Server Management

Standard Communications’ server management oversees both hardware and software to maintain performance and prevent failures. Our approach focuses on preventive maintenance to address and resolve problems before they become realized incidents. The SCI solution has all the core ITIL best practices embedded within— complete with pre-built workflows that are fully integrated and available for use. The solution’s workflows cover all core service management processes, including incident assignment, escalation, SLA tracking and more. With extensive work history in VA, our portal is already loaded with all VA VISNs and individual locations. The process workflows are already established for service requests with reusable, proven processes. SCI will require zero time to ramp-up and begin servicing the solution.

We accomplish this through administering software updates and upgrades as they became available and using standardized processes and documentation to track and implement software license installation. We also utilize various systems monitoring applications for hardware and software to understand the health of systems at all times.

Maintaining systems is not one-dimensional as many competitors suggest but requires maintaining a multi-dimensional set of tools that monitor the hardware health, and system performance at multiple tiers, including the application tier. Our Managed Services team does this with strategically-set alarms that monitor thresholds, but also with human resources that check on key statistics, daily. We find that simple, mindful actions such as ensuring correct configuration and settings tailored to the client’s specific needs boost server performance and help resource efficiency.

With all patching and update efforts, Change Control processes are followed to notify all stakeholders of the pending work effort. Our engineers perform a series of regression tests to ensure the systems are working and all functionality is verified. In the event of an unexpected failure during a maintenance window, defined rollback procedures will be followed, and re testing will be performed following the rollback.

SCI will work with designated VAMC or VA Data Center personnel to obtain Authorized Change Management windows during which Team SCI engineers with VAeTokens/elevated privileges install necessary updates, upgrades, patches. Change Management procedures will be followed to document and account for all maintenance activities performed. During maintenance windows, SCI has an engineer and Team Lead available should any assistance be needed.

SCI’s approach to Change Management is designed to make sure the appropriate measures are taken to ensure continuity of systems during changes. Regardless of significance, changes will be required to follow Change Management processes.

Similarly, all changes will be classified based on impact to users, urgency, and difficulty. Depending upon those factors, SCI can effectively manage changes and prevent unnecessary interruptions to service and risk to the hardware and software environments.