1 computer maintenance disaster recovery and preventative maintenance copyright © texas education...

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Computer Maintenance

Disaster Recovery and

Preventative Maintenance

Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Course Objectives

Define computer disaster recovery plan Design and implement a disaster recovery

plan Define preventative maintenance Understand the reasoning behind

preventative maintenance

Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved. 2

Computer Disaster Recovery Plan A backup plan that is designed to restore and

recover data and computer functionality in the event of a disaster such as a computer or server failure


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan Plans emerged in the mid-1970s and grew as

businesses became more reliant on IT (Information Technology) and computers in the workplace

Today, businesses spend upwards of 5% of their IT budgets on disaster recovery planning


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan What can happen when there is no computer

disaster recovery plan? company/customer data is lost company operations may become disrupted operations may never return to the pre-disaster

state Statistics: Businesses that encounter a computer disaster

without a recovery plan Half never reopen or close the business within 2 years Less than 10% of businesses survive without a recovery plan


What can happen when there is no computer disaster recovery plan? Software Failure: a crash or cessation of

processing because of a logic error in a program or key files have become corrupt or damaged

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Computer Disaster Recovery Plan


What can happen when there is no computer disaster recovery plan? Hardware Failure - computers fail in varying

degrees of severity. The worst failures impact the ability for the computer to function at all

Hard drive failure - The computer is unable to load the operating system

Video card failure - The screen will be black with no signal. Other component failure - Software can affect hardware by

corrupting its firmware and causing the hardware to overheat and fail.

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Preventative strategies: data backup redundant hardware setups security software defragmentation proper cooling



Data backup: making copies of important data, files, and computer system settings On-site backups

Raid 0: The computer has two of the same-sized hard drives where the same data is written to both drives Is performed through BIOS and operating system settings Quickest means of recovery when a hard drive failure

occurs because of the system’s redundancy Manual on-site backup: Data is backed up to another

drive or location at regular intervals



Off-Site Backup: Utilizes servers or cloud-based systems for backup locations



Security software: software applications are designed to protect the computer and its systems Antivirus, Firewall, and other security software suites allow

for better protection of a computer’s files and systems

Defragmentation: the process where files on the hard drive are put back into their proper order, increasing performance and proper file management

Proper cooling: heat causes hardware failures. Proper cooling is necessary for a computer to operate correctly



Detection strategies: software notifications system performance tests user detection



Computer Disaster Recovery Plan: Detection Software notifications: Operating systems

today incorporate some form of software or hardware diagnostic tool to aid the user in troubleshooting the computer They are designed to notify the user of a potential

malfunction or to run a check for a fault

System performance test: Looking at the activity log is helpful in troubleshooting the computer


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan: Detection User Detection: The user generally knows

what is supposed to happen with a particular software package or operating system. When things don’t work the way they are supposed to, a user detects the problem


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan Corrective/Reactive strategies

identify the problem assess the areas that are affected repair or replace the affected hardware/software confirm through testing that the problem has been

corrected


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan: Corrective Strategy

Identify the problem: Is the problem software or hardware related?

What is affected: diagnose hardware failures using the utility that comes pre-installed with the operating system. Replace any hardware that might be faulty. Software is usually diagnosed by the user or with the appearance of error messages


Repair/Replace Software: repair/restore/reinstall software when it

fails to function correctly. Hardware: Replace faulty hardware and reinstall

drivers as necessary Confirm through testing that the problem has been

resolved


Computer Disaster Recovery Plan: Corrective Strategy

Computer Preventative Maintenance The process and practice of keeping a

computer in good working order Involves maintaining both the hardware and the

software on the computer Should be performed every 3-6 months


Hardware Listen - while the computer is running, listen for odd

sounds such as clicking or other abnormal noises Clean dust out - using a vacuum, place suction at

both the exhaust and intake vents on the computer where buildup is visible

This returns airflow to components that generate heat and allows the machine to run more efficiently while decreasing the likelihood of failure

Canned air is also an option for blowing dust from a computer. Open the case for best results


Computer Preventative Maintenance


Look at computer specs: make note of the hardware in the machine

As a computer ages, it has trouble keeping up with newer software requirements


Software Backup: make copies of important files. Can be

done on external media, a hard drive, online backup, or to a virtual location like the cloud

Check computer security: periodically, perform an entire scan of the computer’s hard drive To perform a scan, open the security software

application and select the complete system scan Make note of security software renewal dates. If the

subscription has expired, you will not have active protection.

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Software Empty cache, delete any unwanted or temp

files - clear the cookies from your Internet browser, delete emails, empty the trash, and delete any temporary files by performing a disk cleanup and defragmentation of the hard drive

Update drivers – will enhance the computer’s performance and make it more stable



A dirty computer will not perform well!



The reason for preventative maintenance to prevent unnecessary and premature hardware

failures to ensure that software is up to date and

functioning at optimal levels for an extra degree of protection in backing up

key files and documents to help extend the life of the computer



Even computers that are properly maintained and upgraded eventually reach a point where replacement is necessary



Independent / Group Work

Group

1. Get into your groups.

2. Discuss 3 or more preventative measures you can take to protect your personal computer.

3. Demonstrate one of the preventative measures you chose and present it to your peers on the computer at the front of the classroom.

4. Detail, in writing, the measures your group took.

5. Explain in your summary the reasons behind each maintenance task you chose and why they are important.

Individual

1. Detail a “computer disaster recovery plan” for your computer at home.

2. This plan should encompass everything covered in the presentation and be posted by your computer at home.

3. Turn in a copy of the written plan and, optionally, a picture of that plan posted by your computer.

26Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2013. All rights reserved.

Exam Preparation

An exam will be given over the material in the presentation

Make sure to review your class notes and the slides in the presentation

Questions will be multiple choice and true/false


1 computer maintenance disaster recovery and preventative maintenance copyright © texas education...

Documents

recovery plan half

backup plan

computer functionality

predisaster state statistics

software failure

backup locations copyright

hardware failure computers

hard drive failure