IT411 System Administration and Maintenance

Module 2: Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models 1

Microsoft Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models

Introduction
Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a
range of software products and services. Founded on April 4, 1975. Software maintenance is the
process of changing, modifying, and updating software to keep up with customer needs. Software
maintenance is done after the product has launched for several reasons including improving the
software overall, correcting issues or bugs, to boost performance, and more. Windows Server is a
brand name for a group of server operating systems released by Microsoft since 2003. The first
Windows server edition to be released under that brand was Windows Server 2003. However, the first
server edition of Windows was Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server, followed by Windows NT 3.5 Server,
Windows NT 3.51 Server, Windows NT 4.0 Server, and Windows 2000 Server. Windows 2000 Server
was the first server edition to include Active Directory, DNS Server, DHCP Server, Group Policy, as well
as many other popular features used today.

Course Learning Outcomes:

After completing this course, students will be able to
• Explain the differences of Microsoft operating systems
• Explain the function of Microsoft windows server
• Explain server maintenance
• Explain and Apply server maintenance models
• Explain Maintenance strategies

E. Maintenance Strategies
What Are The 4 Types of Maintenance Strategies?
Maintenance strategies: Which one should you choose?
If you spend any time reading about industry trends, you’ll know that predictive maintenance
is getting more popular every day. The rise of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) is making it
possible for organizations to use intelligent maintenance software to collect data and integrate
with connected devices to get smarter about manufacturing.

While this particular type of maintenance has been gaining popularity, it’s far from the only
solution available to equipment-heavy organizations. There are a host of other maintenance
types that work well for all kinds of organizations, from small shops drowning in paper work
orders to data-driven enterprise operations for whom predictive maintenance is a reality. Let’s
compare these types of maintenance to see which ones work best for different scenarios.

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Module 2: Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models 2

1. Reactive maintenance (breakdown maintenance)

Also known as breakdown or run-to-failure, reactive maintenance is pretty simple: fix things when they
break. Since repairs are not planned, it’s a good method to employ for equipment that is not essential
for operations or has a low cost (think anything that’s rarely used or duplicates the function of other
equipment).
For example, think of a $1000 belt feeder, whose lifetime value can be extended by 10% by servicing it
every 3 months. How hard are you willing to work to save $100? For a non-critical piece of machinery,
the answer should be “not hard”.”

While it requires minimal planning, the drawbacks of reactive maintenance can be substantial if it’s not
carried out correctly. If the approach is used for all equipment, there can be huge delays in production
when a critical piece of equipment fails. Further, if you don’t have the right parts and supplies on hand,
the costs for rushed shipping can become significant. In short, reactive maintenance often means more
downtime and higher maintenance costs when it’s not used strategically.

2. Preventive maintenance (scheduled)

Also known as proactive maintenance, this method involves periodically taking assets offline and
inspecting or repairing them at predetermined intervals (usually time or event-based triggers). The goal
of this approach is to extend the useful life of an asset and prevent breakdowns from occurring.

Many organizations employing preventive maintenance use CMMS software to trigger work orders
when a PM is due. This allows a facility to automate much of its scheduling efforts, which is a key
ingredient of this preventive approach. Because planning is done in advance, it’s much easier to have
the right parts and resources on hand to complete each task.

As with all maintenance types, there are potential drawbacks to relying solely on preventive
maintenance. If the PM schedule isn’t regularly monitored, audited, and improved, “PM creep” can

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module is intended for educational purposes only.
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Module 2: Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models 3

occur. This is when technicians get bogged down by unnecessary tasks and cost the organization time
and money.

Similarly, performing too many PMs can open the door for post-PM breakdowns. There are a number
of ways to prevent this, but the risk gets higher as PMs get more frequent. The bottom line is, if a
preventive maintenance program is used, it should go hand in hand with PM optimization.

3. Predictive maintenance (PdM)

Predictive maintenance (PdM) aims to predict failures before they happen so maintenance can occur
at just the right time. PdM uses data from machine sensors and smart technology to alert the
maintenance team when a piece of equipment is at risk of failing. For example, a sensor may use
vibration analysis to alert the maintenance team that a piece of equipment is at risk of failing, at which
point it will be taken offline, inspected, and repaired accordingly.

It is possible to carry out PdM via visual inspections of equipment, but the easiest way to establish a
predictive maintenance strategy is by using a CMMS to track meter readings. The advantage of PdM
(over PM) is the potential for cost savings from reduced man-hours spent on maintenance, and more
insight as to the performance and potential issues arising with the machine. Additionally, a reliance on
data and sensor information means maintenance is determined by the actual condition of equipment,
rather than a best-guess schedule or gut feel.

Of course, relying so heavily on data means that there is a higher up-front cost to ensuring this
maintenance approach can thrive. Another thing to keep in mind with predictive maintenance is that
you have to walk before you can run. For an organization coming from a pen-and-paper or Excel-based
maintenance program, you have to first build on the processes and insights that preventive
maintenance provides in order to build an effective predictive maintenance plan.

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module is intended for educational purposes only.
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Module 2: Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models 4

4. Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM)

Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) addresses the fact that failure is not always linear. RCM is a
highly-involved process that seeks to analyze all the possible failure modes for each piece of equipment
and customize a maintenance plan for each individual machine. The ultimate goal of RCM is to increase
equipment availability or reliability.

RCM is considered complex because each individual asset must be analyzed and prioritized based on
criticality. The most critical assets are those that are likely to fail often or will result in large
consequences in the event of failure. Because each piece of equipment is analyzed on its own, it’s
possible that the end result of embarking on an RCM effort is having as many different maintenance
plans as you do pieces of equipment.

RCM is very sophisticated, to the extent where it is not a realistic or necessary technique for every
organization. It requires a very mature maintenance team that has mastered prevention, basic
inspections, predictive maintenance, and has access to lots of existing data on their assets.

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Maintenance management strategies comparison chart

Need a quick comparison of these four strategies? Check out the chart below for a quick rundown of
each approach.

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module is intended for educational purposes only.
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Module 2: Windows Servers and Software Maintenance Models 6

References

Online Resources
1. What Are The 4 Types of Maintenance Strategies? (2019, February 1) Fiix Software,
https://www.fiixsoftware.com/blog/evaluating-maintenance-strategies-select-model-
asset-management/

Online video resource/s

1. Nikomo, Z (2018, December 15) What are the different types of Maintenance Strategies;
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQHjk7cy6hs
2. Fiix Software (2019, August 15) The journey to modern maintenance; Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24EotD2icPM&t=308s&ab_channel=FiixSoftware

The information, image/s, text or contents used in this learning module do not belong to me. This learning
module is intended for educational purposes only.