Infrastructure and Operations

Networks
- Wiring
- Hubs
- Leased Lines
- Routers
- Gateways
- Firewalls
- Security

Install and Maintain

Network Performace monitoring
Capacity and Usage

Systems
- Systems Software (non-PC Operating Software)
- Servers
o Email Servers
o File Servers
o Web Servers
o Print Servers
o Application Servers
- PC’s ??????

 Installation and Maintenance of servers

 Upgrades to:
o Equipment
o System Software
o Backup of Data

Telecom
- Telephones
- Voice Mail
- Fax Machine
- Video Conferencing
 Install, Monitor, and Maintain

HelpDesk
- First Call for User IT Issues
o Log
o Diagnose / Troubleshoot Issue
o Correct / or delegate to IT ops
o Monitor Resolution
 - Remote / Login – on site client visit

Application Development and Support

Application Development (can be divided into Business Type like Customer Facing
or Operations)
- New Functionality
o Identify
o Develop
o Test
 Code / Development Testing
 User Testing
o Deploy

Application Support (can be divided into Business Type like Customer Facing or
Operations)
- Day-to-Day Operations
o Monitoring
o Handling of User Support Issues

Database Administrators
- Design overall Database Architecture
- Install new DB hardware + Software
- Configure Software
- Design New Databases
- Ensure Data Integrity
- Monitor and Optimize DB Performance

Electronic Data Interchange “EDI” / Application Interface

- Data Transfers between internal applications, and outside with vendors /
customers
o Setup new data transfers
o Schedule recurring transfers
o Monitor transfer sucsess
o Monitor data traffic, and optimize schedule

Business Analysts Group

- Gather and Document requirements of the business units for New applications or
changes to existing applications
- Liason between the user and the IT Development/Support areas
Security
IT Operations Processes

1) LAN WAN Network Infrastructure

Design, implementation, administration and Monitoring
a. Monitoring (hubs, routers, switches) (connections to outside networks)
i. Potential problems
ii. Proactive measures
b. Management of Dialup, remote access and VPN’s
c. Specialist
i. LAN (network settings, servers)
ii. WAN (Connection to outside ISP, MPLS, Trunk Lines)

2) Systems Management – Monitoring and Administration of:

a. Systems Software
b. Servers
c. Functions
i. Systems running at optimal levels
ii. OS systems updated w/ new patches/releases
iii. Server Capacity
iv. Daily data backups
d. Patch management
i. Know when available
ii. Where to get
iii. Inventory of Machines and Systems affected
iv. Mainly for Servers and Desktops
e. Configuration Management
i. CMDB, each computer, device, and application
1. Disk Capacity / usage / type
2. CPU Size
3. Network Interfaces
4. periphials
5. ports
6. network Addresses
7. OS type
8. last reboot
9. up time
10. patch level
11. access rights
12. process / threads / running programs
13. OS Errors
14. Application interfaces
ii. Server Virtualiztion – running more than 1 environment on one
physical machine, reduces hardware pieces / cost etc.

3) System Monitoring
a. Up /Down
 b. Automated messages based on thresholds (3 minutes down)

4) Security Management
a. User Admin ( add change delete)
b. Security / firewall installation support and monitoring
c. Virus Protection
d. Intrusion detection
e. Security Policies and procedures
f. Organization Data Protection

A) Non-Stop Threats (CERT)

a. Unauthorized use
b. Loss of use
c. Data destruction and theft
B) Common Attacks
a. Against end user systems
b. Against periphial devices
c. Niche applications
d. Social engineering
e. Data theft
f. Internal threats
g. Fuzzy network perimeter
C) Common Sense Precautions
a. Physical security
b. Shred information
c. Password management
d. Authentication
e. Discovery tools
f. Patch maintenance
g. Encrypt data, email,
h. Logging of access and events on system
i. User security priveleges
j. Educate end users
k. Self audits

5) Data Center Management

Establish and Maintain Safe and Reliable physical location
a. Facility Selection / strategic location
b. Power Availability
i. Emergency Power Off Switch ‘EPO’
ii. UPS – Either battery or generator
c. Air Conditioning
i. Heat is destructive to machines
ii. Usage of 40% of the power of data center
 iii. Humidity between 30-50%, higher equipment get moisture
damage, lower and risk of static discharge
d. Ventilation
i. Proper ventilation, reduces usage on cooling
e. Security
f. Fire prevention / detection / Suppression

Largest threat is flooding

6) Messaging Management
Email, IM and Text Messaging
a. Email System Support, biggest challenges
i. Security
ii. Volume
iii. SPAM
iv. 24/7 support and usage

7) Telecom Equipment and Management

Volume and Capacity Management

8) Disaster Recovery Planning

a. Server and Network Hardware with duplicate configuration
b. Copies of Code for critical apps
c. Application Backup Data
d. Cut Over plan
e. Alternative Locations
f. Planning / Testing
a. Systems Requirements (hot, warm, cold)
b. Testing
c. Keeping Primary and Backup site in sync

9) IT Asset Management
Tracking and Inventory of Hardware and Software
a. Control of, or input into, Procurement process
b. Ensuring new assets are in accounting system,
i. Accounted for
ii. Prove Ownership
iii. Deter theft
iv. Lease management, returns
v. Re-purpose of old equipment, instead of buy new
vi. Software license compliance
c. Added, Changed, or Retired  must be tracked
d. Disposal
i. Toxic Materials
ii. Data and System Security
 e. Key Items
i. Asset Management Tracking System
ii. Bar-code or other easy read tags
iii. Keep original proof of purchase
iv. All assets to enter or exit from same group/location
v. Periodic inventories thru CMDB
vi. Periodic reviews of inventory w/management and audits of
physical inventory
vii. Signed agreements for mobile equipment, especially laptops

10) Daily Systems Operations

a. Batch scheduling and monitoring
b. Print ques, and physical print distribution
c. Server and printer hardware maintenance
d. IT Facilities maintenance
i. Cabling
ii. UPS
iii. Air / Vent / Fire

11) Change Control

a. Hardware or Apps
i. Change process in place
ii. Change request forms with management and end user signoff
iii. IT to perform implication analysis
iv. Changes to be communicated
v. Document change log
vi. Testing in test environment
vii. Roll-back plan
viii. Backup of Application data, code, and configs
ix. Implemented on off-hours

12) Demand Management

Managing demands on Ops Staff, capacity for projects and service to business users
a. Setting expectations for response time
b. Moving resources to high-demand areas

13) Performance Management and SLA

a. Set objectives based on business requirements
b. Create an SLA
c. Specify Targets
d. Track and analyse performance Dashboard
Application Management

1) Application Architecture
Description of all software apps and how they face each other
a. Baseline Model – current application
i. Inventory by functional area
ii. Communications with internal and external systems
iii. Description of each and purpose
b. Target Model . . . . .

2) Application Strategy
a. Priority assessment
b. Upgrade/enhance vs replacement
c. Custom vs. package
d. Software as a service
e. Integrated applications vs. narrow best of breed

3) Maintaining Existing applications

a. Application HelpDeks
b. Setting Service Level agreements
i. Roles and responsibilities (app support team, tech support)
ii. Support hours of operation
iii. Systems request process
iv. Problem resolution
v. Severity levels / Priority levels
vi. Status codes
vii. Escalation process
viii. Key metrics (time to resolve, etc)
c. Key Roles
i. batch job scheduling, print management, startup/shutdown,
ii. data integrity, status monitoring
iii. review and implementation of patches, upgrades, bugs, fixes,
service packs
iv. configure and customize
v. user acceptance testing
vi. security management
vii. change control
d. Application Environment management
i. Development
ii. Testing
iii. Production
e. App performance management
i. Availability, speed of transaction, and volume processed
ii. Install monitoring software for real time performance
1. Up or down
 2. Capacity / usage
f. Application Release management – planning, tracking and organizing
changes to the apps

4) Developing New Custom Applications

a. Planning and estimating
i. Client business overview
ii. Business situation to address
iii. Cost estimating
iv. Project goals and priorities
v. Challenges or hurdles
b. Requirements definition
i. Audience analysis (users, operators, admins)
ii. Comparable applications analysis
iii. Inventory of key user and admin screens, and data to populate

iv. Information architiecture, parent child relationship and flow

c. System design
i. Business process diagrams, events and impact
ii. Context diagram, key business components
iii. Functional requirement, what system must do
iv. Application architecture
v. Data architecture – overview of tables, fields
vi. Technical architecture – server clients
vii. Workplan for completion, key tasks, resource assignment
d. Detailed design
i. Report design, reports to be produced
ii. Testing plan, tests cases
iii. Migration plan, timing, conversion of old systems and data
iv. User documentation
v. Technical documentation
e. QA Testing
i. Functional testing / User Testing – screen designs, calculations
correct - check that requirements were met with signoff
ii. Unit test, isolated piece of application by developer
iii. Integration testing, with all other apps or systems
iv. Regression testing – all other functions OK after small change
made
v. Platform testing – across environments if necessary
vi. Multiple session testing – speed and capacity
f. Implementation
g. Ongoing support
h. Methodologies to development
i. Waterfall
ii. RAD – Rapid Application Development
iii. AGILE
 iv. Extreme Programming

5) Implementing Package Software

a. Package selection
b. Planning, estimating and definition
c. Design
d. Configuration and customization
e. Testing
f. Deployment