Infrastructure Assessment

To produce a meaningful SBC planning document, a detailed infrastructure assessment must first be completed. This assessment includes identifying the appropriate contacts for each category and conducting meetings with them.

Another purpose behind the infrastructure assessment is to discover and remedy any infrastructure problems prior to a server-based computing rollout. In a PC-based computing environment, employees are often used to things being sloppy. Although the network might have some performance or downtime problems, users tend to be somewhat understanding because they commonly save files to their local hard drives anyway. When users destroy their PC configurations by adding a software utility or deleting an INI file, they often ask a peer for help rather than making an embarrassing support call to IT. Since users work on their personal computers and departments run their own servers, they are less likely to complain to IT staff or management even when problems arise that are not of their own making.

In a server-based computing environment, employees' personal computers become corporate computers. While vastly more efficient from an organizational standpoint, users lose the status conferred by having ever more powerful PCs. They are more likely to complain about problems that they would never have mentioned in a PC-based computing environment. Since users are completely dependent upon a central server farm for most or all of their applications, any instability or performance problems in the network infrastructure will instantly be amplified. The new technology will often be blamed for the existing infrastructure problems. Back-end file servers, the data center server backbone, and wide area connectivity all need to be running flawlessly or the enterprise deployment of server-based computing will be in jeopardy of failing.

The Application Environment

Server-based computing is about the delivery of applications. It is therefore crucial that all relevant information about the hosted applications be identified.

Application Database Sources

List the source of any database information utilized by applications, including the database application, the host system, and its geographical location.

Operating Under Terminal Services

Describe whether manufacturer support exists for running each application under Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services. List any manufacturer requirements for this environment as well as any caveats.

Application Composition

Describe the language of each application as well as whether it is client, server, or Telnet.

Application Architecture

Determine whether or not the application is built for a multiuser environment.

Tip

Custom applications can be particularly tricky. You will want to make sure that the applications use Microsoft multiple-user architecture that utilizes roaming profiles. This means that the applications are user-specific, that users have their own separate settings and will not be sharing them (HKEY_CURRENT_USER versus HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE). The applications should also have subordinate files, such as log files or temp files, that can be redirected to the user's Windows directory and/or Temp directory. A program that is not user-specific but has global settings means that a user making setting switches will affect all users on that server. If the application is not written as user-specific, you will need to lock those keys in the registry to prevent users from changing them.

Manufacturer Support Contracts

If manufacturer support contracts exist for any of the applications, include the relevant information along with phone numbers and the appropriate identification authorization.

Application Requirements

List specific operating conditions for each application, including

• Memory requirements

• Disk space requirements

• Sound requirements

• Drive mapping requirements

• Any patches or service packs

• Location of the install files

Application Issues

List any application issues that could affect performance within an ODE environment. For instance, if an application tends to cause blue screens when running in a PC-based computing environment, the planning committee must be aware that similar problems are likely to occur under server-based computing.

Application Packaging

Describe how the application is distributed to users within the existing PC-based computing environment. How often is the application revised? How is it packaged? For instance, can users install updates with a single mouse-click?

Internal Application Support

Identify any internal support contacts for all internal and line-of-business applications. Identify any internal application owners who are responsible for deploying new versions of applications.

The Hardware Environment

The planning process will be based upon knowledge about the existing hardware environment for servers and host systems. Because SBC users will likely require far more central storage for their data, existing storage subsystems are a particularly important element to consider.

The Data Center Environment

Evaluating existing data center sites for power, cooling, and physical security will let the project planning team assess whether they are adequate for hosting the SBC data center(s).

The System Management Environment (SME)

Evaluating the existing SME enables the planning committee to incorporate it into the server-based computing design. This includes identifying any existing tools for measuring metrics, such as HP OpenView.

The Support Structure and Processes

Determining the different levels of support resources available will help the planning team arrive at a strategy for providing support during the implementation. Also define the way support calls are placed and relayed. What help desk package is in use, if any? How is a PC call handled versus an operating system issue? Are any service level agreements (SLAs) currently defined? How is support localized in remote offices?

The Testing Environment

Creating a testing environment is crucial to implementing and successfully maintaining an on-demand enterprise. The planning team needs to know if a current formalized testing environment exists and if testing labs are available.

Change Control Procedures

What change control policies and procedures are in place today? What kind of approval process is required for making changes? Does a database application exist for recording all changes to critical systems? Is there a quality assurance group?

Tip

In many organizations, the IT administrators learned their trade on a PC rather than in a host systems environment. They may be used to making changes on-the-fly and not recording the changes they make. This approach will cause SBC to fail. A mainframe shop mentality with rigorous change control is essential for success.

The Training Environment

Is there a formalized training group? Are classrooms available? What kind of training is commonly used for IT people? For end users?

The Windows Server Environment

Identifying components such as protocols used, the existing domain structure, naming conventions, and partitioning is essential information for planning a Terminal Services infrastructure.

Network Architecture

Defining the existing network architecture is crucial to designing a solid SBC infrastructure, including routers, switches, protocols, policy servers, bandwidth allocation policies, remote office servers, existing redundancy options, and remote access capabilities. Any existing network reliability or performance problems such as client latency issues need to be identified and ultimately resolved prior to the server-based computing rollout.

The Security Environment

In order for the planning committee to design the proper secure Terminal Services environment, they need to know the following: What firewalls are in place? How is dial-up security currently handled? What internal policies are in place on NT servers? How is lockdown of NTFS partitions handled? Is there a security group?

The Backup Environment

Increased data consolidation within SBC will likely require increased storage systems and, therefore, new backup systems. The planning committee needs to know what kind of data backup mechanisms and backup policies exist today.

The Printing Environment

Printing is a big issue under Terminal Services, and the existing environment needs to be defined. Does printing take place through locally attached printers or only on the network? What network protocols are used? What are the types and number of printers? What print drivers are required? Are print servers used in remote offices today?

The Client Environment

Define the client environment of the SBC participants. This includes categories of users, their location, and whether they have access to a local server. Also describe the details of the specific clients, such as device (PC, laptop, UNIX workstation, handheld), model, local O/S, and any existing performance or reliability issues.