Database Management
We begin this section by explaining our overall delivery model, which is an adaption of Gartner’s 2011 IT Delivery Model Maturation Framework that we have tailored for <CUSTOMER> based on our experience providing IT services for government agencies, and what we have learned in our due diligence preparing for this solicitation.
1.Database Design
2.Planning an Allocation of System Storage
Team EIS will analyze existing storage to determine amount of used and free space. We will then conduct a sizing analysis to determine approximate growth/year. Based on this analysis, the DBA team will plan for additional storage requirements and/or recommend alternative storage strategies such as backing up historical databases to SAN, Optical Disk or other stage devices to provide additional disk space. Our team will also monitor disk usage, available space on a monthly basis and document these results to aid in future disk storage requirements.
3.Database Administration
The EIS team will provide uninterrupted access to Oracle, MS Access, and SQL Server databases and support overall operations, maintenance, certification and accreditations of the < > databases. Administration includes provide premier < > the enterprise cluster of databases.
Our team understands that keeping an organizations database fully operational us critical to the success of the organization is critical to the success of the organization and the systems that they support. We will provide a proactive and responsive hands-on-team with management checkpoints that will ensure visibility into activities, full and open communications, and accountability for results. Our approach to the aspects of database administration is detailed in the following subsections.
4.Database Repository
There are several types of data the customer must store and manage, including applications and supporting documents, images, videos, and other file types. In addition, there are documents and spreadsheets representing the output of the evaluation process, which are used to justify the decisions made to either grant or deny the customer designations and certifications. These are stored in the content management system and associated with applicants and their applications.
The current data repository is based on the storage available on one or more servers. As the amount of data grows, more disk drives are added to servers or, once their capacity is reached, more servers are added to the system. It does not provide an integrated data storage system—backup management is complex.
Because of these issues, some data submitted to the knowledge management system (KMS) web site, especially videos that comprise multiple gigabytes cannot be stored on the servers and must be kept on physically separate DVDs.
A storage area network (SAN) solution will support integrated data management. It has the ability to expand storage, as required, and provide online redundancy and more manageable backups. We have effectively employed this type of solution in other projects for <previous customer>. A SAN effectively shares data storage transparently among several servers. Sharing storage usually simplifies storage administration and adds flexibility, since cables and storage devices do not have to physically move in order to move storage from one server to another. SANs also tend to enable more effective disaster recovery processes.
We will design and implement an effective data storage repository to support the ever-expanding <customers> data storage requirements.
5.Database Server Installation, Administration and Upgrades
Our database administration team will provide stable and concurrent development testing, and production database environments, ensuring that these environments have the same version and patches of database software installed, same security settings, and same performance capabilities. We will not apply patches/service releases in the production environment until they have passed a completed testing cycle. We will prepare in conjunction with ITIL/ITSM standards deployment checklist templates to guide and prepare for each installation /upgrade.
In preparation for a new installation of an upgrade to an existing installation, the DBA team will review and tailor a checklist template for use first in the development environment. The checklist will specify products for use, the location of the products, and specific files and scripts to be used. We will review the checklist with < > before proceeding. During the installation/upgrade, we will test and update the checklist as required so that a validated checklist can be readied for deployment to the test environment. Team EIS will repeat the process during test deployment so that a final validate checklist is available for any ensuring production deployments. The production environment installation/upgrade will take place either after hours or during non-peak process times to ensure minimal disruption to existing work.
6.Modification and Maintenance of Database Structures
Following SDLC methodology and ITIL/ITSM Configuration Management our team will run database consistent checks on a weekly schedule to identify structures in need of modification or maintenance. Before modifying and database structures, our team will take a snapshot of the production database and move it into the development and test environment to ensure that the modification is developed against the current baseline production environments. Team EIS will develop, test and document the necessary database scripts to modify and maintain database structures such as table spaces, tables, views, and indexes to ensure a consistent and repeatable process in all environments.
We will apply scripts using rigorous configuration management (CM) process when advancing them from development to production to ensure that deployments have been through the appropriate quality assurance (QA) checks.
7.Database Performance Monitoring, Optimization and Tuning
The EIS team will utilize database performance monitoring tools to identify peak processing times, statistics on number of users, long running transactions, and other pertinent performance data. We will review performance logs on a daily basis to identify potential performance bottlenecks and recommend optimization and tuning suggestions. We will give propriety to user-reported performance issues and address these as quickly as possible. Based on the results of the performance analysis, the DBA team will identify optimization strategies and develop/test them following the same rigorous CM process as delineated. Optimization such as adding as index can be implemented relatively quickly, while optimizations such as rewriting queries for efficiency, reconfiguration storage, or throttling the number of concurrent connections would require additional testing, coordination and approval before being implemented.
8.Database Backup and Recovery
Team EIS will determine and document the appropriate backup methodology fir individual databases based on the number of transactions per day and critically of the data. To ensure database integrity, we will back up databases with a large transactions volume more frequently using an incremental strategy thereby ensuring minimal loss of data in the event of a critical disk error. In addition, smaller databases with less frequent transactions will be candidates for full database backups on a routine, but less frequent basis, such as nightly. The EIS tem will recommend a media fir backup storage such as SAN or NAS storage. We will document the backup strategy and store backup media in a secure place, adhering to existing certifications and accreditation (C&A) and/or Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) procedures.
9.Database Management Configuration Management
Our CM and the Configuration Management Plan (CMP) will provide provisioning for maintaining configuration control of all database hardware and software components. The CMP also provides structure for new installations and re-imaging of systems when required. CM systems house the snapshots for software, code, and artifacts necessary to operate and the CMP defines the organization, resources, responsibilities, processes, and artifacts necessary to guide the deployment and modification of IT systems from a departmental perspective. The CMP describes the lifecycle practices needed for uniform application within the customer environment, ensuring a standard approach for awareness and execution of change activities.
10.Data Migration
We will design and document a data migration plan in consultation with users and IT management. This plan will include detailed descriptions of how data from the current Lotus Notes database is mapped and moved to the integrated relational database of the new system. It includes a comprehensive test plan that ensures the accuracy and integrity of the migrated data. We have successfully accomplished such data migration to DHS data centers for the system.
Considering the importance of the data, risk management is paramount in this effort. We will create a comprehensive risk management plan designed to ensure that no data is lost or damaged during the process.
The first step in this migration effort is a complete and tested data backup to ensure no loss in transition and recovery in the event of any problems. We will perform the migration in several stages. First, the data will be migrated to a test system. Once we have completely tested the processes and procedures for the data migration on this system, we migrate the entire data store to the staging system. This system is functionally identical to the production system. Once again, we will perform comprehensive testing to ensure that the data is intact, correct, and complete.
Once we verify and validate the successful migration of the data, the last step is to move the data to the production system. This process will be less cumbersome or prone to error because the systems involved will be identical. Once again, we verify and validate the data. After this verification step, the data will be online and available to the new system.