CHAPTER 1

AIS ADMINISTRATION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completing this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

l Describe the preparation and monitoring of the run schedule.

l Examine console printouts, logs, and describe the analysis of console printouts and logs.

l Schedule computer downtime with users, to include hardware maintenance and software upgrades.

l Prepare emergency urgent change requests, to include application and system programs.

l Prepare, review, and coordinate trouble reports.

l Describe how to conduct and update an AIS equipment inventory.

l Describe the preparation and analysis of system performance reports.

l Explain the establishment and maintenance of system resource limits.

l Describe how to project future application growth capabilities.

l Explain how to prepare guidelines for contingency/disaster recoveries, to include adequate replacement parts and backup media and current backups.

Are scheduling systems really necessary to get the work done? No; but unless you are working at an AIS facility with unlimited resources, it would not be long before confusion and disorder set in if you did not have one. That would be followed by unhappy and dissatisfied users demanding their output products in a timely manner. Users rely on computer operations and support personnel to get their jobs done on time.

Whether your AIS facility has one or several computers, it will be your job to see that the AIS production work of your command is processed in a timely reamer. This means schedules. You will need to develop monthly production schedules in coordination with user-assigned subsystem coordinators. You will also need to develop daily workload schedules to meet user-established deadlines. If your computer system has online capabilities, you will need to be sure users have access when they need it and that the system is responsive.

Technical administration and support are important aspects of automated information system (AIS) facility management. As a technical administrator, you will be making hardware and software projection reports, software performance reports, hardware utilization reports, and trouble reports. You will be responsible for

implementing performance-tuning initiatives to improve computer system performance. You will also be expected to project future application growth capabilities. All these are technical functions needed to ensure the smooth operation of an AIS facility.

In this chapter, you will learn about the many varied tasks you may perform as an input/output control clerk and then as a scheduler, reports preparation, trouble reports, technical assists, and operational guidelines. Our objective is to give you a better understanding of the importance, scope, and responsibilities that go with processing production jobs-receiving jobs, scheduling AIS production within the AIS facility, and ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of products.

I/O CONTROL

I/O control is the interface between the user and the computer system. Figure 1-1 shows an example of the role played by I/O control in the processing of computer jobs.