Unit 11Unit 11 – Maintaining Computer

Systems J/601/7329

LO4 - Be able to monitor and improve systems performance

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

This unit will give learners an understanding of the role of an IT services practitioner. Learners will identify that in the role the IT services practitioner has to be able to make good judgement based on advantages and disadvantages of any planned changes to a company system.

The practitioner will have to be able to monitor and balance the improvements/ maintenance to the computer system, without the company having too much disruption.

The aim of this unit is to introduce learners to the role and responsibilities of an IT practitioner with a focus on the field of computer systems maintenance.

Unit 11 – Maintaining Computer Systems - Scenario

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Learning Outcome (LO) The learner will:

Pass The assessment criteria are the pass requirements for this unit. The learner can:

Merit For merit the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to:

Distinction For distinction the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to:

1 Understand theorganisational issues related to computer system maintenance

P1 Explain the issues organisations must consider when planning computer systems Maintenance

P2 Assess the health and safety risks facing the practitioner when maintaining computerSystems

M1 - Identify the precautions that should be taken during routinemaintenance procedures

2 Know how to plancomputer systemMaintenance

P3 Describe a planning technique that can be used to schedulemaintenance activities

M2 - Create a plan forscheduled maintenanceActivities

D1 - Explain the benefits to an organisation of regularmaintenance activities

3 Be able to perform routine housekeeping on computer systems

P4 Perform routine housekeeping on a computer system

4 Be able to monitor and improve systemsPerformance

P5 Use monitoring tools to assess system Performance

P6 Improve a system by upgrading hardware and software

M3 - Test the functionality of the system after upgrade

D2 - Compare the improvements and restrictions of the upgraded system against the original installation

LO4 - Assessment Criteria

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Here the learner needs to use monitoring tools to assess the given system and to recommend, implement, test and evaluate hardware and software upgrades.

Assessment Criteria P5 The learner should evidence the use of monitoring tools to assess the system performance and

identify how well the system is functioning Assessment Criteria P6 The learner should upgrade hardware and software to make identified improvements to a system. P5 and P6 could be evidenced using observation records or witness statements including

photographic/ screenshots together with explanations. Videos including documentary would support the evidence.

Assessment Criteria M3 Learners must show they can test the functionality of the upgraded system. They will need to

evidence the use of test plans/tables one for each of the software and hardware upgrades. Screenshots, photographs with details will support the evidence.

Assessment Criteria D2 Learners should compare the improvements and restrictions of the upgraded system against the

original installation. They could use monitoring tools to demonstrate this, they could look at the before and after situation showing at least two comparisons one for the software upgrade and one for the hardware upgrade. This could be evidenced in the form of a report or table to compare the improvements and screen shots would support the evidence.

LO4 - Assessment Criteria P5, P6, M3 and D2

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Here the learners will need to be taught to how they can monitor and improve the systems performance.

Learners will need to be given the opportunity to use diagnostic tools and utilities to monitor the system. Learners could use the monitoring tools to demonstrate the before and after situation, i.e. could look at the files system before and after defragmentation, deleting temporary internet files.

The learners will need to have experience of upgrading a system including the hardware and software including looking any benefits and drawbacks and considerations for the process.

They will need to test the functionality of the system, and compare the improvements and should discuss as a group and restrictions from the process or for the upgraded system. Tutors could also deliver presentations each followed by practical exercises by the learners.

LO4 - Monitor and Improve Systems Performance - Scenario

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

After a system has been active for some time, especially your home computer, things get onto the machine or removed or viewed on the Internet and stay there until the user removes them or the system has been cleaned. These slow the machine down. Tools are available for the managing of these and should be used on a regular basis in order to improve performance.

Before you start this task you will need to view the system and take note of the current state, it is important as you will be comparing the performance of the machine before and after using tools and upgrading hardware. For this we need to do a system check of the current computer state.

Click on Start and select Control Panels and Select Review your Computers Status.

Click on View Performance Information, and click on Rate This Computer.

The System will then run a performance index on the state of your machine including Processor, graphics and Hard drive performance. Evidence this and explain what it means.

Next Click on Advanced Tools and Select Open Performance Monitor, evidence and explain this.

Then open Generate a System Health Report, evidence and explain this.

P5.1 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance - Monitoring

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Next go back to the Control Panels and Select Review your Computers Status. Click on Open Disk Cleanup and look at the amount of room that can be saved on your hard Drive if you delete old files. Evidence this but do not delete the files.

Next go to My Computer, Right Click over the C: drive and select Properties, evidence and explain the result in terms of space used on the system and the amount available in terms of what you can still install and what might be limited on your hard drive because of what is left.

Finally Download and run a program on your machine called RegCleaner from Filehippo. Make sure you be careful with this program or use it under supervision.

Run it and look at the programs on your machine that no longer need to be there or should have been removed already. Evidence this but do not remove anything.

P5.1 – Task 01 - Use a range of simple monitoring tools to assess system Performance.

P5.1 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance - Monitoring

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

A network manager relies on server monitoring software that can continuously keep an eye on the system and can detect slow or faulty components. These monitoring tools can automatically send updates or activate backups in case of outages caused by server crashes or overloads and faulty network connections. For instance, to find out the status of a web server, monitoring software may occasionally send an HTTP request to get a page. For email servers, a test message might be sent through SMTP and brought back by POP3. If the status request fails, the monitoring software may send an alarm message to sysadmin, exclude the problematic server from duty until it can be fixed, or self repair actions.

Tools that a network manager uses are varied, either part of the Network OS like Pconcole or Syscon or added programs to run on the OS. The top tools used include the following:

Nagios - Nagios is considered as one of the most popular open-source (free) network monitoring application available. It was designed to run under Linux and Unix. Nagios provides monitoring of network services (SMTP, POP3, HTTP, NNTP, ICMP, SNMP, FTP, SSH) and host resources (processor load, disk usage, system logs) among others. Remote monitoring is managed through SSH or SSL encrypted tunnels. Nagios has an option that gives users the freedom to develop their own service checks based on needs. When services or host problems arise, notification will be sent to the one who is in charge of the network via e-mail, SMS, etc.

P5.2 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance - Monitoring

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Zabbix - Zabbix is an enterprise-class monitoring tool that is full-featured and is commercially supported. It is capable of monitoring and tracking the status of different kinds of network services, servers, and other network hardware. Zabbix has three primary sections: server, agents and front-end. To store monitoring data, you can use MySQL or Oracle as your database. Without installing any software on the monitored host, Zabbix allows users to verify the availability and responsiveness of standard services such as SMTP or HTTP. Monitor statistics such as CPU load, network utilisation and disk space, an agent must be installed on host machine. Zabbix includes support for monitoring via SNMP, TCP and ICMP checks, IPMI.

Cacti - Cacti is a web-based graphing tool that is designed as a complete frontend which allows users to monitor and graph CPU load, network bandwidth usage, network traffic etc. Cacti allows you to collect services at pre-set period and graph the resulting data. It is mainly used to graph time-series data such as CPU load and network bandwidth usage. Cacti can be expanded to monitor any source via shell scripts and executables.

Zenoss - Zenoss is a server and network management program that combines original programming and several open source projects to integrate data storage and data collection processes via web-based user interface. It allows users to monitor availability, configurations, performance and events. Zenoss is capable of monitoring availability of network devices using SNMP, SSH, WMI, network services (HTTP, POP3, NNTP, SNMP, FTP) and host resources (processor, disk usage) on most network operating systems.

P5.2 – Task 02 – Research and explain the functions and purpose of system monitoring tools with examples and explain their benefits to a network manager to assess system Performance.

P5.2 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance - Monitoring

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Now you have looked at the problems that exist on a stand alone machine and how to repair the basic functions from Task 1, you need to go through the repair programs at hand and consider their impact.

To do this you must run the following in sequence:1. Run a Scandisk through your machine and delete any faults.2. Run RegCleaner through your machine and remove any old programs that you no longer

need.3. Run Disk Clean-up from Control panels and remove all temporary files and pre-fetch data.4. Run Defragmentation through your computer to clear up the file structure.5. Click on View Performance Information, and click on Rate This Computer.6. The System will then run another performance index on the state of your machine including

Processor, Graphics and Hard drive performance. Evidence this and explain what it means.7. Next Click on Advanced Tools and Select Open Performance Monitor, evidence and explain

this.8. Then open Generate a System Health Report, evidence and explain this.9. Look at the Hard drive size and compare it to the previous Task 1 setting.10. When these are all done, you need to compare the improvements to the system from Task 1.

P5.3 – Task 03 – Demonstrate using system repair tools including defragmentation and deleting temporary files.

P5.3 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance – Up-keeping

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

P6.1 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Upgrading For this task you should be given the appropriate hardware in anti-static bags. This

should consist of a Graphics card, Sound Card, Network card. Each stage of this should be evidenced either as photographs of you setting up the hardware or as a Video demonstration of the stages.

The entire process should take about 1 hour and should be done as one steady stream.1. Connect yourself with the anti static wrist band and switch off and unplug the

computer.2. Open the Box and connect up the Graphics Card to the Motherboard, securing it

with a screw.3. Connect up the Network Card to the Motherboard, securing it with a screw.4. Connect up the Sound Card to the Motherboard, securing it with a screw.5. Disconnect the anti static band, power the machine on and using the driver disks

supplied with the hardware components you just installed set them up on the OS.6. Verify in Control Panels that they are configured properly.

P6.1 - Task 04 - Set up and install the additional hardware and the device drivers for a network card, sound card and graphics card with evidence.

Graphics Card Sound Card Network Card

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

BIOS – Built in operating system is a small battery linked to the core of the motherboard that tells a computer what it is, what CPU, what hard drives, what kind of motherboard, where the connectors are, what time of day it is. All computers have one but they seem the least of things.

The two most common types are Phoenix and Ami, they contain a battery life of at least 3 years and contain several pages of important information, specifically hard drive configurations and IRQ allocation. Operating systems can override the BIOS but this takes extra time and can lead to IRQ conflicts.

The Bios on the computer can be useful for things other than configuring the standard IDE ports, IRQ and settings and internal hardware, it can also be used to configure the Computer Power Settings such as the Stand-By time, how much power consumption it uses, when to dim the screen etc. to make the computer more friendly.

The BIOS is also a dangerous place to allow members of staff to be in, from there they can turn the Hard Drives off, change the boot configuration to load from Memory Stick and bypass the OS. For this task you will need to configure the BIOS for Power Saving mode and Power Management and set up a password on the BIOS to restrict users from bypassing the system.

P6.2 – Task 05 – Demonstrate configuring the BIOS and editing power management options for optimum performance. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.

P6.2 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - BIOS

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Firmware updates – All hardware comes with a driver disk and drivers that are supposedly compatible with the OS but these are not always up to date, relevant or even the best versions of the drivers. Months down the line when the company has improved the performance of the hardware you purchased, they will put the updated drivers and firmware drivers on their site.

Firmware updates, if they work, will increase the data integrity of the device, make it more compatible, iron out issues the driver may have with other devices and make the device faster and better. More importantly it is free to do.

Operating systems - we know what OS’s are by now, the main control of the computer but OS’s have as many updates as came on the disk. The major updates are called service packs and are a grouping of all the important updates up to that point.

OS updates basically fix the bugs and holes that the original OS has, and they have many. These are the kind of holes that allow hackers in, that allow viruses and malware. These are not seen at the time of release because certain people look for the vulnerabilities in the system and exploit them.

There are 2 ways to get the Windows updates, manually or automatically so Windows looks for itself. Both are relevant but most companies use the automatic update options as a convenience. And it is free.

P6.3 – Task 06 – Demonstrate setting up, configuring and installing Firmware updates and OS updates performance. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.

P6.3 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques – Firmware and OS

Firmware updates Operating systems

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Memory Management – All OS’s manage their setting automatically according to how they think you would want your machine. Memory management is one way to override this setting for more optimal use for certain programs, like shutting down functions so games can run faster etc.

To change the setting take the following steps:◦ Go to Control Panel, go to System and Security and select System.◦ Choose Advanced System Settings◦ On the Advanced tab, under Performance, click Settings.◦ Click the Advanced tab, and then, under Virtual memory, click Change.◦ Clear the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives check box.◦ Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file you want to change.◦ Click Custom size, type a new size in megabytes in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, click Set, and

then click OK. Disk optimisation – This cleans up the system files and other files on your machine so the hard drive has more free

space to spool files to and to configure OS setting. How much room you set the OS backup folder for instance allows you to maximises the potential of the OS.

Similarly setting the amount of Temporary Internet space from within the browser will maximise its potential speed. For some people they prefer to split the hard drive through partitioning and then optimise their OS side for speed and their programs or files side to make it easier to distinguish the difference when cleaning.

Alternatively they go through a process of archiving and deleting files, reducing the size of pictures and videos, shrinking word files etc. to reduce space taken up.

P6.4 – Task 07 – Demonstrate setting up Memory Management on your System and optimising the Disk for more optimal settings. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.

P6.4 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Memory

Memory Management Disk optimisation

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Firewall - A firewall is a security-conscious program that sits between the Internet and your network with a single-minded task: preventing them from getting to us, a security guard if you will. All network traffic into and out of the System must pass through the firewall, which prevents unauthorised access to the network. Some type of firewall is a must-have if your system has a connection to the Internet, whether that connection is broadband (cable modem or DSL), T1, or some other high-speed connection. Without it, sooner or later a hacker will discover your unprotected network and tell his friends about it. Within a few hours your system and information on the system will be toast.

You can set up a firewall using two basic ways. The easiest way is to purchase a firewall application, which is basically a self-contained router with built-in firewall features. Most firewall applications include a Web-based interface that enables you to connect to the firewall from any computer on your network using a browser. You can then customize the firewall settings to suit your needs.

Alternatively, you can set up a server computer to function as a firewall computer. The server can run just about any network operating system, but most dedicated firewall systems run Linux. Whether you use a firewall application or a firewall computer, the firewall must be located between your network and the Internet. Here, one end of the firewall is connected to a network hub, which is, in turn, connected to the other computers on the network. The other end of the firewall is connected to the Internet. As a result, all traffic from the LAN to the Internet and vice versa must travel through the firewall.

P6.5 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Security

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Virus Checker - Every computer user is susceptible to attacks by computer viruses, and using a network increases your vulnerability because it exposes all network users to the risk of being infected by a virus that lands on any one network user’s computer. Viruses don’t just spontaneously appear out of nowhere. Viruses are computer programs that are created by malicious programmers.

The best way to protect your System from virus infection is to use an antivirus program. These programs have a catalogue of several thousand known viruses that they can detect and remove. In addition, they can spot the types of changes that viruses typically make to your computer’s files, thus decreasing the likelihood that some previously unknown virus will go undetected.

You can install antivirus software on each System. This technique would be the most effective if you could count on all your users to keep their antivirus software up to date. Because that’s an unlikely proposition, you may want to adopt a more reliable approach to virus protection.

Managed antivirus services place antivirus client software on each client computer in your network. Then, an antivirus server automatically updates the clients on a regular basis to make sure that they’re kept up to date.

Server-based antivirus software protects your network servers from viruses. For example, you can install antivirus software on your mail server to scan all incoming mail for viruses and remove them before your network users ever see them.

Some firewall appliances include antivirus enforcement checks that don’t allow your users to access the Internet unless their antivirus software is up to date. This type of firewall provides the best antivirus protection available.

P6.5 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Security

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Anti-malware software – This is similar to anti-virus software in that it is designed to block attacks internally and externally. What they do is look for specific coding within files that allows a program to access the internet surreptitiously. This is usually spyware, malware and adware. These usually enter computer systems as cookies, that allows the program to temporarily turn off the firewall and allow a program to crawl onto the system. When the file becomes active it will then access the Internet to pass on information.

An anti-malware program intercepts these external IP calls and blocks them, then tracks the cause back and will then defend against further attacks by neutralising the external connection abilities of the program and then quarantining the program and code.

Examples of such programs are AdAware and Spybot. Because of the increase in malware that is available, the .dat files of these programs and others are updated when there are new threats. These programs and others are 99% effective, combined with a good virus checker they are 99.9% effective, but it is still that 0.1% that gets through. With SSL protection combines this is even more secure.

P6.5 – Task 08 – Demonstrate setting up and configuring Protection measures on your System. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.

1. Using the downloaded or provided files (if downloaded they will need to be unzipped) run the setup.

2. Configure the location of each3. Configure the settings like when to update. Show them working when complete by running a virus

scan, Spyware scan and showing the Firewall and virus checker icon in the right hand corner.

P6.5 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Security

Virus Checker Antispyware Firewall

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

The reasons for managing the system in this manner is obvious, to make things better and safer but there are other considerations that stop these measures from happening or demand better ones.

Data integrity – Nothing is more important than the files saved on the system, backups, checks, protections etc. all help to secure these but the integrity of the data is a huge issue. A company like Sony or Apple would not install a firewall like Zone Alarm and hope this is enough, they would have multiple SSL firewalls and even they were not enough. Under the DPA companies have to take all measures possible within reason.

Costs – Some things are free, AdAware, Spybot, certain virus checkers, scanning, defragging, deleting files etc. all free, but it takes time to run and do these things and that costs. SSL cost £500 or more, they are worth it if the amount of time is saved is comparable to the time it took to run and operate free ones. Companies consider cost more than any other measure.

Timescales – A network technician if they did not have an SSL firewall would have to manually install the virus checkers and firewalls on each machine, configure updates, each, and verify each has been successful. Or they could image it, or RDC it. Network installing is quicker, time is money and setting targets and finding quicker ways to achieve these targets saves a company a lot of money and time.

P6.6 – Task 09 – Discuss the company considerations that are made that limit or affect the way systems are managed, secured and installed in terms of adding hardware and managing utilities.

P6.6 – Improve Systems Performance – Techniques - Considerations

Data Integrity Costs Timescales

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

M3.1 - Task 10 - Test a configured computer system for functionality, optimisation, System construction and configured applications. They will need to evidence the use of test tables one for each of the software and hardware

upgrades. Screenshots, photographs with details will support the evidence Test could involve the following areas of the system or others of your choice but they must be relevant:

Test Data Type:

1. Operational (No data as such)

2. Normal (What you would expect to be used)

3. Erroneous (Tests that should produce an error)

4. Boundary (Testing to see if the Screen refuses the highest resolution setting)

5. Extreme (Virus checker, Defragmentaion or Scandisk) The learner must evidence that they have tested the configured system for functionality. This must

include the use of a test plan/table which shows the tests, the rationale for the choice of tests, expected outcomes, actual outcomes and the results of testing. They should include the retesting of any failures this could be supported by annotated before and after screenshots in evidencing the results of testing.

M3.1 – Testing the Configures System – Test table

Device Drivers Scandisk and Defragmentation OS or Software Compatibility BIOS acceptance

Virus Updates Default File and Folder Locations Upgraded Hardware Language Settings

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Test Number Type of Test What Am I

TestingWhere Am I

Testing?

What Am I Expecting To

HappenWhat Did Happen

Action Taken Evidence

1 NormalEnglish Dictionary in Word

Word

When I spell colour in Word it should not appear as a spelling mistake because of the dictionary set to US

Spelling was correct for English Dictionary

None needed

Print screen 1 and 2

2 ...Did not work therefor…

Explain the fix made

Evidence the failure of the test and fixes applied

M3.2 – Testing the Configures System – Test table

The tests need to be varied, there needs to be tests done of Hardware, utilities and Software each so you should expect about 15 tests altogether of which repairs should be made to at least two of them.

The page should be landscape for the test table and portrait for the evidence, at least 2 print screens for each test, 3 for the repair, before and after evidence needs to be provided for those that do not require repairing.

M3.2 – Task 11 – From LO2, complete the Planning documentation and explain how this has been effective in upgrading and installing hardware and software.

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

Now you have repaired the problems that exist on a stand alone machine understand the basic features of utility optimisation and you have added three additional pieces of hardware, you need to go through the repair programs one more time and compare their impact on the system integrity and performance.

To do this you must run the following in sequence:1. Run a Scandisk through your machine and delete any faults.2. Run RegCleaner through your machine and remove any old programs that you no longer need.3. Run Disk Clean-up from Control panels and remove all temporary files and pre-fetch data.4. Run Defragmentation through your computer to clear up the file structure.5. Click on View Performance Information, and click on Rate This Computer.6. The System will then run another performance index on the state of your machine including Processor,

Graphics and Hard drive performance. Evidence this and explain what it means.7. Next Click on Advanced Tools and Select Open Performance Monitor, evidence and explain this.8. Then open Generate a System Health Report, evidence and explain this.9. Look at the Hard drive size and compare it to the previous Task 1 setting.10. When these are all done, you need to compare the improvements to the system from Task 1.

D2.1 – Task 12 – Demonstrate using system repair tools including defragmentation and deleting temporary files.D2.2 – Task 13 - Assess the improved performance of the system against previous settings.D2.3 – Task 14 – Review the improvements made to the system, critically evaluate at least one of the software upgrades and at least one of the hardware upgrade.

D2.1 – Monitor and Improve Systems Performance – Verification

Computer Performance Speed Compatibility Windows Experience Index

Scenario Tasks 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 13 14Criteria 5 6 7 8

P5.1 – Task 01 - Use a range of simple monitoring tools to assess system Performance.P5.2 – Task 02 – Research and explain the functions and purpose of system monitoring tools with examples and explain their benefits to a network manager to assess system Performance.P5.3 – Task 03 – Demonstrate using system repair tools including defragmentation and deleting temporary files.P6.1 - Task 04 - Set up and install the additional hardware and the device drivers for a network card, sound card and graphics card with evidence.P6.2 – Task 05 – Demonstrate configuring the BIOS and editing power management options for optimum performance. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.P6.3 – Task 06 – Demonstrate setting up, configuring and installing Firmware updates and OS updates performance. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.P6.4 – Task 07 – Demonstrate setting up Memory Management on your System and optimising the Disk for more optimal settings. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.P6.5 – Task 08 – Demonstrate setting up and configuring Protection measures on your System. Justify the need and benefits of doing this.P6.6 – Task 09 – Discuss the company considerations that are made that limit or affect the way systems are managed, secured and installed in terms of adding hardware and managing utilities.M3.1 - Task 10 - Test a configured computer system for functionality, optimisation, System construction and configured applications.M3.2 – Task 11 – From LO2, complete the Planning documentation and explain how this has been effective in upgrading and installing hardware and software.D2.1 – Task 12 – Demonstrate using system repair tools including defragmentation and deleting temporary files.D2.2 – Task 13 - Assess the improved performance of the system against previous settings.D2.3 – Task 14 – Review the improvements made to the system, critically evaluate at least one of the software upgrades and at least one of the hardware upgrade.

LO4 - Assessment Task List