The second problem that must be addressed is the upgrading of Datacore's LAN. This will involve both hardware and software implementations and will require the cooperation of the finance department for purchasing power. K.A.R.S. will work directly with the IS managers to spec the system upgrades and will train the system administrators once the solution is in place.
We entered the Systems Analysis phase when we decided the first step in the process of updating Datacore's LAN is to evaluate the overall way that the company does business. Seeing that the company relies heavily on the need for a secure and easy to administer network, K.A.R.S. feels the obvious solution is to migrate the entire Datacore network to a Windows 2000 environment under Active Directory. This was the beginning of the Systems Design phase. In order to bring this viable solution into light, a detailed analysis of the project needs to be completed and presented to the stakeholders and managers of Datacore. This analysis includes a cost analysis, performance evaluation, implementation, security policies, access control, hardware and software requirements, backup procedures, and Internet connections.
To prove that the cost of this upgrade is economically viable for Datacore, K.A.R.S. must produce a detailed overview of how the money will be spent. On top of that, K.A.R.S. will be required to prove that the cost of the network upgrade is necessary and that this process is the best of other possible alternatives. The benefits of the new network must be made abundantly clear so as no hesitation will be made on Datacore's half. Further delay in securing their network will only do more harm for the company. Currently, it is obvious that the way Datacore's network is setup now, doing nothing will ultimately ruin the company. Running the network under Novell NDS would be possible, but it is extremely difficult to maintain because of the lack of support available.
