REDUCTION OF COMPUTER COSTS BY DATA QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Background

A significant deterioration in computer performance occurs after an extended period of regular operation. Beside other operation faults, disorders in disk data and fragmentation of files due to lack of continuous storage space cause slow and disorganized work in all types of computers. This phenomenon is called disk fragmentation and has been a well known problem since computer disks have been in general use. Experts agree that this is a real disorder which, in extreme cases, has caused computer-collapse. The reason it has not been seriously dealt with is that users are able to continue working despite the ongoing deterioration in disk performance.

Surprisingly, there is insufficient awareness regarding this phenomenon as well as the high latent costs to users and managements alike.

Current solutions

The available diagnostic utilities are insufficiently reliable, and fail to reach definite conclusions.

· The commonest way of dealing with fragmentation is by performing de-fragmentation process. The available de-fragmentation software requires the disabling of disk access during the de-fragmentation process, and users thus tend to postpone the preventive treatment.

- This is a prolonged and expensive process – its cost often expressed in loss of work-productive hours and increase of downtime.

· The commonest solution in the past was to copy the disk content onto a backup device, to clean the disk and return the contents. Despite certain advantages, this comprehensive solution is cumbersome and is therefore seldom used today.

· Another common “solution” is to replace the computer or upgrade by using another disk of higher capacity, and to copy its contents, as described above. The main beneficiaries from this method are computer and disk manufacturers.

- Whereas the purchase cost of the equipment is known, the indirect replacement costs, which are not known, may be as high as the purchase costs. For example:

§ The financial costs involved in purchasing, if it is not a real necessity.

§ Loss of income due to time and money investment in the conversion.

These solutions are both complicated and expensive, and emphasize the need to determine the optimal time for preventive treatment that can prevent deterioration in disk performance.

In many cases the common standards for treating computers suffering from decreased performance are unable to adequately improve the situation.

The solution offered by DISKLACE Company

In this environment of technological limitation, traditionally handled by uncontrolled capital expenditure, Disklace offers a systematic data-quality management solution (Patent pending), which enables control of upgrading expenses for the organization's IT equipment.

The benefits of using DISKLACE products

· Control and preventive treatment of fragmentation before it reaches a critical level that limits computer performance.

- A display warning of reduction in the system’s performance that pre-empts user-complaint, thus fulfilling quality-service requirements.

- Preparation of an initial operational plan that gives priority to treatment of computers with greater fragmentation severity.

- Prevention of unnecessary actions liable to cause computing faults.

- Easy integration into existing organizational maintenance systems.

· Reduction in organizational expenses due to unpredicted upgrading of computers and of incomplete budgetary considerations.

Description of the solution

· Lacelevel2 technology measures the characteristics of the disk data and their effect on the deterioration of computer performance.

- Lacelevel2 collects and compares the fragmentation of data files with general data on the disk and calculates their optimal state.

- The results of the examination are expressed using a specially devised measuring index that can be used for comparison.

- Lacelevel2 has been employed by thousands of users since 2005 and is also distributed by “GOOGLE” as an integrated product in their strategic system.

· Lacewatcher enables operation of the technology from a central location in the organization for all computers and servers in the organizational network.

- The distribution of fragmentation in the entire monitored network can be viewed and compared to the global distribution as detailed below – and can thus determine the urgency of treatment for each individual computer in the organization.

- The first release of Lacewatcher, supporting 5 stations of up to 80 Gigabytes each , is experimental for potential customers and is distributed free of charge.

- Lacewatcher PRO has many more capabilities, like unattended operation with automatic scheduling and sending alerts by mail or to leading control software solutions.

Advantages of the solution

· Presents a general and reliable index that defines the fragmentation level in the system's computers regardless of disk size.

· Provides a central point that enables remote control over all the computers in the organization, without the need to deal with each computer physically.

· Supports prioritization of treatment plan for computer faults to technicians, according to their severity.

· Enables reaching managerial decisions based on full measurements of computed data instead of statistical samples.

· The accumulated knowledge base is available to users at all times.

· Lacelevel2 and Lacewatcher are independent software programs and are not dependent on an external site.

· An additional service included in the software programs enables analysis of the results compared with the accumulated global database. Users of this service obtain their results relative to the global distribution chart results through the Internet. During the process they contribute their results anonymously to the global database, which is active, regularly updated and based on world-wide user-data.

· The general concept of the technology is mathematical-statistical and appropriate to all computer types. The software can be converted to other systems and to closed systems (such as mail servers) that have become retarded due to accumulated disorders.

For whom is the software designed ?

· LaceLevel2 is designed to work on all computers.

· LaceWatcher is designed to work in organizations with a network administration. The treatment is conducted by the system which has authorized access to all the computers in the network. The computer administrator performs the examination from the control station and thereby making it unnecessary to install the program separately on each computer.

· Using the programs enables location of problematic computers in the organization as well as planning preventive treatment sufficiently early to ensure successful treatment.

Return on Investment (ROI)

A direct advantage in using the software is a significant reduction of maintenance and acquisition expenses. Indirect advantages include saving labor time by increasing computer efficiency and by avoiding unexpected downtime and work loss due to sudden computer crashes.

For example: After three years of using LaceLevel2, a $660 PC (based on 33% of value-loss per year), replacement of the computer can be postponed for another year thus saving $55 (8.33% of the price) – equivalent to an annual saving of $13.8. Including the saving in direct, annual hardware maintenance expenses, the annual costs may be reduced by 10%-12%. Such a saving returns the software investment within less than one year, even before taking into account the cost of other components and the relative cutback cost of LaceLevel2 software per station.

Installation

· The software is installed independently and is not integrated into the operation system and therefore entails no risk.

· System requirements: the system works under all new Windows operation platforms.

Prices

LaceLevel2 software – for a single computer

- For storage partitions of up to 80G – freeware until further notice

- For storage partitions of over 80G and up to 200G - $10

- For storage partitions of over 200G and up to 500G - $15

- For storage partitions of over 500G and up to 1TB - $25

- For storage partitions of over 1TB and up to 2B - $40

LaceWatcher PRO software

- Supporting total disks capacity up to 1TB - $50

- Supporting total disks capacity up to 10TB - $250

- Supporting total disks capacity up to 100TB - $1250

Product Orders

Orders can be made through www.disklace.com or via e-mail: Sales@disklace.com