A management simulation tool for modelling equipment reliability : A dissertation in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor in Agricultural Science (Hons) in Lincoln College

Abstract

The Lincoln College Centre for Computing and Biometrics (CCB) administers and maintains much electronic equipment, including a sizeable pool of networked and stand-alone IBM (PC) XT & AT compatible microcomputers. As the College develops and grows, it is envisaged that this pool of computers will be expanded to keep pace with student and staff demand. Besides purchase and installation costs, the CCB incurrs on the College an ongoing cost in funding an infrastructure required to maintain these machines. This funding pays for resources such as support staff, consumables, replacement,components, as well as various other costs. Assuming that funding represents a constraint on maintenance of this computing facility, the question that faces the manager is exactly what amount of resources are required to ensure an optimum maintenance policy covering this equipment. One way to help answer the manager's question is to model the reliability of the equipment under question, simulating the occurrence of equipment faults according to defined probabilities. Such a model would also simulate the activities of staff responsible for maintaining the facility. This paper reports on preliminary investigations into the process of maintaining the population of PCs administered by the CCB. An analysis was made of records kept by the CCB concerning PC maintenance. A survey was also conducted on the wider aspects of supporting such a facility, focusing on the frequency and origins of events requiring the action of support staff. This paper also reports on the implementation of a partially developed discrete event driven simulation, designed to go some way to answering the manager's question above. Finally, an assessment is made of the directions for further study that could be made if the simulation was to be further developed into a useful management tool. An important aim in the preparation of this report is to impart the information necessary to allow further development of the simulation by a person with a previously limited knowledge of it .