Operations and Maintenance at THT
- Jul 10, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 4
The job of operations and maintenance is not only to respond to problems after they occur, but also to
prevent them from happening in the first place.
Operational Solution Department
Please tell me about the "operations" of THT.
At THT, we define "operations" as the work involved in maintaining the health and stability of the systems we have deployed.
Operations includes three core activities:
<Definition of Operations>
"Monitoring": Monitoring system health and event logs
"Collection": Collecting various data and reports
"Management": Implementing updates and changes, managing backups, and handling incidents such as troubleshooting system issues
In other words, operations involve continuously monitoring system performance and understanding what is happening in real time.
What does "maintenance" work at THT involve?
We define "maintenance" as the work involved in keeping systems running smoothly and restoring service when incidents occur. This can include replacing faulty hardware, fixing application bugs, updating systems, or scaling systems.
THT provides one-stop support, including coordinating tasks, giving instructions, and monitoring work on-site. Most importantly, we see preventive measures as a key part of maintenance, aiming to prevent issues before they occur.
When a system failure does occur, we quickly investigate the root cause and coordinate the necessary actions. Based on past cases, we assess the urgency of the issue, report to the responsible department, and following their instructions, investigate the impact of the failure and arrange vendor support. If no similar past case exists, we report to the responsible department and coordinate vendor investigations, while assessing the potential business impact.
So, THT's maintenance is performed through mechanisms that prevent issues before they occur, because it's often too late to act after a problem arises.
Do you have any interesting episodes to share?
Yes. Some time ago, a call center we supported experienced a network outage in the middle of the night. We investigated the issue thoroughly but found no problems with the hardware or software. Through a process of elimination, we suspected the issue might have been caused by a damaged cable inside the building. To ensure the client's operations wouldn't be disrupted the next day, we rushed to the site immediately. The cause of the outage was quicky identified through careful investigation.
How did you figure it out?
We found a single sunflower seed near the damaged cable. From the way the cable was broken, we suspected it had probably been chewed by a small animal.
That makes sense!
How did you handle it?
I heard that they arranged for a professional pest-control service to prevent small animals from entering the building. The damaged cable was replaced with one treated with a substance that deters animals, helping to prevent similar issues in the future.
I see! So, the solution came directly from identifying the root cause and taking appropriate action.
What are you doing to improve the accuracy of your work?
To improve work accuracy, the first step is to build a broad range of skills, including both knowledge and technical expertise. It's extremely important to collect knowledge and case study information to understand and grasp the overall system and how it works, as well as to enhance not only the imagination and analytical ability to anticipate potential problems in advance, but also curiosity and the sense to notice issues.
Even more important than technical skills are communication skills and the ability to execute tasks accurately. Within the company, we also emphasize habits such as taking regular notes.
I see.
What kind of feedback do you receive from clients?
Since we have been involved from the very beginning, including the deployment of telephone systems, we are able to respond quickly not only to day-to-day operations but also to system failures, which other companies often struggle to handle. Rather than simply working alongside our clients, we operate as an extension of their team. In addition to handling day-to-day management tasks, we proactively propose process improvements, which has allowed us to build truly mutually beneficial relationships. This approach has been highly appreciated by our clients.
Thank you very much. I now understand that by relying on THT rather than hiring internally, we can carry out tasks and implement process improvements with more specialized expertise and a broader perspective.
