How to Tune Up a Computerized Information System

As computer hardware and software grow more powerful and data files more plentiful, many organizations place greater reliance on their management information systems. Yet few managers give their systems the attention they deserve, and that's because they rarely stop to figure out the systems' real dollar value. If they did, they probably would discover the true cost of replacement far exceeds the balance sheet total. In fact, the loss of any significant portion of the system could jeopardize their businesses. This article tells how to give a computer system proper attention--by conducting regular computer system assessments, by protecting it from damage and data loss and by adjusting it for maximum performance. HARDWARE REVIEW The place to start a management information system assessment is a hardware review. If someone in the organization is a technology expert, that person should conduct what amounts to an audit of the system. If no staff member is available, management should turn to a consultant or a hardware vendor, However, vendors are not likely to provide unbiased assessments; after all, their goal is to sell equipment. The reviewer should ask whether * The hardware (computers, printers, scanners, modems, etc.) has been keeping pace with the office's requirements. * The system's throughput-the time it takes between entering data and generating output such as reports or checks--is fast enough to meet the organization's growing requirements. * The application programs need bigger memories to work more effectively. * The stored data are overwhelming the computers' hard drives. * Breakdowns and data losses are beginning to affect the office's performance. The upgrade. Often, upgrading a system without a major computer replacement is possible. In many cases, just replacing a few parts--plugging in new circuit boards, adding memory chips and installing new hard drives into existing equipment-is sufficient to meet the office's needs. One relatively inexpensive way to boost system throughput is to invest in higher speed printers. In many cases, sluggish printers are the major bottleneck of an information system. Other steps to take are * Optimizing the data on the existing hard disk, significantly speeding up a system. This is done by a defragmentation utility available from such programs as PC Tools and Norton Utilities. A defragmentation utility repositions stored data in a more orderly way, bringing together related data and eliminating wasted space between them. * Uncluttering hard disks by removing duplicate and unused programs and data files. * Decreasing file duplication by networking existing workstations, thus making communal data available from the network. * Moving old data files from hard disks and archiving them on other media--tape or floppy disk. * Increasing hard disk capacity by add* ing software that compresses both application programs and data files. In some cases it's possible to double hard disk capacity this way, * Boosting processing speed by replacing old computers with new, high-speed models or adding a math coprocessor, a special plug-in circuit that speeds calculations. APPLICATION SOFTWARE The next area to examine is application software. Two key questions to ask are, Does every program in use continue to meet the needs of the organization? Is the organization using the latest version of every program it uses? While upgrading each time new software versions come out is expensive, new editions usually contain enhancements that make them more efficient and effective than earlier versions. A user may feel stuck with customized software either because an upgrade may lose the customized features or because adding the custom features to the new version may be costly. Deciding to upgrade requires careful study and the understanding that software improvements are inevitable. …