As Senior Systems Integrator for SPK and Associates, a California based IT services company specializing in infrastructure management services, I recently completed an interesting project. The goal was to create an ESX cluster for a small engineering group...
This week we continue on the topic of installing using IBM Installation Manager. But with a bit of a difference. Instead of bringing up the IM install GUI and using it to conduct the installation, we will take a step toward greater installation automation and create...
Design Output: A Review of 21 C.F.R. §820.30(d) and FDA Warning Letter Trends
In this post, we talk about how to use IBM Rational Packaging Utility along with Installation Manager to first create an installation package containing multiple products (in this case ClearCase and ClearQuest 7.1.2, and License Key Administrator 8.1.1). Then we will...
SPK and Associates routinely review warning letters to help our clients stay in step with FDA trends. One of the problem areas most often cited in company audits continue to be the CAPA system/program. This month we will take a look at some of the latest FDA...
Windows ClearCase has a couple of very useful environment variables - CLEARCASE_PRIMARY_GROUP and CLEARCASE_GROUPS. These variables can be a bit confusing at first blush, but they turn out to be rather important for controlling access to VOB elements, and creating...
Avoiding 21 C.F.R. §820.70(i) FDA Warning Letters
Many customers of SPK & Associates utilize the IBM/Rational suite of products. As IBM partners we are often asked to define, configure and deploy IBM tools and processes. SPK has provided Engineering Technology Services to Medical Device companies for over 12...
In my last post, I introduced Clonezilla as an easy way to deploy Windows-based workstations into a corporate environment. But once a workstation enters the corporate network, what sort of policy applies to it? What sort of actions can a user take on their...
SPK helps a leading nonprofit to streamline its internal IT support, while adopting best practice and saving money. The ClientA socially-conscious nonprofit research center found its internal IT staff overloaded. It’s a small group—just four people—who were tasked...
BackgroundSPK was contacted by a software company that provides healthcare cost optimization through a web platform. Their mission is to provide customers with a method to reduce spending while maintaining quality healthcare for their employees. With an expanding...
BackgroundA major fintech and financial services firm implemented Electric Flow (now known as CloudBees CD) for software deployment. The organization spent too much money on man hours for weekend and overnight hours due to the need for engineers to “babysit” software...