A server maintenance plan is created by the engineering manager and includes scheduled maintenance, patching, and general system maintenance. It involves backing up data, updating programs, running diagnostics, and applying system patches. Maintenance is typically performed at least three times per year and may require taking the server offline.
A server maintenance plan is typically created by the engineering manager. He is responsible for implementing and supporting all physical servers and related equipment. As with all equipment, there is a specific list of scheduled maintenance that must be performed to maintain both the warranty and the performance of the equipment.
There are three main aspects to any server maintenance plan: scheduled maintenance, patching, and general system maintenance. Server is a term used to describe the physical hardware that contains a computer’s processor, memory, and hard drive. A server is built to provide maximum computing power with minimal use of space. Many organizations install multiple servers together in a server rack. This type of structure increases the processing power available to support various applications, databases and systems.
Scheduled maintenance includes backing up your data regularly, updating key programs, and running diagnostic programs. This type of maintenance must be performed by technical personnel specially trained on the operating system and applications stored on the server. In most cases, the server must be removed from the production environment to complete scheduled maintenance. Most organizations schedule this type of work outside of normal business hours to minimize the impact on day-to-day operations.
In general, scheduled maintenance is performed at least three times per calendar year. Some systems may require more frequent maintenance, but this is often an indication of an overloaded system. In situations where funding is not available for the correct resources, the existing server is pushed to the limits of the performance exceptions. More frequent maintenance is often required in this situation.
Every server maintenance plan should include patching. A system patch is a specific set of code provided by the manufacturer to fix known problems. It’s quite common for a system patch to fix a security weakness or development bug. To apply the patch, the data on the server must be backed up, then the server is taken offline. The patch is applied and then the functionality of the server is tested. After successful patch implementation, the data is restored to the server and back to production.
The overall frequency of system maintenance varies depending on the size of the organization, but is typically required at least once a calendar year. This portion of the server maintenance plan is often scheduled around long weekends when demand for system processes is expected to decrease. Part of this type of maintenance includes a full backup of all systems and their data.
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