Evaluation (D1, D2)

This evaluation will cover the benefits of the housekeeping procedures that I performed for P4 and the system upgrades performed in P6. 

Home maintenance (D1)

I will evaluate several house keeping procedures on how effective the benefits of performing them are.
The software clean up is a process that involves stopping and deleting unnecessary software to help the PC's performance. For this I used three different techniques; the first was to open Task Manager to view all currently running software, I then selected any background software that was not currently in use and clicked End Task which stopped the program immediately. This is useful as it frees up space on the computers RAM allowing it to run more programs at one time which is useful for many reasons (e.g. writing documents in word while using a web browser for research.) The other two steps are best done in the following order; disk clean up finds all old, unused or just plain unnecessary files and deletes them from the computer. Doing this is useful as it gives the user a quick and easy method of creating space on the PC's hard disk as it finds and deletes unwanted files for you. The final maintenance tool is the disk derangementer, it takes all the data on the hard disk and arranges it so that all relevant data is stored together and eliminating any gaps that may have been caused by either deleting files normally or by disk clean up. Doing this frequently is very useful as it prevents problems further on down the line that happen when the disk becomes too fragmented; this includes files becoming corrupted and files being misplaced in folders.
Next I opened up the computer in order to dust its insides, doing this helps prevent dust build up which in turn can cause a computer to slow down, shutdown or even cause lasting damage to the components should it get hot enough. After cleaning the insides of the the PC I cleaned the monitor of any grime that may have become stuck on due to the screens static surface.Using an anti-static cloth to remove the grime, it will prevent a build up of dirt from obscuring the screen while working on more graphics based software.
Finally there was the matter of replacing hardware to improve performance, for example I replaced some faulty RAM in one of the computers due to it not being able to be read by any of the PCs. Replacing it allowed us to add working RAM increasing the computers performance by allowing more than one program at a time. Replacing hardware is very important in housekeeping procedures as it can help prevent future problems cause from using equipment that has stopped functioning properly.

System Upgrades (D2)

Next I will talk about the overall effect that upgrades have on a system, this would include both hardware and software.
First the software side of things; anti-virus software is a very important for a computer system as it protects your computer from various malicious software. Malicious software can cause a system to slowdown/crash, corrupt files and steal information for the software's designer, anti-virus software helps to prevent this. Finding decent anti-virus software shouldn't be difficult, while most of it requires payment to use there are some that can be downloaded for free, such as AVG. There are also package deals from companies such as Virgin media which include anti-virus software with their broadband. Keeping it updated prevents any weaknesses in the software from being exploited. Since use for the internet is so wide-spread this upgrade is useful for everyone using an internet enabled computer. If you are using free software it is important to consider the options as not all of it works equally as well. For instance some of the software might be full of ad-ware which is both annoying and counter intuitive if your plan was to stop that from happening.
Hardware upgrades help your computer run much more efficiently in many different areas. Upgrading the graphics card allows the system to process much more graphic intensive software; this serves two primary uses. Running high fidelity video games, or rendering high poly models. As such this upgrade is only useful if you're wanting higher graphics processing but this would only be useful for the reasons listed above. Upgrading a computers RAM storage increases the amount of data it can call out at once. This in turn allows the computer to utilize more complex programs such as video games, graphics editing software and 3D modelling software. This is a very useful upgrade as it allows people who work in a field which requires the use of these programs to do so as efficiently as possible. Though while not as useful it still helps those who use computers for other less intensive means, as higher RAM also allows users to run multiple programs at once. This can come in useful for those who need the convenience (Having a web browser open with an information source, while writing a document). However if necessary it may be important to have an IT professional help you with both the graphics card and RAM, as there are several things you'll need to consider. Firstly there is the matter of whether or not the hardware you buy is compatible with your computer, if not then the hardware will not function properly and probably not even fit inside the PC. There is also the matter of installation which if done improperly can cause damage to the components.

Recommending computer upgrades (M2)

Software

Among the upgrades that can be made to a computer I would recommend regular updates of already installed software. Consumer software such as Anti-virus and Java are regularly being updated to fix any bugs that are present in the current version of the product, these are usually sent with a report detailing what is being changed or fixed  with the update. It's a good idea to stay up to date with each patch to prevent a pile up of updates that need to be downloaded all at once, this also makes it harder to see if a bug has been fixed as it gets lost in all the patch notes. If your software stops being supported and there is still a bug that has not been fixed you may need to either buy a similer piece of software of buy the new version of the old one.

Hardware

I would suggest upgrading the computers RAM to improve you computers performance. I would suggest this because it is relatively cheap compared to other components and fairly easy to install. They increase the quick access memory allowing the computer to handle more memory intensive programs. I would also recommend upgrading the disk drive to increase your overall memory, allowing you to store more programs. Upgrading the graphics card is very important if you want to suit your computer to render high quality graphics, they are quite a bit more expensive than the RAM sticks but worth the price if you want to be able to play video games at the highest settings.The largest investment I could recommend is to change the motherboard. This is mainly done when components you want to install are not compatible with your current model.

Unit 25 (P6, M3)

For P6 we were tasked with upgrading a computer systems hardware and software. The hardware upgrade involved us installing more RAM into the system to increase it's volatile memory, doing so will raise the performance by increasing the amount of data that can be stored and called on quicker. We opened up the computer and found that there was only one stick of RAM installed, making the process all the easier.

Customer Requirements

The computer requires a new stick of RAM in order to perform the tasks necessary for it's purpose. The new RAM has the same amount of space as the current one so it should of doubled by the end.

Current system check

The current system has a total cached memory of 1012MB and has 105MB of free space left.

Budget

A 1GB of RAM can cost as little as £18 so there is not much of an issue there.

Research

We may need to look into what model the current RAM is and see if the new one we're getting is compatible with the motherboard.

Time/Planning

Inserting new RAM is a relatively quick and easy process and could be finished during a lunch break depending on the number computers that need an upgrade.

Quote

Tell the customer that I can have the computers RAM replaced over lunch for £50.

Parts/Ordering

The parts will have to be ordered today as it will most likely take up to five working days for the RAM to come to the college.

Tools

This model of computer case has a latch that you pull on loosen components making the job entirely doable by hand, so no tools will be necessary.

Installation

Installing this component will require me to push it into the slot and fasten it in place with the clamps. I may need to remove the disk drive to properly reach the RAM slot.

Drivers

We will make sure that the new stick of RAM will be the same model as the current one, so there will be no need to install new drivers.

Insurance

I have no insurance.

Testing

To test that it works we'll open up the task manager window again, the amount of MBs should of increased after installing the RAM.

Documentation

Once the current class had left the room for lunch I went in to work on the PC. I opened up the computer and saw the empty RAM slot.
 In order to reach it with ease I had to remove the disk drive to clear the way, which can easily done since most of the components in this model are held in by clamps.

 

After the RAM stick was fastened into the PC I placed the disk drive back into place and closed up the computer. I then turned it on and entered the task manager menu to see if it was reading the new RAM stick correctly.
The numbers had increased so it was working fine.

#	Test	Result	Solution
1	Does the computer turn on properly?	The computer turns on without issue.
2	Is new stick of RAM being read correctly?	Opening task manager shows that the computer is reading the new stick of RAM correctly.

Unit25 (P4, P5)

Link to PDF

Project planning (P3)

When working on a project it is very important to plan your work process and one of the methods of doing so is a Gantt chart.

Invented by Henry L. Gantt in 1917, a Gantt chart helps users to plan out how long each task in a project will take whether it lasts one week to three months, it helps because it keeps track of progress and lets the workers know if they are behind or ahead of the whole schedule. It also allows users to split a project up into individual tasks to be done, these can then be laid out across the chart timeline depending on if they can be done now or later on in the project. This helps the project become more organised as it makes sure that every task is completed by the end. It even allows users to organise tasks that are dependent on other tasks being completed before they can begin. You can't pack up the computer before it's finished being built for example. Lastly, like most organisers it also gives an idea of the time related resources necessary to complete the task.

To the right is a picture of a Gantt chart detailing the planing of a computer maintenance task, in this case it is the prioritisation and installation of windows 7 for a building full of computers. The green cells show the days where a task is worked on, yellow cells show that a task might get worked on and red cells show that a task will not be worked on that day. As you can see most of these tasks cannot be started until the previous task is completed, these are marked with and arrow going from one task to the next below where it begins. A key has also been included below, it states what each colour means as well as what each task is. Doing it this way saves space for the table and keeps the cell sizes consistent.

Health & Safety risk (P2)

When maintaining computer systems there are actually health risks involved despite being a rather tame profession. There are a number of steps to take while working with computers to avoid injury; such as getting cut on sharp edges, electrocution or starting a fire. To prevent these occurrences from occurring, for example if we were replacing the hardware in a computer you must first turn off the hardware by the switch and pull out the plug, this stops the flow of electricity in the computer and prevents the risk of being electrocuted while you unplug equipment. Before you start removing the innards you will have to wait for the computer to cool down as some can run quite hot. You must also wear anti-static gloves to prevent getting shocked while handling the hardware while also being careful not to drop the fragile equipment or to cut yourself on its sharp edges.

Workers must also take care to avoid damaging the computers wiring, as faulty wiring can lead to equipment not working at best or start a fire at worst. There is also the other issue of wiring getting caught up in the cooling fan.

These guidelines would apply to the replacing of several major components including; the motherboard, RAM, processor and the graphics card. All components require care while being extracted and inserted, the motherboard and RAM require a bit of force to insert but can also be snapped if pushed too hard. The processor however can be simply placed in and doesn't require force, although it is the most fragile of the components so it requires extra care.

Issues to consider(P1, M1)

Explain the issues organisations must consider when planning computer systems maintenance.

Security

It is very important to make sure that any valuable information is kept in a safe and secure place on the network, this can be done by using admin rights to limit access to the folders that these files are stored in based on how far your admin rights extend. Other methods of security would include the password protection of folders. This means that when maintenance is being performed the important files cannot be moved or deleted by mistake.

Health and Safety

To protect employees policies are put in place to minimize risk and to protect equipment, food and drink are not allowed near computers as this can cause damage to the machine if food where to find its way between the keys or if a drink was spilled onto the machine. Other health risks would be in the hardware maintenance department where improper handling of the equipment can cause injury, as such it's necessary to give employees proper training in order to teach them proper conduct for hardware maintenance safely.

Duty of care

It is very important to keep your employees safe while working in your environment; failure to uphold this can lead to injury or even death. This will most likely end in a law suit causing a huge  losses of money and time, so it is in your best interest to prevent this by taking the necessary steps to reduce risk in your organisation.

How employees can help

The employees can also assist in the prevention of disaster if whenever possible. In accordance with the Fareham College policy, for example both students and staff are encouraged to report possible hazards as soon as possible so that they can be attended to. Employees have to look out for faulty safety guards and other equipment, they also need to check the PAT test date on the computers and take them to IT services to be tested again. In some cases organisations can sue employees that fail to report a potential threat to others. It is important that policies are in place and that you have a designated place where employees can address their concerns and that everyone knows about it, someone should be on desk at all times to make it convenient for more busy organisations.

User limitations

It may also be necessary to have policies in place that limit what certain users can do on the organisation's network, this involves several main limitations. First is the black listing of certain websites including obvious sites like those used for gambling and pornography, other sites such as Facebook and Twitter would be black listed to prevent users wasting their time procrastinating. There will also be limitations such as the inability to download files onto the computer to prevent users from overloading the system and downloading undesired programs such as viruses.

Planning

It is important for a company to carefully plan out its operations and IT maintenance is no different, there are many factors to consider since there are only so few people qualified to do it and not every time is the best time. For example sending support off to fix a problem right away might not be the best time as they might be busy with customers, instead it would be better to plan it for when they're not as busy so that they can focus on the one thing instead of five. For multiple IT support workers you will need to think about how to assign each job and who is qualified to do what, and there are not enough people qualified then you will need to conduct extra training. The best time to do all this is during a slow, not very busy period in the year as it would cause the least amount of inconvenience. This would be the best time to work on all your maintenance such as website maintaining, onsite maintaining (which would also require more heath and safety planning) and employee training. If procedures are not in place this could lead to injury or damage on the premises.