Server Administration Policies - Essay Example

I maintain a continuous evaluation for age and bugs on its hardware and software so that in case of any issue it can be addressed on time. When it is identified that certain hardware is out of age, its disposal is done properly to ensure safety. Issues such as security breaches, loss of network links, and disk crashes are prevented through measures that are taken on an emergency footing, which is meant to avoid loss of data. The Oxford Data Center ensures the safety of its data centers by physically securing its location with card-reader door locks and monitoring it on a 24-hour basis with help of recorded video surveillance and security cameras. IRS ensures backup of all its data before making any changes to the production system. TSU has a policy compelling all servers in the university to register with IT security, which facilitates risk assessment.

With respect to security issues, HMS has a very comprehensive policy requiring each department to appoint two Information Security Administrators (LISAs), who are the only ones responsible for managing changes in the user data. LISAs are charged with removing or adding users from the server or requesting changes to data access controls. Oxford street Data Centre limits access to its data center to only the staff who are authorized to do so. IRS ensures the security of its data by requiring agencies to provide bring up to on a date, their safeguarding procedures on a yearly basis. TSU has a policy requiring the server to apply intrusion protection procedures, which suits its operating system. Also, a common security policy in most of the policies is the use of virus protection software and firewalls.

To administer change, IMSc requires documentation whenever proposals are made with respect to certain changes. Before these changes are implemented, the users and computer committee affected by these changes must be informed accordingly. The IRS requires that its Office of safeguard must be contacted by an agency before major changes are implemented – this ensures continued adherence with publication 1075. In addition, the IRS has a policy requiring the use of diagrams, design documentation, and implementation plans, which are all available for review when an agency contacts the IRS office. The Oxford Street Data Center has a very comprehensive policy providing guidelines for equipment installation. It has set some staging and racking rules that outline how customers should install new equipment in the machine room at the Data Center. These include the use of rack configurations and having heat and power consumption specifications that must meet the specified thresholds.

Step 2
MEMO
To
Randy Mott
Chief Information Officer, IBM
RE: IMPROVING DATA ADMINISTRATION
Security is the most pertinent aspect of data administration and hence it should be given a lot of weight. The security policies of the five institutions analyzed in this study do not place adequate importance in the education of user management and the custodian with extensive information regarding issues of security control affecting application systems and system users. (Window Server 12). In addition, an on-gained employee security education should be coupled with the performance of continuous security audits to detect bugs or any other issue on time. Ideally, these policies will be very critical to IBM considering its strategy to internalize its IT, which means that more employees will be required to administer the company's data, and hence they should be properly educated on issues of security (Murphy 5).

Other aspects of data administration that are also very important include change management because changes are always part of any successful company, and if strong policies are not put in place, its implementation may face a lot of challenges. To strengthen change policies, a Change Management Board (CMB) should be instituted to foresee all issues of change that affect IT. In addition, the board will serve as the governing authority for policy authorization, conflict resolution, change appeal approval, metric review, and approval for the initiation of procedures for major projects, such as the one that IBM proposes. The CMB should include members from different departments including the institution's CIO, the director of IT operations and infrastructure.