| I still think this term means,
in this setting, nothing more than how different parts of your network fit
together, and how not to waste your money in designing, building and running
your collection of computers.
A system is an collection (a design) of parts which interact with
each other within the system's boundaries (form, structure, organization) to
function as a whole. The nature (purpose, operation) of the whole is always
different from, and more than, the sum of its unassembled collection of
parts. If you think of your network and it's usefulness and effect on your
business this is obvious. (taken in part from http://www.umsl.edu/~sauter/analysis/bees/index.html)
One of the more readable papers on the subject is to be found here
:http://www.bnet.fordham.edu/public/ics/msilver/itimhdo.htm, but I make no
bones about not doing or needing to do any formal systems analysis in
building or working on your network. As I know both the building blocks of
your system (the computers, the operating system, the software) and how
computers work together on your local network (LAN) or on your
WAN I
(and any good consultant) can do "systems analysis" (how changes in
any part effect the whole) in my head. I suspect that at one time it was
thought that computers were simply too complex to be approached without some
kind formal process - much like molecular genetics or detailed cell
biology today.
You may want , however, to reassure yourself
that we know classic systems analysis vis-à-vis computers and
networks, and so perhaps I'll ramble on here a bit more (or quote more, so you can
at least see we've read the books)
"Systems analysis is the process of studying the
network of interactions within the organization and assisting in the
development of new and improved methods for performing necessary work"
"The systems analyst views social, political, and
economic institutions ....as functional entities ......"
no - it's too foolish to go on...
(taken from Systems Analysis , 2nd
Edition, SRA publishers)
If you think you need a formal systems proposal
prior to commissioning work, please let us save you some money. We once saw
a client bamboozled by a "big eight" consulting firm; they needed a new
network; we quoted $10,000 , the "big eight" came in with books of
network schematics and systems analysis hundreds of pages long ,
got the job, charged many times our price (over $100,000 as I
recall) , and built the same
network we would have.
Don't be this silly.
We are based in Suffolk County on Long
Island , New York, but will travel, with pleasure, most anywhere. |
