need

Solid background in information technology Strong analytical abilities Solid understanding of business operations Effective interpersonal and communication

skills Analysis: studying the whole to understand the

individual elements Synthesis: studying the individual elements to

understand the overall system

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Managing Systems Operation and Support Configuration management

Process for controlling changes in system requirements

Usually involves three steps

1. The maintenance request

2. Initial action on the request

3. Final disposition of the request Objectives of configuration management

Manage different versions of the system Organize and handle documentation

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TRADEOFF

Should a systems review committee evaluate maintenance and new systems requests separately, or together? Some say “let the dollars go where they will do

the most good, regardless of project type” Others feel that separate allocations are needed

to protect maintenance projects All projects draw from the same resource pool,

but IS groups often are organized into separate teams, and can handle separate projects better

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A KEY QUESTION

At Brightside Insurance Company, you organized the IS group into two units — one for new systems, one for maintenance

Now one of your best people might quit if he is assigned to the maintenance team

Should you adopt a different policy and allow voluntary assignments?

If you must make the assignments, what criteria should you use?

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Managing Systems Operation and Support Maintenance releases

With a maintenance release methodology, all noncritical changes are held until they can be implemented at one time

Each new system version is called a release Numbering systems

Whole number = significant change After decimal = relatively minor changes or

fixes There are pros and cons to this approach

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Managing System Performance

System performance directly affects users Centralized operations are easier to measure

than complex networks and client/server systems

Various statistics can be used to assess system performance

Capacity planning uses operational data to forecast system capability and future needs

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Performance and workload measurement Response time Turnaround time Throughput

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Managing System Performance Response time

Response time is the overall time between a request for system activity and the delivery of the response

Response time includes three elements The time necessary to transmit or deliver the

request to the system The time the system needs to process the

results The time it takes to transmit or deliver the

results back to the user Response time is critical for user satisfaction

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Turnaround time Turnaround time measures the efficiency of

centralized computer operations, which still are used for certain tasks, such as credit card processing

Turnaround time is the amount of time between the arrival of a request at a computer center and the availability of the output for delivery or transmission

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Throughput Throughput measures the efficiency of the

computer itself Throughput is the time from the input of a

request to the central processor until the output is delivered to the system

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Capacity planning Monitors current activity and performance levels Anticipates future activity Forecasts the resources needed to provide

desired levels of service In capacity planning you can use a technique

called what-if analysis, where you vary one or more elements in a model to see the effect on other elements

Click to see Figure 12-8bClick to see Figure 12-8bPackage

Click to see Figure 12-8aClick to see Figure 12-8a Package

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CASE Tools for System Maintenance

A CASE toolkit provides valuable tools for system evaluation and maintenance, such as A performance monitor A program analyzer An interactive debugging analyzer A restructuring or reengineering tool Automated documentation tools Network activity monitors Workload forecasting software

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System Obsolescence

A system becomes obsolete when its functions are no longer required by users or when the platform becomes outmoded

Typical signs of obsolescence Adaptive and corrective maintenance is

increasing steadily Operational costs or execution times are

increasing rapidly, and routine perfective maintenance does not reverse the trend

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System Obsolescence

Typical signs of obsolescence A software package is available that provides

the same or additional services faster, better, and less expensively

New technology offers a way to perform the same or additional functions more efficiently

Maintenance changes or additions are difficult and expensive to perform

Users request significant new features to support business requirements


Click to see Figure 12-9Click to see Figure 12-9 Package

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SOFTWEAR, LIMITED

Status report: in mid-December 1999, the payroll package and the ESIP system both are operating successfully and SWL users are satisfied

Corrective maintenance has been performed Printing and alignment problems were resolved

Adaptive maintenance has been requested Human resources department wants to develop

an annual employee benefits statement, and add additional ESIP deduction choices

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SOFTWEAR, LIMITED

New developments Pacific Software announced the latest version of

its payroll package, which supports integration of payroll and human resources functions

SWL decides to investigate the possibility of a human resources information system (HRIS)

After a preliminary investigation, IS staff recommends that SWL upgrade to the new payroll package and study the development of a company-wide human resources system

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SOFTWEAR, LIMITED

The future The business environment is changing rapidly SWL must investigate new information

management technology constantly At this point, the systems development life cycle

for SWL begins again

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Chap12

Technology