8.25 / system errors - Essay Example

System Errors Grade May, 27, System Errors Two types of features can be used to prevent maladministration of drugs in a hospital computer system in case a doctor forgets to log out. The features are automatic log out and the multics. An automatic log out feature works through the use of a time out program. This program is capable of detecting a prolonged period of inactivity. The period can be set at let’s say five minutes or less. When such a period elapses, the system automatically logs out the user.

The shortcomings with the automatic logout feature are obvious. In case another person gets access to the computer system within the set period then the occurrence of an error will be inevitable. An alternative to this feature is the multics. Under multics a task being performed in the presence or absence of the user is authenticated interactively. A batch job is not executed based on the information found in online file or a card reader (Beardsley, 2008). A system process holds in an online storage every card deck that has arrived in the system and that has already been read.

The initial user is solely responsible for these card decks. Any job that is to be run on the system must be initiated by a job resident in the system and whose legitimacy has already been ascertained or authenticated. Although it is possible to initialize a chain of programs or jobs in the absence of the first user, it becomes impossible to continue running the programs since they rely on the resident job which requires interactive authentication. No job can be run on the system without the authentication of the initial user.

Thus, a person who wishes to use the system would be forced to log out the initial user first.ReferencesBeardsley, W. (2008). Is your computer insecure? IEEE Spectrum. (6)7, 7-8.