Resources refer to the variety of components which make up a system architecture. They include such items as: network, CPU, memory, database, applications, disk, tape drives. Although a successful capacity plan should identify the required resources, the resources should also be consistently monitored for over and under utilization.

Although resource utilization identifies if resources are available, additional monitoring is required to ensure each resource is performing as expected. Performance monitoring relates to system performance as a whole. It includes:

• Network monitoring
• Hardware monitoring
• Software monitoring
• Database monitoring

Although the majority of systems management disciplines reside within Operations, Applications Development plays a vital role by creating scalable applications. With annual growth rates of 20-30% on average, applications must be created to manage increased workload without relying solely on increased hardware capacity to support growth.

An effective capacity plan will indicate what expected workloads will be on a system for years to come. Since it is ineffective to create an architecture which will handle the ultimate workload, a scalable configuration which allows for growth is required when configuring networks, CPUs, memory, databases, applications, disks and tape drives.

Job scheduling is the process of executing batch programs within predefined times and dates, as determined by the application developers, business partners and technical support personnel. This is essential to workload balancing since a number of system maintenance routines, such as system backups, utilize significant resources. Successful job scheduling will ensure that conflicts between mission critical applications, system maintenance routines and online users are kept to a minimum. Job scheduling also supports workload balancing by allowing for distribution of batch applications across systems within the enterprise.

Automation tools refer to applications which support the effort of unassisted systems management. These tools provide exception-based alerts and automated error recovery. Automation tools take on a role of great importance in today's n-tier distributed environment where the number of systems requiring management is continually increasing.

Policies refer to the guidelines which define each of the seven areas of the security infrastructure. The policies provide guidelines for users and security administrators regarding the following:

• What is and is not available within the system's infrastructure
• How access to these systems is granted
• Who has access to the systems
• When access is available.

The policies are enabled and enforced by appropriate methodologies, tools and audit procedures.

Methodologies and tools relate to the mechanisms used to implement and maintain security. Methodologies refer to the support structure and implementation of the actual security policies. The tools are required to ensure effective and efficient enforcement of the policies by providing for automated and centralized security administration of the operations environment.

To ensure policies are properly managed, audit procedures must be implemented. These audit procedures ensure that each of the seven areas which make up a security architecture are kept in place and changed as required. Audits are supported by the automated security tools implemented and enforced by individuals and formal audit procedures.

The first step to establishing a disaster recovery/business resumption strategy is to document a detailed plan. The resulting plan must incorporate all business needs, it must be maintained and changed to support changing business requirements and must be periodically tested to ensure its successful execution in case it is needed.

Once the plan is in place facilities must be secured which ensure that critical systems can be restored as quickly as possible. The facilities must include adequate preventative measures as well as off site storage for data, back-up systems and physical security mechanisms.

A detailed test must be implemented to ensure all recovery and resumption procedures are effective and remain up-to-date. These testing procedures should simulate both local failures, such as a downed CPU and more severe outages which may be caused by a natural disaster.