An Online Library Catalogue System - Research Proposal Example

An Online Library Catalogue System Problem at hand Within the periphery of the company’s library, there have been myriad problems to the access and utilization of the facilities therein. Library online cataloguing system refers to an online facility, which will enable online access of the company’s facilities and resources as books, company information, company newspapers, and other facets, which are available in the library. As such, the problem of congestion within the manual accessories to this library will be done away with. The project is conducted in championship of the manager of the company. Context The company’s management system involves a number of departments, branches, and humanitarian personnel in charge of each section. This design program will be conducted and managed by the company’s IT experts at all time. Online compartments comprise of well-set gadgets and applied resources which enable the company to have an online access to its archives, most of which will be found in the company’s library. Within this facet of the company, the management team will comprise of IT technicians, program planners, and executors, together with the overall managerial body of the company (Ramalingam 2000, p. 30). Projects are managed by the respective heads of departments. Project execution and implementation assume the roles of the management team, which stands in place of every project proposed and finally implemented in the company. Resources to be applied The project will involve a number of resources. First, the project will require humanitarian aid and expertise. This will be elicited from the company’s IT management and individuals who have been at the forefront in ensuring that the company is technologically up to date. Moreover, this group of facilities will involve the company’s editorial and writing society, which will be concerned with ensuring every activity done and accomplished by the company, is kept in paper form, which will be transformed into online sources by the completion of this project. Other resources to be used include electronic equipments as computers and internet gadgets, routers, desktops, catalogue boards, websites, electrify sources, and the office, which will accommodate all of these facilities. Moreover, the project will require financial and administrative support from the company’s administration. Duration The project has been designed to take a period of three weeks over which the online catalogue system will be able to fully work and access the company’s library and online users to access the various company details. All the activities involving the project will be scheduled within this span of time. Business benefits of the project Like any other business, the company aims at accruing benefits from the online facility. The services offered by the facility will go towards imparting effectiveness and efficiency to access of the Company’s basic and literal information, with a charge of an approximate and reasonable fee. Moreover, the overall completion of the project will call for an increase in the customer satisfaction and subsequent increase in consumer influx in the company; increased input from the output. Part two Risk management plan Brainstorming, random selection, and identification of the ideas for the project proved that this project was subject to fatalities as far as its success was concerned. Every project is subject to risks, which come unexpected since they had not been planned for. Risk refers to uncertainties, which evolved and thwarted on the general rollout of the project procedures and methodologies. To curtail risk occurrence, this project involved a succinct risk management platform. In this project, risks will be catered for through well-structured and documented procedures, which will elicit responsive acquaintances of the project (Kendrick 2009, p. 30). The project will cater for its risks through the following stages: Risk identification In this project, the risks were identified basing on the fact that these risks can either be known, unknown, or unknowable. Risks as breakage of the catalogue at any time were known. Risks as spam inversion of the online catalogue software could not be exactly known. Moreover, risks, as a complete refusal for the project online catalogue system to work, with the competence of the experts available, are unknowable. For the risks to be identified, some considerations where adhered to. Online catalogue development risks are only known by the project’s technical attendant though they might be poorly communicated. For consistency and effectiveness of the risk identification method, a structured and repeated mode of risk identification method was put in place. Due to the nature of the risks uncovered and their occurrence, there was no overall conclusion to be made. Furthermore, the project involved a non-judgmental and non-attributive method of identifying risks in order to cater for controversies and tentativeness (Edwards & Bowen 2005, p. 78). Library online catalogue risk taxonomy was implemented central to identifying and eliciting any risk or mistake likely to occur within the project. This taxonomy is organized into three levels as in product engineering, program constrains, and environment of development. The engineering aspect of the taxonomy involved the technical aspects, which ware to be accomplished by the project. This arm of risk identification is set to elicit any possible mistake or outcome, which was not initially implemented within the online catalogue system. The environment of development manly considered the methods of production, the tools used, and procedures, which were involved to come up with the project. The program constrains involved the organizational, contractual, and operational factors over which the online catalogue system is to be developed, but are not considered within the local management of the project (Hillson 2009, p. 98-102). The three procedures expressed above will spray down to meeting and checking on the requirements, their quality, durability, and engineering techniques involved, the nature of the working environment, the resources available, and stability of the project ideas, scale of measuring risk occurrences, control of the product, facilities, and schedule of the project. All these measurements will elicit any deficit, fatality, and misconceptions within the project, which could be of tremendous harm to the project in the future (Cooper 2005, p. 63). The product engineering class of the online accessory will feature the requirements, design, code and test unit, test and integration, and specialties in designing the online catalogue system. The risk identification feature will exemplify the requirements in that it will define what the online catalogue system will do, the needs to be met by it, how it is to be used, and how it is supposed to behave. The design protocol will feature the translation of the requirements to make up an effective design within the constraints and operational designs. The development environment level of the risk identification module will elicit the nature of the work environment and its possibilities to change, the management methods to be involved, process of management, and the system of development besides the process of development. The management methods will reflect on the tools to be used, supportive equipment, and personnel management, assurance of quality, configuration management, and control of the development of the products. The work environment will reflect on the general behavior of the workers, their safety, cooperation, and morale while at work. Moreover, the definition process defined the planning, documentation, definition, suitability, communication, and enforcement measures, which would be implemented in order to curb risk occurrence. Risk quantification In this category of risk management, the project involved an attachment of a probability to a negative happening within the duration of project and functioning of the online catalogue system. A probability of one was given for any occurrence of uncertainties. On the other hand, a probability of zero was assigned to none occurrence of any uncertainty which could be termed as a risk. All the cases and procedures were studied, measured, and quantified according to the confirmations of the technique used, usability of the design item, and the longevity of the system. Moreover, quantification responded to the nature and effectiveness of the methods and procedures involved in designing the type of the library online catalogue system. Quantified scales were established and recorded for future references. This was done so that in the case of risk occurrences, equitable measures would have been put in place to cater for them. Risk response The project negotiates the four strategies of risk response as follows: Acceptance: the project is set to accept any risk within the measure of positively affecting the general performance and continued production. This means that any risk, which is of little severity as concerns the use and maintenance of the online catalogue system, will be accepted. Within the measures of acceptance, the risks should be subjected to other measures, which will gradually freeze them out in due course. The problems will be fixed in order to the let the project move on. The managers in the respective departments will embrace an active and passive acceptance of the risks accordingly. Passive acceptance denotes that the project managers will accept the risk with potent that measures will soon be put in place to cater for and finally rid the risk out of the cataloguing processes. Moreover, the managers will passively accept the risk if there is nothing, which can be done to alleviate it (Hallihan 2008, p. 67). Avoidance: within this category of project risk management, the project will try as much a possible to eradicate any possibility of risks occurring right from the start to the end of the project cycle. The designs, which have been used to make the library online catalogue, have all taken consideration of any possible occurrence of risks. The catalogues made use of the latest website designs and were incorporated with the latest internet options to cater for any upcoming challenges while in use. Transfer: in the case of occurrence of a damaging risk, the project will try to transfer the risk to someone else so that the individual can take responsibility of the risk. Transfer measures will stand by the expert managers who will be responsible for contracting other projects, which can sustain the risk. In case of any risk, the project will shift its attention to letting the risk be delivered to other projects within the proximity of the initial project. The deliverables will be conducted and acted upon by the company’s risk management experts so that they do not affect on the other programs that let the project run. Mitigation: the project will also involve a number of mitigation measures. This will involve the risks, which are above the rate of tolerance by the project management and the company. Moreover, all the risks, which will not be accepted, will be subjected to mitigation strategies. The strategy to be used will involve withdrawing some money from the contingency budget that resembled the expected value before the start of mitigating process. Part of this money will be utilized together in the general budget of the project to conduct the mitigation strategy. This will enable the general probability of the impact to be reduced, together with contingency budget. Risk monitoring and control The purpose of risk monitoring and control are to ensure good execution of the planned activities, maintain track of the watch list and other identified risks, update the company on the use and state of the online catalogue system, monitor and trigger contingency conditions, and keep track of the residual risks while identifying new risks which arise at the process of project execution. Within the functioning of the risk control and monitoring activities, the project will ensure that all the risk responses have been implemented, new risks which had not been determined earlier have surfaced, triggers of risks have surfaced, policies and procedures are properly followed, assumptions made for the project are all and clearly followed, exposure of the risk has changed from its initial state together with trend analysis, responses to risks are effective of which new ones might be determined, and that the assumptions and conclusions made are still within the frame of validity in the project (Janosky 1984, p. 86). The risk monitoring and control segments will bear the following entries: Risk register: this section will include or comprise of identified risks, warning signs, and triggers of these risks, risks responses, and owners of the risks. Approved change requests: this apartment will involve scope modifications, changes to the schedule, contract terms with the company, methods of working, and the nature of the risks at hand. New impacts of risks and new methods of analysis will navigate through the regular steps taken to fulfill the risks. Work performance information: this will include all the theoretical and informative records, which have been taking place prior the inception of the online catalogue system in the company and after its inception and use. This will help control any malfunctions or risks within the project. Tools for monitoring and control Risk reassessment: this tool will involve risk reviews as per each meeting, main reviews conducted at major milestones, and rating and prioritization of the risks, which are subject to change at the course of the project exemplification. Risk audits: This section of the monitoring process will involve the examination and documentation effectiveness of the risk response planning and the effectiveness of the whole procedure at work. Variance and trend analysis: this feature will be used to monitor the general cost of the project schedule and performance against a particular baseline plan. Technical performance measurement will depict on the significance of the deviations from the updated risk identification and analysis performances (Barkley 2004, p. 63). Section 2 1. What are four services that can be provided by a network to users in an organization? Network users in an organization can provide various services. They include provision of data, which will enable the organization to run and operate as a system, elicit usefulness of the internet in the organization as a source of materials, information, guide procedures, and additive resources for use within an organization. Moreover, network users provide services as research materials concerning the organization’s methods of operation, improvement, and tackling of challenges. Besides this, network users assist in training and guiding the organization’s employees on how to explore and make good and beneficial use of the internet within the company. As such, network users will be able to offer necessary guidance on how to access and make use of the online catalogue system within the organization at hand. 2. What is the purpose of the administrative tool Group Policy in Windows Server 2003? The administrative tool, Group Policy in Windows Server 2003 has a number of purposes. The three primary tools used to administer Group Policy include the Microsoft Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) whose purpose is to assist in managing bulkiness of the Group Policy management tasks. The Group Policy Object Editor is used editing and making extensive figurative and latter adjustments within the group policy items. The third object is the Result Set of Policy (RSoP) snap-in. Its main purpose is to report and plan the effects of the policy group policy. The three separate segments of Group Policy in Windows Server 2003 operate as a system within itself. 3. Explain the following terms: Integrity, Confidentiality, and Availability with respect to a network security policy. Integrity: refers to a scenario where there is resistance to substitution of data, which are detected and provable. The changes normally occur with use of one-way hashes, algorithm validation, and/or checksums, and can be maintained at various levels as from hardware to logical applications. Availability: availability refers to presence of data whenever it is needed and at any place. Availability balancing as fail-over, load balancing, and quick backup, involves making the data available and out of pounds to malicious attacks, accidents, and puzzle. Confidentiality: confidentiality refers to a scenario where data has been hidden from the people or users who are not supposed to use it. Confidentiality measures take a number of steps as authentication, use of strict access controls, and encryption of the data. 4. Write down at least two functions of hub, switch, router, and modem. Modem: this device is used to pass the signal between the cable connection and a computer. It speaks to a dive directory as a computer, router, or game console. Hubs: this is used to provide a junction box for an internet. Its serves the same purpose of interconnecting the wires to the source and user end of the internet. Switches: this is a smart junction. Its purpose is to receive a signal and release it within a single line of network. They are also used to extend the capacity of a wired local area connection so that more than one computer can be plugged as much as they are in their port capacities and wired speeds. Router: is used to connect more than one computer or consoles within a single modem. It operates between the broadband line and other various devices connected to it. 5. What advantages are there to use a server-based antivirus solution? There are various advantages of using a server-based antivirus solution. The user accounts will be managed and controlled from one single and central location. Resource management is quite effective and efficient when a server-based antivirus is used. The resources within the server will be limited to a single and accounted user without influence from any other outside source. Moreover, the antivirus will serve to protect the computer from any virus infection right from within the server itself. 6. Why is it important to consider existing network infrastructure prior to purchasing new hardware? It is important to consider existing network infrastructure prior to purchasing a new hardware. This is because the relation between a new hardware can be improved or changed in accordance to the type of the new hardware. Various protocols often change in different hardware. The accessories, software, and other run software are different in one way or the other. Therefore, consideration of the old hardware will enable the person purchasing to get hardware, which will fit well with the existing hardware in terms of slot positions, ports, and other interconnection devices. 7. Why we need to consider interoperability when buying or installing hardware for network? Interoperability is important when buying and installing hardware for network. Interoperability states that several hardware devices need to link up in data transfer and compatibility when it comes to managing the network around or in use. Interoperability guides in installing data and software, which will run amidst the existing hardware with mutuality and simplicity in authentication of the available network connections. 8. Unlike the switch, why the usage of hub is gradually declining? Use of the hub is gradually declining with time. The introduction of the switch has tremendously altered the use of the hub in that a switch has been considered parable and convenient when in use. A hub serves the same purpose, as does a switch. A switch best serves the interconnections, which connect from a broadband cable to the power sources. A hub is a bit hectic to fix in between two or more connections managing a single network as a modem. On the other hand, a switch is regarded as friendly to any environment for use. It does not elicit complications, as does a hub while in use. 9. What is the function of Apache server? Name any other server that is used for the same purpose. Function of APACHE saver: it plays a critical role in the World Wide Web. It is a web server, which enables people to access the website. It works by a hybrid mode with multiprocessing modules, which enable it to run in a particular process. The server provides an online interspaces or website, which enables its access all over the world. Bits of information are stored and accessed by the world surfers at any time. Some of the other servers, which serve the same purpose as Aoache, are Nginx and the Oracle iPlanet Web Server. 10. Why should you check the warranty conditions on a piece of hardware before attempting to repair it? It is important to check the warranty conditions of a server before repairing it. The warranty conditions provide a span of time under which the producing or sourcing company caters for the damages and other malfunctions within the hardware. If a hardware is repaired before checking on the warranty conditions, the repairs might work against the inscribed procedures on the operation and rightful measures to be undertaken in case of a damage or malfunction of the device. 11. In what circumstances you may consider STP cable instead of UTP? There are circumstances in which you may consider STP cable instead of UTP. The environment under which these cables are used provides one consideration of STP over UTP cables. In most cases, UTP cables (unshielded twisted pair), is used for a sufficiency of 100/1000 megabytes per second of the internet. STP is shielded and provides protection from interference of electromagnetic forces in the case of an exposed environment. STP (shielded twisted pair), provides a better option within a risky or exposed environment. 12. What are the three tasks of MMC? Explain why preventative maintenance is important. MMC has three roles. They are to provide a general host environment for snap-ins, which provide the real management behavior. The MMC environment provides for faultless incorporation between snap-ins. MMC also provides simplified administrative support by integration, delegation, and orientation of tasks together with simplification of the interfaces. Preventive maintenance is important to provide for a curb of any problem occurrence within the facets under control. This kind of maintenance enables prevention of malfunction occurrence within the interfaces (Henderson 2009, p. 10). 13. What are the steps in diagnosing a computer hardware fault? Describe how Device manager can help diagnose problems. Step 1: Turn on the computer. If the power light comes on then the computer hardware is all right. If it does not, then the problem is within the power supply, switch, or power cord Step 2: observe for the BIOS splash screen to appear. This screen will tell you to press F12 in order to begin setup. In case the screen is plank or splash screen never appears, then the problem is within the motherboard. Step 3: in case the BIOS does not appear, press F12 in order to boot into windows safe mode. If nothing is displayed or there appears a hard drive error message, then the problem is with the hard disk. Step 4: access the device manager through the control panel where you can access the hard disk. Step 5: check at the control panel if the device has a yellow symbol with an exclamation mark, which indicates a problem with the device. You can follow that device to incorporate changes. Step 6: turn off the computer in order to physically install the device. Turn on the computer, see if the device is now there, and working. If this is not the case, then the device is faulty. Device manager can diagnose problems by following the procedures as above, correcting on the problems, and faultiest within the device (Ross & Murdock 2007, p. 73). 14. Describe the steps in the standard documentation process. Identify three sources of standards for computer system documentation. Step 1: a brief description of the program is written including the purpose, platform of the program, and requirements of the memory. Step 2: a sketch of how the document is supposed to be is drawn including any possible headers and footers, page numbers and cover page of the document. Step 3: the first section of the document is written stating on how to install the program. This section outlines installation process as from inserting of the disk all the way to finishing installation. Step 4: steps for getting the program to run are stated including icons to be clicked, nature of the screens, and opening of screen shots. Step 5: third section of the document is written which bears how to operate with the program. Menu functions are described as accessing of the help centre, saving files, printing, and many other programs. Step 6: table content is composed Step 7: a glossary id developed Step 8: involves editing the document. The three sources of standards for computer system documentation are online sources, digital media, and analogue media. 15. List four general types of problems commonly dealt with by the helpdesk. Give two reasons why your telephone answering style is important. Help desk deals with problems as language barrier, handling clients from various state of denominations, levels of achievement, cultural backgrounds, responding to questions out of their capabilities within a short time, and addressing the need and rules of the company or institution. The telephone answering style is important since clients ho call are from varied understandings and language. 16. List four items of information you should record when obtaining information over the phone. When visiting a site, what should you do before inspecting the faulty equipment? When obtaining information over the phone, the things, which should be recorded, include sense of sound, availability of other sounds within the environment of caller, clarity of the respondent, and the nature of the overall situation within the reception network. Before inspecting a faulty equipment, one should get to know of the warranty status, present state of the equipment, safety conditions within the site, and collection of all the data and materials, which could be important while in the site. 17. State why writing skills are important for help desk staff. What information should be recorded when a workstation is sent away for repair? Writing skills enable the desk attendant to respond to client’s needs and requests in paper form with less difficulties and errors. Written documents with coherent writing skills enable the client and the managerial sector of an organization to have a smooth communication. When a workstation is sent away for repair, they should record information as the device informatics, workability, and durability in and out of work. 18. Describe two ways to collect client feedback. How can you improve the performance of the help desk team? Information can be obtained through interviews and suggestions dropped on the suggestion box. In order to collect client feedback, the client can be interviewed on a number of factors under study. Moreover, the general information posted in the suggestion box by the clients is of immense importance. To improve on the performance of the help desk, clients should be made to feel free and ready at all times to release any information without negative reattribute. Moreover, the remarks and suggestions made by the clients should be responded to in time and effectively. Reference list Barkley, B. T. (2004). Project risk management. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Cooper, D. F. (2005). Project risk management guidelines: managing risk in large projects and complex procurements. West Sussex, J. Wiley. Edwards, P. J., & Bowen, P. A. (2005). Risk management in project organizations. Sydney, N.S.W., University of New South Wales Press. Hallihan, R. (2008). Windows home server: protect and simplify your life digital life. Indianapolis, Ind, Wiley. Henderson, H. (2009). Encyclopedia of computer science and technology. New York, Facts on File. Retrieved on 28th October, 2012 from Hillson, D. (2009). Managing risk in projects. Farnham, Gower. Retrieved on 28th October, 2012 from Janosky, B. A. (1984). Online library catalog systems: An analysis of user errors. Kendrick, T. (2009). Identifying and managing project risk essential tools for failure-proofing your project. New York, AMACON. Retrieved on 28th October, 2012 from Ramalingam, M. S. (2000). Library cataloguing and classification systems. Delhi: Kalpaz Publications. Ross, J., & Murdock, K. L. (2007). PC user's bible. 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