Computer Operating Staff
A computer operator is a person who controls and operates ‘the hardware in the computer room
Fig 2 A computer operator at work. The operator is working at a control terminal. Behind her to the right is a printing terminal which is producing a log of the jobs done by the computer. the telephone is for user enquiries. (By kind permission of Marchwood Engineering Laboratories)
DUTIES OF A COMPUTER OPERATOR
1 Starting up the computer.
2 Running programs.
3 Putting materials into appropriate peripherals e.g.
(a) Paper into printers.
(b) Magnetic tapes into tape drives.
Note: This will usually be in response to messages on a terminal. These come from the operating system, but originate from users or from the peripherals themselves.
4 Monitoring the progress of individual jobs and of the computer system in general.
5 Dealing with malfunctions where possible-otherwise reporting them.
6 Carrying out cleaning and simple maintenance.
7 Maintaining a log of what happens to supplement the log produced by the computer.
Data Preparation Staff KEYBOARD OPERATOR
A keyboard operator is a person who operates a key station to prepare data. The keyboard operator may also be known as a punch operator or a data preparation operator and may be specialized in the use of one type of data preparation device, for example, a key-to-disc station.
DUTIES OF KEYBOARD OPERATOR
1 Keying in contents of forms or documents.
2 Responding to messages, etc., from the equipment.
3 Keeping a record of data dealt with.
4 Reporting to the supervisor any problems with the data or the equipment. 5 Verification of previously keyed data.
DATA PREPARATION SUPERVISOR
A data preparation supervisor is the person responsible for immediate supervision of the data preparation area.
DUTIES OF A DATA PREPARATION SUPERVISOR
1 Allocating work to the keyboard operators.
2 Monitoring the quality of work produced.
3 Liaison with operations manager.
4 Providing training and assistance to individual keyboard operators.
5 In the case of a minicomputer controlled system, operating the computer.
File Librarian
A file librarian is the person who keeps all the tape and disc files in a computer installation up to date and in good order.
DUTIES OF FILE LIBRARIAN
1 issuing files for authorized use.
2 Storing files securely and making sure they are not available for unauthorized use.
3 Arranging regular maintenance of tapes and discs, i.e. cleaning and overhaul, etc.
4 Keeping records of the files and of their use.
5 Liaison usually with data control supervisor or operations staff.
Data Control Staff
The data control staff in an installation are the people who accept work from users, ensuring that it is processed and returned to them.
DUTIES OF DATA CONTROL STAFF
1 Accepting work from users, checking that the jobs submitted are:
(a) Properly authorized.
(b) Complete.
2 Seeing that work gets to the right place at the right time. Usually this will be either:
(a) The computing area for the job to be run, or
(b) The preparation area for data to be keyed in.
3 Seeing that output is returned to users.
Engineer
Data processing departments that do not have their own team of engineers will contract out the work to either the hardware manufacturers, the retailers or a specialist maintenance company.
DUTIES OF ENGINEERS
1 Attending to breakdowns. The response to breakdowns must be prompt and in a large computing department there will always need to be one engineer on call.
2 Carrying out preventative maintenance. All the hardware in the department will need regular maintenance in order to cut down the chances of a breakdown. Such maintenance will probably take place monthly.