Now and then you may find that your work on the computer is interrupted, usually when the person managing your computer has vital administrative or maintenance duties to perform.
Shutdowns |
 |
There may be times when the person managing your system warns you of an impending shutdown.
A shutdown is not the same as turning off the power. Instead, it involves stopping the operating system (reducing the computer's operations to a bare minimum), in order to perform certain kinds of maintenance. This will not happen often.
Backups |
|
From time to time, the person who manages your system needs to back up the files that all of the users have created. Backing up files is a method of copying them to a tape, so that they will be protected from loss.
Backups are vital and should be performed at regular intervals in order to ensure that no vital data is ever lost.
System too busy |
|
As your system grows, as more and more people come to use the computer, there may come a day when it appears that the computer is running more slowly than usual. As fast as computers are, they can become too busy to do everything with efficiency.
The person managing your system may decide to reduce the computer's work load temporarily, letting some work continue and putting other work on hold.
What to do |
|
In any of these circumstances, the person managing your system should warn you by sending a message to your video screen. You should receive these warnings in time to take appropriate action.
Usually you will be asked to save the work that you are doing and log off until the maintenance or administrative work is completed, or until the load on the computer has decreased. Later, you will be notified that you may log on to the computer again and resume your work.
Do be sure to wind up the work that you are doing and save the work
that you have completed so far. When you resume your work, you will find that you can pick up again where you left off.
