Investigation of Computer Use - Essay Example

Contents Introduction of Company’s Computers 2. Details of Computers 2 Hardware 2.2 Software 2.3 Laptop 3. Present Applications of Computers 4.Present Network System 5. Implementation of SAP 6. Training 7. Users 8. Security 8.1 Threat From the Unauthorized User 8.2 Threat From Internet 9. Backup 10. Data Protection 11. Suggestions 12. Conclusion Investigating Computer Use 1. Introduction of Company’s Computers: The company has been using the computers since about eight years. Initially about eight years ago the branch office purchased its first computer. However the staff was not trained in computers so it remained in the box for about 15 days. Later when it was opened no body can handle it properly. The staff also at that time was less, there were only four people working in the branch then. The business also at that time was easily managed and as such there was no requirement of any automated system. The accounts were kept and maintained manually. As there was no properly trained person the computer remained idle for about six months. The things started to change when one day the Managing Director of the company visited the branch office. Seeing the computer idle he got furious and more of when he realized that there was nobody who could operate the computer and more so that he had no knowledge of this fact. He immediately decided to train the staff in computers. The staff was trained in computer basics, computer accounting and the software used by the company for its day-to-day working. This is how the use of the computer began. The starting phase was not easy. Once the motherboard failed, it took about 10 days to get repaired. Then once the hard disk also failed. The staff found that instead of helping, the computer is proving to actually hinder their work. The demand of energy on them increased for they not only had to perform the routine works but also have to be concerned about the repairing and the maintenance of the computer. Obviously the staff wanted the computer to be removed. However the Managing director persisted with the use of the computers. He requested his the head office Hardware Engineer to take the additional responsibility of the single computer at the Cambridge branch. He happily agreed without asking for extra remuneration for according to him a computer was a toy. He checked the whole system, reinstalled Windows 98 operating system and the other softwares of regular use. He installed antivirus also, and thereafter kept on checking the system regularly. The computer then started working smoothly without any problems. Thereafter the work of the branch went on increasing. The accounting work was totally computerized and company’s main tailor-made software was also operational. Later two more employees were added. About two years ago a dealer of Dell Computers launched the buy back scheme for the computers. Cambridge’s old computer was quite outdated so the Branch Manager decided to purchase the new one in exchange of the old. Meanwhile the director of the company had decided to fully computerize all the branches and connect them via intranet. The Branch Manager found that he would be requiring in all three computers. Thus two years ago three computers were purchased all of the Dell Company, this was as per the contract of the company with Dell. The Dealer Pegasus Infosystems gave the free services for one year. Thereafter the company made an annual maintenance contract with the same dealer. 2. Details of Computers: 2.1 Hardware: As mentioned earlier the company has three computers of Dell make. Here are the detailed configurations of the computers: 1) Dell make Pentium IV: Intel PIV processor 2.0GHz, 40 GB Hard Disk (2 numbers), 15” Color Monitor, 845 Mother board, DVD Combo, Tower Cabinet, FDD, 4 USB ports, Scroll Mouse, Multimedia Keyboard, 56 KBps Internal Modem, Speakers etc. 2) & 3) Dell make Celeron: Intel Celeron processor 2.0 GHz 40 GB Hard Disk, 15” Color Monitor, 845 Mother board, DVD Combo, Tower Cabinet, FDD, 4 USB ports, Scroll Mouse, Multimedia Keyboard, 56 KBps Internal Modem, Speakers etc. Just recently the old Mouse and the keyboard were replaced with the cordless Mouse and the keyboard with lot of additional buttons. This made the working with the computers far more convenient. 2.2 Software: 1) The operating system installed on all the computers is Windows XP professional edition with service pack 2. 2) The Office Suite is Open Office 2.0, the latest version. 3) Then there is accounting software. 4) Company’s tailor-made software. 5) The browser being used for the internet surfing is Opera. Earlier the Internet Explorer was being used which was replaced by Fire Fox. However when advertisement was removed from Opera, it was installed. It is being used since last three months. 2.3 Laptop: The branch Manager has been given the mobile and the Laptop. The mobile has all the advance features like bluetooth, triband etc. The mobile network operator provides the GPRS service also hence it becomes easy for the Branch Manager to remain online wherever he goes. The Laptop was purchased recently, it has following features: Intel Processor Centrino technology, 1.7 GHz, 80 GB Hard Disk, DVD combo, USB port, Integrated Bluetooth, Battery charger etc. Laptop Software: The Laptop was preloaded with Windows XP Home Edition with the latest Service Packs. The Office Suite installed is Open Office. Then it has the accounting software same as the one installed on the other computers. Then there is company’s software. The internet browser on the Laptop is same as the other computers, Opera latest version.. 3. Present Applications of the Computer: The Company has a number of branches throughout England. In the very earlier days the branches used to send the reports to the head office by the Post. This continued for many years even after the internet and the email had become popular. The reason was quite obvious; the old staff was not trained in the computers. Then later one or two computers were purchased at all the branches. The staff at all the branches was trained properly in the computers. They were also taught about the Internet and the email. The email account was made with Hotmail. All the branches had their own email account. This happened about three years before. Then the branches started communicating with the head office via emails. So all the delays and the overheads of the posts were removed. The staff of the branches also became more active and efficient. This improved the efficiency of the branches, which in turn increased the efficiency and the productivity of the head office also. This was also reflected in the financial results of the company with the profits increasing dramatically. 4. Present Network System: Presently all the three computers are connected by the network. Windows XP provides very easy and highly effective networking facility. The Pentium IV computer is being used as the Server while both Celeron machines serve as the clients. As such since the number of the machines in the branch is quite less hence server as such dose not have much importance. All the computers are grouped where the data of one computer is easily available on the other computer. The internet connection has been provided on the Server. It’s a broadband connection with the speed of about 250 MBps. The internet is accessible from both the clients as well. Sometimes when the internet is operated from all the computers simultaneously there is reduction in the speed. The networking system employed by the Budget branch is as shown below: 5. Implementation of SAP: the Company having got excellent results from email decided to make communication system even more stronger. They wanted to install the most sophisticated tools whatever the cost may be. After a lot of survey the company decided to develop the Intra network between the head office and the branches located throughout England. The tool selected to do this was SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). They had consulted the private firm, which provides the SAP solutions on tailor made basis. Presently the head Office and all the Brach Offices including the Cambridge Branch Office, are connected via SAP. This has brought amazingly close and even much faster communication between the head office and the branches. In the earlier days the branches would send month wise, when email came the reporting was done on daily basis. With SAP implemented the reporting is done every second that too automatically, effortlessly. Whatever the entry is done in the computer is sent immediately to the head office also. The head office in turn is always on alert busy receiving the reports from various branches throughout the day. This has not only increased the communication but also reduced the time of the employees. This has further increased the efficiency and the productivity of each employee. The loop of SAP is as follows: Role of Branch Managers’ Laptop: The branch Manager has the Laptop with Bluetooth connection and the mobile with GPRS connection. Hence he can connect to the internet at any time at any place. Whether he is in office or train or his car all the time he is online. Branch manager’s laptop is also the part of the Intranet. Whatever the information is filled by the computer operators of the Cambridge branch is also fed into the Branch Managers Laptop. When in office he is naturally aware of the proceedings, when he is outside the office even then also he is aware of each and every activity going on at the office. Even if Laptop is off, when he puts it on he gets the information of all the entries that were made in when laptop was off. 6. Training: The field of SAP is highly specialized one. Though the operator is not supposed to learn SAP completely even then understanding the working of the software itself is not an easy work. Also they have to make correct entries. One cannot learn SAP without the basic knowledge of the computers. Hence to all the new employees who had no knowledge of the computer, they were first given the basic course. The head office had made the contract with the private training Institute for this purpose. To save the time of the employees the tutors would come at the branch office for training. When the basic course was over the company, which had implemented the SAP, was requested to start their training sessions. The training of the SAP was obviously done at the branch office online. This training involved the classroom training where the theoretical aspects of the software were covered. Then various terminologies were explained. They were shown the demo of the software. Then they were explained how to make the entries. This was done by making the dummy as well as the actual entries. All the employees at Cambridge branch have now become expert in the operation of SAP. 7. Users: Out of total 10 employees presently working at the branch office six are completely conversant with SAP technology. Any one of them can use the software and make the entries. The SAP is highly confidential software where all the important data of the branch is stored. It cannot be left opened to all; hence the persons who have been authorized to use the software are given the passwords. This is to prevent from any unauthorized person accessing the data and changing it. The Branch Officer has been authorized to fix who is supposed to work with SAP at any given time. If any SAP user leaves the company then the branch manager can make the password given to him or her redundant. In turn the other employee who is made the authorized user is given the fresh password. The branch manager also reports to the head office about the authorized users at any given time. 8. Security: As mentioned earlier the branch is in constant touch with the head office via the SAP software through the internet. Here there are two security threats: threat from the unauthorized user and threat from the internet. 8.1 Threat from the unauthorized user: The unauthorized user may login into the company’s information and make the changes as per his will, thus giving huge losses to the company. This threat as mentioned earlier is overcome by giving the password to the authorized user and it is changed from time to time. 8.2 Threat from Internet: There are lots of viruses coming in the system from the internet. Infact internet is the single largest source of the viruses. Some the viruses spoil a few unimportant files and some times they may crash the whole system destroying all the files. The threat from internet is overcome by installing very strong firewalls and the antivirus software. The company has installed the firewalls with the latest updates. Also anti virus suite Norton is installed with the latest updates; it is also updated daily on the net. Also the SAP software has its own inherent anti virus software. This all gives the whole network an excellent security. 9. Backup: The backup of the data is essential in case of unexpected failure of the hard disk, which is possibility any time. The branch office here has all the data saved on the server. The server in turn has two hard disks each of 40 GB. All the data is backed up in the second hard disk. And this is an ongoing process; data in both the hard disks is stored automatically. Hence incase of failure of any failures there are no worries at all. This had once happened just last month when one of the hard disk failed. There was no panic, simply one extra hard disk (extra is always kept) was installed in the computer and then the operator kept on operating without any botheration of any failures of the hard disk. 10. Data Protection: As mentioned earlier the data is protected by allowing only the authorized users to use the SAP software and they are given the password. Further the data is protected by the anti virus software in the computer as well as in the software. 11. Suggestions: There are very few suggestions to be given to the company. The authorized users sometimes seemed to be facing problem in operating the SAP software, they should be trained more thoroughly. Also for the back up purpose some extra tools should also be applied. For example if the data of the whole day is written on the CD it can provide an excellent extra support. The CDs are very cheap and writing is also a matter of minutes and can be stored easily in small space. These CDS can be destroyed when data is of no use. The chairs given to the computer operators were not comfortable enough. Sitting for long hours they may face back problems. 12. Conclusion: The company has employed the robust software in the form of SAP. It is amazing to see the branch which once, due failure of one computer had been planning to stop the use of computers is now fully computerized. Not only that it is now working with one of the most sophisticated technology. This has all been possible because of the vision and the daring of one person the Managing Director who inspite of repeated earlier failures of the computer had persisted with their use. The software is working excellently and the operators are becoming confident with each passing day. The security employed is also very good without any flaws. The branch Manager is very alert, not only about day-to-day work and reporting but also of the proper working of the system. He knows all the minute details of both the hardware as well as software. Read More