Application Data Set-up Issues

Hardware, Network and System Software Issues

Database Tuning Issues due to Slow Performance

Data Corruption caused due to Wrong Application Usage

Data Corruption caused due to Migration and Cut-over Issues

Data Corruption caused due to Residual Defects in Application Software (which have not been detected in SDLC)

Most of the incidents (except hardware, network and system software issues) are resolved by application support teams by providing a data fix so that end-user can proceed with subsequent operations or business transactions. Most of the customers need very aggressive Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for incident resolution due to business continuity.

Problem Management

While analyzing recurring "incidents", support teams need to investigate the "root cause" and investigate whether issue relates to a residual defect in application software or not. Tasks under problem management categories are as follows: -

Provide Fix for residual defect reported

Quality Assurance of a release or patch (comprised of one or many fixes) and installing the release in production environment.

Perfective & Preventive Maintenance

While above two services are mainly "reactive" in nature; however, support project also requires perfective and preventive maintenance. Support teams identify weaker areas of application on a continuous basis (depending on number of residual defects reported) and plan regression testing or application software improvement tasks.

Customers and IT organizations follow an "n-layered" support model (i.e., business help desk, IT help desk, application & production support teams) to provide solutions to end-user problems which are raised normally as a "ticket" and assigned to appropriate team for resolution.

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* Contributed by: -
Ashish Gupta is an MCA graduate, currently working as a Lecturer at Lakshmi Narain College of Technology (LNCT), Indore.