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Function of Routers in network infrastructures
Networking Infrastructure
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Table of ContentsPage
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………….3
Primary Domain Controllers ………………………………………………………5
Function of Routers in network infrastructures …………………………………..6
Functions of firewall in network infrastructures found in organizations ………….6
Task 2: Local area network (LAN) Infrastructure …………………………………..7
Active Directory Network Storage for H.O.Ds ……………………………………..8
Task 3 ……………………………………………………………………………… 8
Task 4 ……………………………………………………………………………….11
Accessing Stored Files ………………………………………………………………13
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………..13
Bibliography …………………………………………………………………………15
1. Introduction
Network infrastructure refers to an interconnected group of computer systems linked by the many parts of telecommunication architecture and design. Such network infrastructures can be categorized as computers that have been networked to routers and other devices such as cables and remote access focuses. Interconnected gatherings might likewise incorporate things, for example, the switches, spines, system conventions, and system access strategies that are vital and serve as the complete system of machines. Typically, networking infrastructures are either open or closed, such as the open architecture of the Internet or the closed architecture of a private intranet (Combee, et al., 2001). The network infrastructure techniques can operate either through wired or wireless network connections, or through a combination of both.
According to Organization For Economic Cooperation and Development (2012), in simplest of form network infrastructure may consists of one or more computers, a network or Internet connection, and a hub to both link the computers to the network connection and tie the various systems to each other. This hub networks all the computers without limiting data flow to or from any one system all the time. To make sure there is control or limited access between systems and regulate information flow, a switch replaces the hub to create network protocols that define how the systems communicate with each other.
Further, network infrastructure does also refer to the hardware and software resources of an entire network that enable network connectivity, communication, operations, and management of an enterprise. Combinations of different computers in a single area sharing similar internet connection can be considered a basic way of network infrastructure; this does not depend on whether or not the computers also share information with each other. Therefore, where there is a more advanced network infrastructure, with all systems accessing a global network containing information on various systems, and can accessed using website standards and protocols, most commonly framed as web addresses can be referred to as internet.
Most of the organizations use intranets, which can operate on a closed network infrastructure and can only be accessed by those within it. Intranets consist of servers, which centrally stores data or information in computers regardless of the number of computers. Beside this, it also consist of Ethernet cabling, remote access focuses, switches, switches, and workstations with access to the focal information store all the computers within the system are connected to the network by the use of either cabling or wireless access. The routers and switches determine what level of access they are allowed to have, which direct traffic to point them to the central data store on the servers. As the individual computers send or receive data, the routers ensure it reaches the appropriate destination.
Stallings and Brown (2013) assert that the primary concern when building a network infrastructure is the network security. Internet infrastructures uses in built firewalls as well as other software permitting only known users to access control, carry out data packet monitoring, as well as significant things such as strictly defined protocols to help in safety purposes. Adjusting network sharing properties on individual systems limits the folders and files that can be seen by other users on the network, this enhances network security. Communication routes and services between users, processes, applications, services, and external networks/the Internet is provided by the network infrastructure. The whole network infrastructure is interconnected, and can be used for either internal communications, external communications or both. Hardware system includes wireless routers, LAN cards, routers, switches and cables constituting an organizational network infrastructure. Other serves as a software system consisting of network operations/ administration, working frameworks and a firewall and system security requisitions that are key for security purposes lastly, benefits framework, for example, T-1 Line, DSL, satellite, remote, conventions and IP tending to.
According to Minasi (2014), a Primary Domain Controller (PDC) is a server computer in a windows domain in a control room. Primary Domain Controller serves as a place where there is a network of many computers and their accessibility is controlled by the primary domain controller, which is known as the domain. Various account types exist in the domain, the most basic is the “guest” or “anonymous login” account (Cisco Press, 2012). All the domain resources are centrally controlled at the primary domain controller in an administration account
Primary Domain Controllers
In an organization, primary domain controller is categorically purposed for, user manager for domains which is used as utility for maintaining user group information. It is worth noting that the main domain controller utilizes its own security database on the primary controller thus enhancing its functioning to a greater level. There is also main master copy of the user accounts database that is able to access and be modified anytime if necessary. Another copy is in the backup domain controller in the computers database, however these copies on read only memory (ROM). In addition, the primary domain controller duplicates its account database to the backup domain controllers regularly. It is important to note that the backup is provided to the primary domain controller by the backup domain controller, and can further help in ascertaining the many users that access the network in an easier way. In case failure is experienced on the primary domain controller, one of the backup controllers may be utilized in its place thus serving almost similar purpose.
Function of Routers in network infrastructures
Shelly and Misty (2012), assert that the purpose of a router is to decide the best route for a packet to travel through connection speed and also facilitates the data flow within the system. It has a specialized computer connected to more than one network. Communication to other networks are bridged by routers which also it links the networks and basically provides a common language for data exchange, according to the rules of each network in the system.
Functions of firewall in network infrastructures found in organizations
Mankell and Segerberg (2012) explain that firewalls have, for long, provided the first line of defence in network security infrastructures. This is made possible by comparing different corporate policies about users with network access rights to the connection of information surrounding every access point. Connection of user data ought to be similar for the firewall to deny accessibility to network resources, something that is essential in preventing break-ins.
Recently, firewalls are deployed in both the traditional network perimeter-where the private corporate network meets the public Internet-but also throughout the enterprise network in key internal locations, as well as at the WAN edge of branch office networks, this is considered a growing best practice. This strategy of distributed-firewall helps protect hardware and software against internal and external threats, which for a very long time has accounted for a large percentage of cyber losses, according to annual studies conducted by the Computer Security Institute (CSI).
Besides the significant benefits accrued to the network infrastructure in an organization, threats in networking infrastructure have increased significantly because of the emergence of new network perimeters that have formed inside the corporate Local Area Network (LAN). Threats in networking infrastructure are classified into either internal or external threats depending on their causes. Examples of these perimeters, or trust boundaries, are between switches and back-end servers, between different departments, and where a wireless Local Area Network meets the wired network (Jeffrey, Beasley & Piyasat, 2012). access breaches at these key network points are kept at bay by the firewalls, for instance, that sales representatives of the organization are unable to gain access to the commission tracking finance system. Apart from this, firewall support organizations by making sure that they are consistent with the latest industrial governance mandates that may be essential for the organizations.
Task 2
Local area network (LAN) Infrastructure
As indicated by Davies (2012), Local Area Network base outline is to a great degree imperative for legitimate IP telephony operation on an united system. An exhaustive neighborhood framework configuration obliges various essential arrangement. This helps in deploying a highly available network in an organization. Moreover, LAN infrastructure design needs the utilization of QoS that are found on the network infrastructure of organization.
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Below is a LAN diagram of the stadium business interconnection.
2133600414655Ms.A.D
Ms.A.D
142875357505HOD Guest services
HOD Guest services
4467225357505HOD Ticketing
HOD Ticketing
2209800383540HOD Entertainment
HOD Entertainment
Active Directory Network Storage for H.O.Ds
Dynamic Directory Network Storage is a document offering asset, through which Hods can store their documents on an ACCC record server. The administration depicted above gives clients profoundly excess, exceptionally accessible, completely moved down, lifetime stockpiling of individual or departmental documents and this resource is made available to the user whose departments have requested disk space through ADNS. The files are stored on a Windows file server, and users can access their files from multiple computers. Their files will be available to them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year excluding extreme circumstances.
Task 3
Different organizations usually have domain controllers in their network infrastructure and that enable them to on server core rather than the full version of windows. This is because server core provides minute footprint that is which are very flexible thus enhancing movement in a virtual devices and reduces parts that may be moving as well as enhancing of stability and uptime.
Medium-sized institutions must avoid using the “all-purpose” computer based servers that may only suit smaller companies. Therefore, an organization domain controller should effectively provide other infrastructure services like DHCP and DNS. Domain controllers in a network infrastructure should perform a single function as print servers, file servers, e-mail servers or any other major tasks.
It is important for every organization to put in place backups and recovery systems or a continuous, disk-to-disk backup system. Conversely, other organizations with medium size network infrastructure can also benefit from a dedicated active directory recovery tool that can provide graphical interfaces for attribute-level, single-object, and whole-domain recovery.
However, medium sized organizations should review their auditing and reporting techniques, especially those in legally-sensitive fields like finance institutions and healthcare institutions. This kind of change auditing needed in this organizations can rarely be satisfied by the native Windows event logs, which don’t provide separation of duties, high-performance high-volume logging and so on.
According to Desmond (2013), active directory functionality depends on the proper configuration of the DNS infrastructure. The organizations DNS infrastructure involves client configuration, including domain controllers, domain members, and other computers. There is also the server of the DNS and zone configuration and proper delegations in parent zones. DNS serves a significant role in locating records within the organization’s domain.
Davies (2012) asserts that, the considerations for implementation of active directory involves eemployees desktop that depend on the business the organization conducts as the rate of representative desktops shifts. Associations in retail area have similarly few work area-bound representatives, inasmuch as establishments like banks or insurance agencies have a higher rate. In each identified case, though, there is an employee who works on the floor or at a teller location in stations that are often not equipped with individual phones or computers (Clemm & Wolter, 2013), these employees use shared resources. However, workers that are using desktops have high chances of getting voice mail, as opposed to those that are on the retail floor during their work environment and responsibilities or duties. Majority of company employees have voice access mails (again, accessed from a common phone or break room) for human resources or education training purposes.
If the organization is using wide area network connectivity the network infrastructure between the sites is most likely to be a private wide area network of different type. Wider area network connectivity may include virtual private network that uses public internet as a way of conveying data that are not even QoS-enabled hence making it unfit for use in the organization system of networking.
There are different types of wide area network (WAN), for instance, VoIP-capable wide area network which may either be owned privately or may be provided as a single service to all the sites of the enterprise. A Virtual Private Network may still be used on top of the basic network service. In an organization, it is prudent to evaluate connectivity site because it depend on the site’s geographic location and its bandwidth needs. The connectivity sites may include DSL, BRI, fractional T1/E1 access, or even metro-Ethernet and organizations with relatively wide departments may require a full T1/E1 or may a combination of multiple DSL and BRI physical access lines to enable larger bandwidth.
An organization may prefer to use the use integrated access, that contains both voice and data channels sharing the same physical T1, as it offers an attractive offering for the office department. PSTN may serve as a T1 in-band that signals (T1 Channel Associated Signalling [T1 CAS]) or may be a fractional PRI as well as connection data that may help to relay connections. A careful analysis should be done before choosing PSTN connectivity because it depend the size of the office and its location. An organization may prefer low-density analogue (FXO or analogue DID) or BRI connections or higher-density fractional T1/E1, with fractional primary rate interface service.
Before an organization installs of the its operation system for the purpose of networking, the size of the department and the model of the business determine whether the office might prefer key system operation (Line1, Line2, will appear on the buttons of each phone). The office may also be determined if it suits PBX-like operation with typically a single extension per phone and DID service from the CO. Small sized offices more often tend to use key system (shared-line) operation, because that is the traditional voice system they were likely to have had installed before migrating to IP telephony. The companies with larger department, it is difficult to have a button appearance for each incoming managers activities. These sites tend to be better candidates for DID service. A human or provides receptionist services for general incoming business calls and directs clients to the correct department or employee extension (Davies, 2012).
It is significant to integrate some voice services if a few sites are interconnected because the on-net dial plan can always be implemented directly at each site due to its simplicity. However, this meshing of sites becomes increasingly complex to manage as the number of sites increases. Because of security reasons, an organization needs to employ a security officer in every gate to ensure that centralizing the dial plan management is well worth considering.
Task 4
A Head of Department should follow the best practices recommendations regarding DNS configuration from the beginning of the deployment is key for successful Active Directory deployment and operations (Svidergol, Allen & Hunter, 2013). However it is not in order to ttroubleshoot active directory rreplication in case it fails because of incorrect DNS cconfiguration, as this can lead to a wide variety of failures, because all active directory services largely depend on the ability of the devices to locate domain controllers, which is performed through DNS queries, (Beasley, 2012).
Presence of the event IDs logged by the net Logon service in the ssystem vent Log indicate that the corresponding domain controller cannot register DNS records that tend to advertise its availability as a domain controller. In such a case of failure domain controllers, domain members, and other devices cannot locate this domain controller. Hence, other domain controllers might not be able to replicate from this domain controller (Combee et al., 2001). It can interfere with other computer networks and may make them not to connect well with organization existing domain. Therefore, this effect might in turn not be able to add other domain controllers to this domain unless other domain controllers for this domain have successfully registered, domain controller Locator DNS records.
Accessing Stored Files
Requesting for the accesss of the files can be done using the following pointers,
P: Drive, Personal folders are developed on request for faculty or staff who have workstations on Active Directory. As a Head of Department to request a personal folder for yourself, complete the online form at active directory manager files. The shared folders these folders are prepared with each department that has different workstations on active directory and can only be accessed on request by the department who manages the folder data. The data can only be released on completion of the online form at active directory manager.
The security of the folders storage on the active directory file server ensures a secure, backed up data storage for faculty and staff. The employees file storage of the organization is set up for those who have a computer on an active directory. Files share by each department should be clearly set up in the organization departments. A member of an organization is able to access data stored on the active directory file servers from any computer on the network of that particular organization.
Every organization department the computers that have been added to active directory, the N and P drives are automatically mapped when you sign in to your computer with your active directory credentials. The remaining computers that have not been added to active directory cannot be accessed unless you obtain full folder path, including the active directory server name. Before accessing the data to active dictionary files of an organization from any wireless network or from off campus, one should first sign in to the UMD VPN service.
Conclusion
Organizations that want to embrace efficiency in the information technology, productivity, and transfer of digital information, Website linkages, and other electronic enterprises will need this medium as the platform for all electronic transactions. The network structure chosen by an organization should entail all the requirements mentioned above. As neighborhood and wide region systems are built, the country might revel in new specialized flexibilities bringing about enhanced administration to open and private area, more amazing enterprise open doors for the country, expanded income to the stadium. A good organization network infrastructure should be able to integrate and accommodate technical flexibility that permits extension of national future appropriately. The long run as well as the short-term benefits would manifest themselves in stadium productivity and efficiency improvement, and eventual departments, access and connectivity to e-transaction capabilities through the information super highway. References
Cisco Press, 2012. CCNA Exploration Course Booklet: LAN Switching and Wireless, Version 4.0 Cisco Unified Call Manager Express Solution Reference Network Design Guide
Clemm, A., & Wolter, R., 2013. Network-embedded management and applications: Understanding programmable networking infrastructure. New York, NY: Springer.
Combee, B., Lyons, R., E., Matthews, D., C., & Lysaght, R., 2001. Palm OS Web Application Developer’s Guide Developing and Delivering PQAs with Web Clipping. Rockland, MA, Syngress Pub.
Davies, J., 2012. Understanding IPv6: Your Essential Guide to IPv6 on Windows Networks “O’Reilly Media, Inc.”
Desmond, B., 2013. Active directory designing, deploying, and running Active Directory. Farnham, O’Reilly.
Jeffrey, S., Beasley & Piyasat, N., 2012. A Practical Guide to Advanced Networking, Third Edition Pearson.
Mankell, H., & Segerberg, E., 2012. Firewall. London, Vintage.
Minasi, M., 2014. Mastering Windows Server 2012 R2. Indianapolis, Sybex.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 2012. Latin American economic outlook: 2013. [S.l.], Oecd.
Shelly, Gary, B., & Vermaat, Misty, E., 2012. Enhanced Discovering Computers, Complete 2012 Your Interactive Guide to the Digital World. Course Technology Ptr.
Stallings, W., & Lowrie, B., 2013. Computer security principles and practices. Pearson Edu.
Svidergol, B., Allen, R., & Hunter, L., E., 2013. Active Directory cookbook. Beijing: O’Reilly.
Full Range Leadership Development at Sunoco
Full Range Leadership Development at SunocoIntroductionLeaders encounter uncertainties and overwhelming complexities in their daily lives. The problems they have to solve are rarely simple and clear-cut. If they were, they would likely already have been solved by someone else. If not well thought-outand sometimes even when they are the solutions made become tomorrow’s problems. Therefore, success in the contemporary operating environment requires different ways of thinking about problems and organizations. This brings about the inevitable need for leaders to have incredible innovation and creativity for continued growth and success in their organizations and also to have competitive advantage to survive in the market.the purpose of this paper is to explain how Transformational Leadership behaviors and attributes can influence building and maintaining higher levels of innovation and creativity. It also explains how FRLD can get customers involved in these innovations.Sunoco is a leading Gasoline Distribution Company in the United States. It has tremendously developed over the period of time it has been active. However, innovations will be critical in order for the organization to building a foundation for future growth, address unmet needs in the market, and improve process efficiencies and effectiveness and in order to develop new businesses. Sunoco needs to implement the following aspects and attribute of FRLD in its operations
Intellectual Stimulation (IS)This is an element of transformational leadership in which the leader challenges assumptions, takes risks and looks for ideas from his followers. Leaders here by stimulate and encourage creativity in their followers. They nurture people who think independently. The followers ask questions, think deeply about things and figure out better ways to execute their tasks. Most transformational leaders encourage followers to succeed, by training and development by building relationships, discouraging laissez-faire attitudes and using instrumental compliance, because they will feel it contributes to their success. In (IS) leaders solve problems using non-traditional thinking, rethink ideas, and strengthen seeking differing perspectives by looking at different angles. (Bona & Judge, 2004: Sosik & Jung, 2010).
Individualized Consideration (IC)This is yet another aspect of transformational leadership which is about helping others to develop their strengths. Sunoco leaders need to attend to each follower’s needs, acts as mentors to the follower and listens to their concerns and needs. In (IC) the leader gives empathy and support, keeps communication open and places challenges before the followers. This also incorporates the need for respect and appreciating the individual contribution that each follower can make to the team. In this way Sunoco employees will have a will and aspirations for self-development and have intrinsic motivation for their tasks. Individualized Consideration (IC) will increase behavior self-efficacy and instill confidence, encouragement, motivation, good communication, feedback, challenges, and improves their job commitment, which leads to Transformational Leadership (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006: Sosik & Jung, 2010). Inspirational Motivationthis is a leader behavior that involves developing and articulating a vision. Such visions paint an optimistic and enthusiastic picture of the future that encourages the followers. This kind of approach will elevate performance expectations inspiring the followers to put extra effort in their work. Sunoco employees will therefore be motivated to come up with innovative ideas to meet these expectations.By using inspiration, leaders express confidence in their followers and their shared vision. Inspirational leaders energize followers to put extra effort in challenging situations. Moreover, they encourage collective action and teamwork. This are an essential ingredients needed to achieve the visions of the organization. (Sosik & Jung, 2010).
Idealized Influencein addition, Idealized Influence leaders have respect and admiration from their followers. Idealized Behaviors is focused on the human side of transformational leadership. It has five attributes associate with idealized leaders and they are: Instill pride, no self-interest, build respect, confidence and overcome obstacles. It attributes to ethical leadership, norms, fairness, trust and encouragement and they are role models. It gives inspirational motivation (Sosik & Jung, 2010: Bona & Judge, 2004). According to DuBrin (2010), charismatic leaders can use their abilities to accomplish great things by getting people to agree with them and because of empowerment, which leads to Transformational Leadership
Strategic LeadershipTop corporate leaders like Steve Jobs are responsible for creating a lot of wealth. They did this by increasing profits and stock price and by creating a sustainable growth plan for the future. Strategic leadership involves using a useful framework called the balanced scorecard. Professors Richard Kaplan and David Norton developed the balanced scorecard as a performance management tool to plan, execute, and monitor organizational strategy. It works by encouraging organizations to measure their success from customer, employee, operational, and financial perspectives. The balanced scorecard assumes that organizations should focus on planning for and measuring things that influence financial outcomes over time such as customer engagement, employee engagement, cycle time, waste, production and management efficiency.One aspects of FRLD that Sunoco should apply in order to involve their clients in their innovation is customer perspective. Sunoco can attain this through one or some combination of three strategic approaches, namely operational excellence, customer intimacy, or product leadership.Operational excellence can be promoted by displaying inspirational motivation behavior that raises the bar on performance levels and contingent reward behavior that compensates associates for meeting elevated performance standards.Customer intimacy can be created by encouraging sales staff to display individually considerate behaviors that ask customers what they value in a product or service and use this feedback in improving products or services.Product leadership can be promoted by displaying intellectually stimulating behaviors that promote creativity and innovation in research and development and deliver new products and services that are cutting edge and cost-effective.
ReferencesSosik, J. J. & Jung, D. I., (2010). Full range leadership development: Pathways for people,profit and planet. Psychology Press. New York, NY.
Ackoff Center Weblog: Leadership and Systems Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ackoffcenter.blogs.com/ackoff_center_weblog/2007/11/leadership-and-.html
Citizenship behavior at the team level of analysis: the … (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15168430
Transformational Leadership at Mind Garden, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mindgarden.com/translead.htm
Fujairah Marine Services & Trading CO. LLC
Fujairah Marine Services & Trading CO. LLC
Name
Institution
Company Profile
Fujairah Marine Services & Trading CO. LLC. is a marine service provider strategically located in the Port of Fujairah. The company was establish in 1988 and has capitalized on the experience it has gained over years to become one on the best shipping services and husbandry services to a number of customers who trade in the Arabian Gulf with their ships and fleets (fujamar.com, 2006a). Mostly the company provides services to the ships that dock at the anchorages/ports in the United Arab Emirates especially at Fujairah Khorfakkan and Kalba. The companies’ services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The company has a shipping agency division that also provides shipping services on a 24/7 basis throughout the year. The services are provided at all ports in the United Arab Emirate within the vicinity of Kalba, Fujairah and Kharfakkan. The agencies professional staff are in charge of providing a number of husbandry services, which include clearing and forwarding (storing services, provision of spare and other provisions), receiving consignments/mail and coordinating the forwarding, garbage and slop collection services, supply of fresh water, provision of bankers and lubricants, medical services, communication storage, and offshore supply services for ships (fujamar.com, 2006b). The supply of water is done by Fujairah Fresh Water Production Co. LLC another of its subsidiaries domiciled in the Port of Fujiarah. It can deliver any quantities of fresh water at any location around Fujairah Khorfakkan and Kalba upon demand. The company boasts ownership of a spacious warehouse and yard the enable it provide storage services for storage of shipment landing from vessels. It further boasts possession of efficient qualified and experience personnel. Most of the staff gained their experience through working for the firm and provision of onboard services. The companies’ quality statement and philosophy espouse its commitment to provide quality services to the customers (fujamar.com, 2006c).
Approaches used by the team
The team will employ various approaches to acquire information about the state of the company. The team will then proceed to use this information conduct a critical gap analysis of the company and provide recommendation for the implementation of quality management systems within the company to improve its services.
The first approach that will be employed by the company is the use of interviews to interview the employees at the company as well at the companies’ customers. Interviews will be conducted at the convenience of the respondents and the interviewing team will seek to gain more information about the services provided by the firms. The interviews will generate qualitative information about the company quality management system. Interviews will be conducted via telephone calls. The second approach that will be used to collect information is the use of questionnaires. Questionnaires will be structure to generate specific information about the company form both its employees and its customers. The questionnaires will by prepared and emailed to the respondents who will fill them and email them back. The questionnaires will generate quantitative information. Finally, the third approach the will be used to gain information about the company is secondary literature, which includes the companies records, media reports about the company, and press statement made by the company.
All these method will seek to interrogate current quality management approaches being practiced by the company, identify weakness, strengths and gaps the recommend improvements of the quality management systems at the organization to meet the standard stipulated by ISO 9000 standards. The company’s employees and rerecords will provide critical information about the service production practices, and measure in place to oversee production of quality services. On the other hand, customers will provide critical information regarding the quality of the services offered by the firm as well as their satisfaction level as far as these services are concerned. Finally, it will help determine whether there is a feedback system that allows customers to give feedback and suggestion and whether these have been used to improve the QMS.
Alongside these approaches, a checklist will be used to map the current activities at the organization. The team chose the use of checklist because checklists provide the best tool for identification of gaps within the quality management systems. The checklists and questionnaire are provided in the appendix.
Gap analysis
Gap analysis is a very useful in determining the gaps in the Quality Management Systems at the Organization. Gap analysis will compare the current quality management practices and what they should be (Khanna, 2007). This is necessary to determine shortcomings in the current quality management systems and help determine approaches that will be used to improve the current system to what they should be.
Overall existing system and Document Control
The company has a quality management system in place. The firms system is most geared at improving service provision processes at the organization and enhancing the quality of services issued to the customers. However, the quality standards are not definite and well documented. The main quality standards that the organization operates by are the quality promise given to customers through its quality statement and ambition stated in the organization’s mission statement (fujamar.com, 2006b). The organization does not have a comprehensive quality manual. A quality manual is an indispensable instrument in the management of the quality of services of delivered to clients. It stipulates quality objectives and provides a pathway for the achievement of these objectives. It stipulates the step followed in delivering service and what the conduct of the employees should be like, stipulates management responsibility, management of resources
The organization further exercises adequate document control. There are several documents necessary for a robust quality management system. The company has adequate documentation for quality creation processes that stipulate how services are supposed to be delivered, personnel documents, internal audits, management and records for release of consignment. However, there are gaps in the documentation. There is no documentation of improvements and appraisal of improvements, corrective actions, and preventive actions, documentation of customer requirements, documentation of customer feedback, and documentation of non-conformity.
Management Responsibility
Management responsibility is very critical for the realization of consistent improvement in quality (Vintara, 2009). The management team of the organization exercise appropriate control over quality. First the management has a commitment towards quality improvement and takes charge of overseeing the creation of QMS, reviewing QMS, communicating to responsible parties, and availing the adequate resources (Evans, Lindsay & Evans, 2008). The management has also taken several measures to ensure quality which include customer focus, quality policy, management review, and authority.
Customer focus
The management must ensure that the quality management systems must identify customer requirements in all areas of service provision (Vintara, 2009). It should ensure that the requirements are satisfied. Despite these, there are no deliberate efforts to collect customer suggestion and feedback which is useful for improving the quality of services.
Quality Policy
The company has a quality policy in place with the main goals that the organization seeks to achieve in the provision of quality services (Khanna, 2007). The quality statement espouses broad goals of the organization as well as the parties responsible for realization of the goals. The statement further communicates the company’s responsibility to its customers, commitment to customers’ satisfaction and quality management standards of the day. However, it is not communicated throughout the organization, and neither is it frequently reviewed for suitability.
Planning
Planning is paramount and ensures the organization meets specific quality objectives. Planning starts by developing specific and measurable objectives in regard to quality (Vintara, 2009). QMS planning also involves planning how the QMS objectives will be achieved. The company does not have specific quality goals and objectives and does not deliberately plan QMS.
Responsibility authority and communication
Responsibility and authority are well defined within the organization in the organization (Vintara, 2009). This meets quality management standards since effective communication relies on the ability of the management and everyone in the organization to communicate properly and understand their responsibilities and positions within the organization. Internal communication within the company is excellent. However, the organization does not have a management representative to oversee the quality management systems within the organization.
Management Review
The management conducts review of the organization performance (Vintara, 2009). The reviews identify problems in the provision of service and addresses customer complaints. The reviews generate outputs for improvement of the performance of the organization.
Resource management
Resource management is critical for implementation of quality management systems. Resources include people and materials as well as support to ensure the provision of service is successful (Vintara, 2009). All this must be provided in quantities and qualities that will ensure that the company meets its quality management systems.
Human resources
The organization has employees with skill and competencies that enable them meet their duties. They have the skill and ability to perfectly perform their responsibility under the current organization structure and quality policies, although they have education and training, most of their productivity comes from the experience they have gained from working at the organization. Improvement of the quality management systems to ISO 9000 will require additional training to encourage employees to practice best practices (Song & Panayides, 2012). The organization did not have retooling training opportunities for its employees. This is why the consistent depend on their initial education, training and experience. This is certainly an area that the organization should improve in order to enhance the productivities of its human resources. Although the organization indicates availability of training plans, there are no records of actual training having taken place.
Infrastructure
The organization has adequate infrastructure to support their service provision and provide quality services to its customers. Infrastructure comprises of work space, work equipments, and supportive services the employees use to provide services to the companies customers. The company has provided all the infrastructure need to facilitate the provision of quality services to customers.
Work environment
The work environment at the company provides employees with adequate opportunities and enhances their ability to work effectively to meet customers’ expectation and stipulated quality standards. The company’s environment empowers the employees to creatively become involved in the provision of services to clients, has proper employee and equipment safety rules, pollution control and environment protection/ integrity.
Product and service realization
This starts with planning for realization of services (Vintara, 2009). The organization clearly concerns itself with the step and procedure involved in the provision of its service and products to the customers. An effective QMS must have a clear path that is to be followed from the starting point to the final stage of service provision. This ought to be planed, and significant steps or stage mast be noted down. FMS has clear stapes that are incurred in the provision of services and product to the clients. The steps are followed by employees when providing services to customers. In addition, the presence of these steps clearly tells the clients what to expect at every stage of service delivery. Second, in product realization, customer-related processes are critical. They include determining needs related to the services, reviewing the needs related to the products, and communication with its customers.
Determination of the needs related to the services
As dictated by the ISO 9000, determination of the needs related to the services involves assessing the companies’ process requirements (Vintara, 2009). This consists of requirements originating from the customers, dictated by law or recommended standards within the industry (Hoyle, 2012). Although the organization consistently seeks to meet these requirements, most of those met are those stipulated by the law and recommended standards within the industry. Requirements from the customers’ perspective are not full met since there are no deliberate efforts to collect feedback from the customers.
Review of the need related to the services
It is necessary to consistently review the requirement to ensure that the service provided meet them. Although FM conducts these reviews, they are minimal and also have little impact. Such reviews seek to ensure to ascertain whether the requirements are clear defined, the firm has the ability to meet them, and changes in processes and documentation.
Communication with customers
Communication is a critical component in the realization of quality management system. Effective QMS ensure effective communication with a firm’s customers. At FM, there is good communication between the organization and its customers. The organization has kept its client informed of its services. When service provision is ongoing, the respective customers are constantly informed of the proceedings. Customers are also informed on how they can contact the company and negotiate for services.
Product design
Design and development planning
This involves redefining stages involved in production of services or products and identifying responsible parties and examining their responsibilities. However, FM rarely seeks to redesign its products although a few improvements have been made over time.
Design and development inputs
To design and develop unbeatable products all relevant factors must be take into consideration. These factors include regulatory and legal requirement among other demands of the industry or standardized services. The company consistently sticks to these requirements and this has ensured the marketability of its services.
Design and development outputs
This shows how the requirement dictate by the inputs are being met by the outputs. It should provide specifics on how the service in organized and must be accompanied by appropriate documentation. The company clearly meets this requirement through clear illustration of how the inputs are used to generate the final service and also maintains proper documentation of service provision.
Design development review, verification and validation
It is important to review the new design of a product verify the information generated by the review then validate the product. FM conducts review whenever improvements in the design of its service verify whether they service meet the required standards before validating them.
Purchasing
Purchasing is critical process uncured by every organization. For ISO 9000, organizations must have controlled measure for dealing with suppliers. Supplier must be evaluated, and their products to be purchase be thoroughly verified before the purchases are made. FM consistently evaluates its suppliers and performs diligent purchases after verification of the products.
Production and service provision
Service provision at FM is highly controlled. Numerous verification and validation processes accompany the service provision. The company uses a set of approved validation procedures and qualified personnel to ensure that services produced and given to customers meet the industry standard. There are also several control measures and monitoring measure to protect customers property and also ensure traceability of customers goods.
Measurement, Analysis and Improvement
It is important to find out whether the Quality management Systems within an organization are functioning properly and yielding the desired out comes (Vintara, 2009). Organization must, therefore, develop several techniques for monitoring mechanisms and devices to ensure that the QMS implemented are successful. These mechanisms include determination of customers’ satisfaction and modalities of improving the satisfaction, internal audits, monitoring and measuring of processes and products, controlling products that do not conform to products, collection and analysis of information regarding QMS. FM has instituted some of these mechanisms to ensure proper implementation of its quality management systems. There is an initiative to meet customers’ satisfaction, and internal audits are consistently conducted to determine how the organization is performing. The company has adequate measure for monitoring service provision process and the services themselves. This is meant to ensure that the services meet the promise and commitment made to the customers. The company makes evaluations and audits for non-conformance as well as collects and analyzes a range of information related to quality standards. Improvements are also beneficial. In fact, the QMS is meant for continuous quality improvement. Improvement can be realized through corrective actions and preventive actions. Corrective actions involved identification of problems, determining their main causes and prevent their recurrence. Preventive actions are measure taken relating to corrective action. They are taken to prevent the reoccurrence of the problems the necessitated corrective actions. It may also be done by identifying problems before they occur and preventing their occurrence
Conclusion and recommendations
Fujairah Marine Services & Trading CO. LLC certainly appreciates the importance of quality management systems in the continuous improvement of the shipping and husbandry service the companies give to its clients. There are several measures in palace to ensure that they service given to clients are of an excellent quality. A good number of these measures are excellent and meet the standards stipulated by ISO 9000. However several measures are not properly implemented, and my require the company to revisit and improve them or come up with new measures when appropriate measures are non-existent. Below is a set of recommendation that the company should adopt in order to ensure that all components of its quality management system meets the requirements stipulated by ISO 9000. Improvement of these areas will place the company in a good position for ISO 9001: 2008.
Recommendations
The company should seek to develop a comprehensive quality manual stipulate quality benchmarks that the organization must seek to achieve. The quality manual stipulates the event or actions the must be done and how they ought to be done. The manual must have the objectives for the implementation of quality management systems, stipulate quality polices and documentation. In regard to documentation the company must improve on the documentation areas that exhibited numerous gaps such as documentation of improvements and appraisal of improvements, corrective actions, and preventive actions, documentation of customer requirements, documentation of customer feedback, and documentation of non-conformity.
The responsibility of the management should be strengthen and made efficient. The management can increases its focus by purposefully collecting customers opinions and feedback and acting on them. Second, the management should ensure that the quality policy is properly communicated throughout the organizations. The company should also include its quality objectives in it plan to meet customers’ needs as well as ensure responsibilities and authority are well distributed and understood by every employee within the company. Finally, management reviews should be enhanced to take care of more aspects of the business and quality management systems. In addition, the management should employ a person who will be in charge of quality management systems. The individual will be in charge of implementing quality management systems throughout the organization including communicating quality policies to all the employees, and managing record concerned with the implementation and improvement of quality management systems.
In regard to management of resources, the company must improve the training of its employees and maintain proper records as evidence of the training. This should be accompanied by frequent retooling seminars to keep their knowledge and abilities refreshed.
In regard to product and service realization, the company must, in addition to observing legal and industry requirement, try to get customers need related to the products there encouraging customers to give feedback and suggestions. Effort should be put into redesigning and improving services to ensure there is continued improvement of its services. The organization should further improve its approaches to reviewing, validating and adopting improvement on product design.
With the development of specific objective in regard to continuous quality improvement, the organization must develop new approached for measuring and evaluating the progresses as well as develop approaches that can be exploited to enhance the outcomes. The organization must develop new corrective and preventive measure to ensure that the provision of services in rectified whenever irregularities are reported. Furthermore, the company must improve its record keeping including records for measurement analysis and improvements. For instance, correctional and prevention actions and their outcome should be properly document and used to enhance the continuous improvement process as well as evaluation of the quality management system.
The above recommendations can be effected within six months. Once they are in place, the company can request of an audit the will lead for certification if the audit find all the elements associated with quality management systems are in order. A lot of emphasis should be put development of a workable quality manual, developing realistic and measurable objectives and planning on the appropriate way implementing them as well as communicating them to the entire workforce. Incorporation of specific employee demands should be give the attention it deserves and the organization must find a way of validating standards bases upon specific customers demands.
References
Evans, J. R., Lindsay, W. M., & Evans, J. R. (2008). Managing for quality and performance excellence. Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
fujamar.com. (2006a). About us. Retrieved from http://www.fujamar.com/
fujamar.com. (2006b). Quality policy. Retrieved from http://www.fujamar.com/qp.html
fujamar.com. (2006c). Company philosophy. Retrieved from http://www.fujamar.com/cp.html
Hoyle, D. (2012). ISO 9000 Quality Systems Handbook – updated for the ISO 9001:2008 standard. London: Routledge.
Khanna, R. B. (2007). Production and operations management. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India.
Praxiom Research Group Limited. (2012). ISO 9001 2008 GAP Analysis Tool. Retrieved from http://www.praxiom.com/iso-gap.htm.
Song, D.-W., & Panayides, P. M. (2012). Maritime logistics: A complete guide to effective shipping and port management. London: Kogan Page.
The ISO 9000 Store. (n.d.). ISO 9001:2008 Gap Analysis Checklist. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://the9000store.com/downloads/Samples/ISO-9001-Gap-Checklist.pdf” http://the9000store.com/downloads/Samples/ISO-9001-Gap-Checklist.pdf
Vintara. (2009). ISO 9000 Standards. Retrieved from HYPERLINK “http://iso9.vintara.com/information/over_standards.html” http://iso9.vintara.com/information/over_standards.html
Appendix
List of checklist and questionnaire used in the gap analysis
General Requirements checklist (adopted from HYPERLINK “http://the9000store.com/” http://the9000store.com)
Requirements CURRENTLY IN PLACE
(List documents or evidence) COMPLIANT Y/N? Estimated % Complete ITEMS NEEDED
General Requirements This clause asks you to identify how management applies the process approach to achieve the effective and efficient control of processes, resulting in performance improvement. Specifically this section is looking for an overall process evaluation of all quality related processes and their interrelationships.
Documentation of the processes included in the QMS Information on the relationship and sequence of the QMS processes. Ask Management if operation and control of processes is effective. How do they know if it is effective? Ask how they are able to know if resources and
Information needed to support processes have been provided. Is there any information on the effectiveness of processes? How are improvements made to processes? What processes does your organization outsource? How is the process controlled? Documentation Requirements checklist (adopted from HYPERLINK “http://the9000store.com/” http://the9000store.com)
Requirements CURRENTLY IN PLACE (List documents or evidence) COMPLIANT
Y/N? Estimated % Complete ITEMS NEEDED
Documentation Requirements This section addresses how you use documents and records to support effective and efficient operation of your organization. A review of your procedures, work instructions, and records will determine if the standard requirements are met.
Does your quality system documentation include the documentation required by the standard? Is there a list or other means of identifying other documentation required by your QMS? Are the required documents available? Does the QMS documentation include Quality Records? Quality manual Review the Quality Manual if available. What is the scope of your
QMS? What processes have been excluded? Is this appropriate? Control of documents A documented procedure is required. Do you have a formal procedure regarding the control of documents for your organization? Service realization gap analyses questionnaire (adopted from Praxiom Research LTD)
1 Did your company develop a service realization planning process? Yes/no/N/A
2 Do you employ your planning procedures to plan the actualization of your company’s services and services? Yes/no/N/A
3 Does your company employ you the service realization planning process to develop service quality objective? Yes/no/N/A
4 Do you use your service realization planning process to specify service quality requirements? Yes/no/N/A
5 Do you use your service realization planning process to identify service realization needs? Yes/no/N/A
6 Do you identify the processes that you will need to use in order to realize services? Yes/no/N/A
7 Are your service realization processes integrated with other QMS processes? Yes/no/N/A
8 Do you identify the documents that you will need to use in order to realize services? Yes/no/N/A
9 Do you identify the records that you will need to use in order to realize services? Yes/no/N/A
10 Do you identify the records that you will need in order to be able to prove that your services meet requirements? Yes/no/N/A
11 Do you identify the records that you will need in order to be able to prove that your service realization processes meet requirements? Yes/no/N/A
12 Do you identify the service acceptance criteria that you will need to use in order to decide whether or not services meet requirements? Yes/no/N/A
13 Do you identify the methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality during the service realization process? Yes/no/N/A
14 Do you identify the verification methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
15 Do you identify the validation methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
16 Do you identify the monitoring methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
17 Do you identify the measurement methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
18 Do you identify the inspection methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
19 Do you identify the testing methods that you will need to use in order to control service quality? Yes/no/N/A
20 Do you identify the resources that you will need to use in order to realize your services? Yes/no/N/A
21 Do you prepare planning outputs that are suitable and consistent with your organization’s methods? Yes/no/N/A
22 Do you develop the processes that you will need to use in order to realize services? Yes/no/N/A
Control of customer related services gap analysis questionnaire (adopted from Praxiom Research Group Limited)
1 Do you identify the requirements that your customers want you to comply with? Yes/no/N/A
2 Do you identify your customers’ service requirements? Yes/no/N/A
3 Do you identify your customers’ delivery requirements? Yes/no/N/A
4 Do you identify your customers’ post-delivery requirements? Yes/no/N/A
4 Do you identify warranty requirements? Yes/no/N/A
5 Do you identify contractual requirements? Yes/no/N/A
6 Do you identify maintenance requirements? Yes/no/N/A
7 Do you identify supplementary service requirements? Yes/no/N/A
8 Do you identify recycling requirements? Yes/no/N/A
9 Do you identify final disposal requirements? Yes/no/N/A
10 Do you identify the requirements that are dictated by your services’ intended use or purpose? Yes/no/N/A
11 Do you identify the requirements that are imposed on your services by external agencies? Yes/no/N/A
12 Do you identify service requirements that are imposed by regulators? Yes/no/N/A
13 Do you identify service requirements that are imposed by statute? Yes/no/N/A
14 Etcetera … Yes/no/N/A