Competency
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:
Leverage components and features of common operating systems to meet organizational needs
Recommend the selection, implementation, and maintenance of common operating systems based on organizational needs and industry best practices
Scenario
You are a systems architect at a medium-sized publishing company with 130 employees. The company primarily publishes books, both in print and online. It also produces other kinds of content, such as audiobooks, interactive reading material, and magazines. Your leadership has decided that it is time to either upgrade or adopt a new OS (e.g., Windows, Linux, macOS).
As the systems architect, you have the responsibility to determine which OS the company should implement. There are many aspects to consider when making this decision, including what existing applications are used by employees on a frequent basis, cost, functionality provided, performance, vendor support, etc. To determine which OS should be implemented, you need to complete a site survey. After comparing the different OS options in the site survey, you will develop a brief proposal on what OS (or hybrid) the company should implement to meet its organizational needs.
Directions
Review the Company’s Organizational Needs
To make a well-informed decision, you should understand the company’s organizational needs. Before completing your site survey and writing your proposal, review the Organizational Needs document linked in the Supporting Materials area below.
Complete a Site Survey
A site survey compares the three different operating systems that the company is planning to implement. To complete this task, use the Site Survey template linked in the Supporting Materials area. Your site survey must have the following sections completed:
Operating Systems: Acknowledge what OSes are already used on site in your site survey. The type of OS already used and how many employees are using that OS can influence your decision making.
Server: Determine whether the desktops are on a hardware or cloud-based server.
Although not required in this portion of the project, you may want to think about whether or not the server should be changed. This change could be recommended in your proposal.
Standard Hardware for Operating System Types: Determine the minimum required hardware. This could include desktop and server.
Network Connection: Determine whether the network is wired or wireless.
Although not required in this portion of the project, you may want to think about whether or not the network connection should be changed. This change could be recommended in your proposal.
Applications: Identify what software applications need to be supported by the OS. Your survey of what applications desktop users use most frequently will influence your decision making, as some applications are not supported by certain OSes.
Write a Proposal
Your proposal will be used to inform leadership as to which OSes the company should implement based on the findings of your site survey. Your proposal needs to include the following:
Overview of Desktop Footprint: Identify desktop systems that need to be upgraded and other OSes that need to be considered in the environment. This includes the locations of the desktop computers and any risks or vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.
Recommendation: Recommend which OS should be selected and implemented, as well as whether it should be on-premise or cloud-based.
Justification: Justify your decision based on your site survey findings and course concepts. You can also consider the number of end users, cost, and hardware requirements as part of your findings.
Implementation Diagram: Create a diagram of what the final roll-out of the OSes would be. Your diagram should show the number of desktops and users, locations, and departments. It should be an upgraded version of what you found in the Organizational Needs document.
Although you can create a diagram within the Word document, it is recommended that you use a diagram application such as Visio, Lucidchart, or draw.io. Information on how to use these services is in the Supporting Materials section. Keep in mind that you have to create only one diagram, so you do not have to use all applications. However, be sure that you upload and paste your diagram into the Word document as part of your proposal section. You should not upload it as a separate file.
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following:
Site Survey and Proposal
Your submission should be a Word document of the completed Site Survey template linked in the Supporting Materials area. Your submission should also include your 1- to 2-page proposal. Your proposal should be at the end of the Site Survey area. Although not required, if you use any sources in your recommendations, cite them according to APA style.
Supporting Materials
The following resources may help support your work on the project:
Reading: Organizational Needs
This document will provide you with context on the company’s needs and industry best practices. As you review this document, you will learn about what the company currently uses when it comes to hardware and software. Learning about the organization’s needs can help you make an informed decision on which OS to implement.
Template: Site Survey Template with proposal included
Use this template to compare the operating systems that the company can implement for its employees who use desktops. Then be sure to include your proposal at the bottom of the form.
Tutorial Resource: Microsoft: Add a Drawing to a Document
As part of your proposal, you need to include a diagram. This document provides step-by-step instructions for creating drawings using the tools available through Microsoft Office. You do not have to use Microsoft Office to create the diagram, but it is an option.
Tutorial Video: draw.io—Quick Start Video
If you decide not to use Microsoft to create your diagram, you have the option to use draw.io. This video provides a demonstration of the tools and capabilities of draw.io.
Tutorial Video: Visio 2016
You can also choose to use Visio to create your diagram. This tutorial includes information that may be helpful to you when creating your diagram.
Tutorial: Getting Started in Lucidchart: The Basics
Lucidchart is another application for creating a diagram. This resource shows you how to use Lucidchart to create diagrams.
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