System Maintenance Operations
System maintenance is concerned with keeping the hardware and software working. This .involves the following operations: 20 Information System and Networks
- Monitoring the quality and integrity of databases
- Dealing with any malfunctioning such as faulty workstations
- Ensuring that adequate back-ups of files are kept
- Implementing of upgrades of software and hardware
- Having liaison with hardware and software suppliers.
User support is concerned with ensuring that users know how to make the most optimum use of the system, and providing necessary training to the users of the system. Also, user documentation and help-desk facilities form important user support tools. Security is one of the important considerations for the proper and continued functioning of an information system.
Loss of security may originate in accidental and deliberate threats. Accidental threats arise due to poor system features like overloading, or software bugs. Deliberate threats arise from human intent, and include theft, computer fraud, vandalism and other attempts to break the system. Such threats may lead to:
- The interruption of data preparation and data input,
- The destruction or corruption of stored data,
- The destruction or corruption of software,
- The disclosure of proprietary information,
- Injury to system personnel,
- The removal of equipment or information.
In order to prevent security threats, .the organisation should have a carefully formulated security policy. It is also essential that each one of the staff members associated with the system acknowledge their responsibility for security.