| Custom database software development is facilitated | | | | Database level security - MS Access has security, but |
| by the use of a checklist of standard questions to be | | | | SQL Server has a much tighter security model tied in |
| answered before a system is created, and before | | | | with the Win 2000/NT operating system.c. Application |
| analysis begins. This checklist is provided to assist in | | | | level securityd. Minimum (pseudo) security algorithm - |
| the Analysis/Requirements phase of a new custom | | | | low coste. Please specify User Groups that may have |
| software development project. | | | | special Security needs requiring different levels of |
| If you are interested in having 21st Century | | | | security:i. Administrative Assistantsii. Analystsiii. |
| Technologies, Inc. create a new system for you, | | | | Engineersiv. Managersv. Company Ownersvi. System |
| then the following checklist and the associated | | | | Administrators |
| answers will facilitate the analysis process. The | | | | 16. Are Backup Scenarios currently in place? Backups |
| answers can be e-mailed or faxed to us at the email | | | | will be an integral component of the system. The |
| address and fax number at the bottom of the page. | | | | importance of this cannot be over emphasized.a. |
| BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS | | | | Daily, Weekly, Monthly onto tapeb. Daily, Weekly, |
| 1. Desired delivery date or proposed project schedule. | | | | Monthly onto CD or other optical drivec. Onto |
| 2. Business reason for, and urgency of project. | | | | another computerd. Regular backups located at a |
| 3. What are the cost constraints? | | | | remote site |
| 4. Use cases - description of how each group of | | | | 17. Are Anti-Virus protection and policies in place? It is |
| users will be using the system.a. General business | | | | an important part of ensuring that a system stays up |
| process - web user will buy a product, web user will | | | | and running. |
| add a customer, web user will add contact | | | | 18. Will remote troubleshooting be desired? The |
| information, etc.b. Input/Output - web users will enter | | | | addition of Error Processing and Logging software will |
| data into forms, data will be imported, administrator | | | | facilitate remote support and troubleshooting. |
| must run many management reports, administrator | | | | 19. Desired Documentation?a. Noneb. Installationc. |
| needs to export to Excel and text, etc.c. Frequency | | | | Userd. Administratore. Softwaref. On-line helpg. |
| of activity - many times each day, once daily, | | | | Specialh. All of the above |
| weekly, etc.d. Cycles of activity - weekly sales | | | | 20. What is the proficiency level of all users for the |
| reports to all sales managers on Monday morning, | | | | target tools and environments - Windows, Excel, |
| close books at end of year, etc. | | | | etc.? |
| NATURE OF APPLICATION | | | | 21. Will interfaces to other systems (accounting, |
| 1. Do you have a desired development tool or | | | | payroll, another database, GIS, truck routing, etc.) be |
| technology in mind? You may want to split the | | | | required? This will affect the data model and system |
| application into some parts that can be run on a | | | | configuration, so early planning for these interfaces is |
| Windows workstation computer, while other parts | | | | critical to their successful inclusion into the system. |
| (like reports, or timecard entry screens) are accessed | | | | 22. Is an audit trail function desired for changes to |
| via a web browser on your local intranet. Web | | | | existing data? What parts of the system will need to |
| applications and reports can be viewed on all | | | | be audited? |
| computer types and operating systems that are | | | | 23. Is government reporting or data security required |
| capable of viewing web pages. Some tools currently | | | | - Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, etc. |
| available to build the system are listed here:a. C# | | | | 24. Number of reports. A sample hardcopy or at least |
| VB.NETb. ASP.NETc. Active Server Pages or Cold | | | | hand drawing of each will significantly help in |
| Fusion for robust database driven Web applicationsd. | | | | determination of report prices and commonalties |
| ColdFusione. Visual Basicf. SQL Serverg. MS Accessh. | | | | (company headers, formats, etc.). Important items |
| JavaScript - for cross browser compatibility,i. VBScript | | | | are:a. Number of sections including sort groups,b. |
| - for server scripting, and client scripting if Internet | | | | Definition of the source data for all fields in each |
| Explorer is the only client browserj. Dreamweaver - | | | | section and their calculation method,c. Summaries,d. |
| for higher ended client functionalityk. SQL Server | | | | Desired output format:i. Windows screen previewii. |
| Reporting Servicesl. Crystal Reports - for Windows | | | | HTMLiii. E-Mailiv. PDFv. Delimited Textvi. Excel |
| and Web based reportsm. ActiveReportsn. Excelo. | | | | spreadsheetvii. Other outputs |
| PowerPointp. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) | | | | 25. Is an ad hoc user-defined reporting, data retrieval, |
| Systems - dial 1 for English, 2 for Spanish... | | | | or analysis (On Line Analytical Processing (OLAP), |
| 2. If other applications are involved (MS Word, MS | | | | Data Mining, etc.) capability desired? |
| Excel, QuickBooks, etc.), what version will be used? | | | | 26. Is an installation program needed for distribution |
| 3. Desired screen resolution (800x600, 1024x768, | | | | of an application to many users? |
| etc.), | | | | 27. Is an automated network or internet installation |
| 4. Screen Size (15", 17", 19", 21") | | | | desired? |
| 5. Preferred Font and size (Arial 10, Times New | | | | 28. Are custom point to point communications |
| Roman 12, etc.)? | | | | needed? This may also include automated faxing. |
| 6. Target Windows version for each client computer | | | | 29. Special Considerations:a. Unique business rules, |
| in the system (98, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, 2003 Server, | | | | calculations, desired warnings, etc.b. Significant text |
| etc.), | | | | parsingc. Known or possible issues and problems that |
| 7. Web Server - MS Internet Information Services | | | | may be alleviated with testingd. Voice driven |
| (IIS), Apache, etc. | | | | capabilitye. Multiple databases (Access and SQL |
| 8. Target computer Operating System if not a | | | | Server, Oracle, etc.) |
| Windows Platform - Apple, Unix, Linux, etc. | | | | DATA AND VOLUME |
| 9. Target workstation hardware for all client | | | | 1. How many users are expected on the system in |
| stations,a. Clock speed -1333, 1500, 2000, 3000, etc. | | | | the near (first 6 months) and long (1 - 3 years and |
| MHz,b. Hard drive space - 100, 200, 400, etc. | | | | past) term? |
| Gbytes,c. RAM - 128Mb, 256Mb, 512Mb, 1Gb, etc. | | | | 2. How many users are expected to use the system |
| 10. If a network application, which network and | | | | at the same time during peak periods in the near and |
| version? -Windows, Novell 3.1, Novell, etc. | | | | long term? |
| 11. What are the drive letters for the networked | | | | 3. What type of data traffic will be on the network |
| back end databases if a network application? F, G, H, | | | | for the near and long term - numbers, text, images, |
| etc.? This reduces the deployment effort by | | | | video, multi-media, etc.? |
| developing in the same environment as the target | | | | 4. What is the expected volume of traffic for the |
| workstations. | | | | near and long term? |
| 12. If available and pertinent, please provide a | | | | 5. What is the estimated number of data records to |
| network configuration diagram with paths to server | | | | be stored for the near and long term? |
| (where database will reside) and all clients, security | | | | 6. Do we need to import data from existing files or |
| user groups, etc. | | | | systems? Note that Characters like ' " # have special |
| 13. Is 24x7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) uptime | | | | significance in data processing and conversion, and |
| required? If so, please explain the business need. We | | | | require special code handling. Names (D'Joy) and other |
| will discuss this further. The cost goes up as more | | | | data fields may contain these characters.a. No. |
| uptime is required. More resources are needed - | | | | Example data will usually be provided in database, |
| various personnel on pagers, redundant computers or | | | | text, or spreadsheet format. This helps significantly in |
| components like power supplies RAID or mirrored | | | | system testing and allows for error discovery and |
| hard drives, etc. | | | | error trapping before the system is delivered.b. Yes.i. |
| 14. Is Internet/Intranet data access desired?a. For | | | | Is all or part of the existing data needed? What |
| data entry?b. For report reviewing only?c. To | | | | parts?ii. Can use of the existing data be stopped |
| disseminate existing documents?d. To email | | | | while we convert the data into the new system?iii. Is |
| notification of pre-determined business trigger events | | | | this a one time data conversion, or will we have to |
| (project milestone met and approved, employee | | | | import data from existing systems regularly?iv. Are |
| appraisal ready for approval, etc.)? | | | | some fields mostly blank?v. Are some desired fields |
| 15. Is Security desired?a. Extremely high network | | | | missing? |
| (Internet) security - firewall, proxy server, etc.b. | | | | |