Client Environment

Definition

A client environment is any production environment that is used by a user to access one or more applications in a data center or a user support agent in a contact center.

Objectives

The typical objectives of a client environment are to provide:

• Safe scalable network access to other networks (e.g., via firewall to client, contact center, and Internet).
• Efficient execution of applications.
• Efficient integration with database and legacy systems.
• Facilities support including cooling, fire suppression, physical security, and uninterruptable power supply.

Benefits

The typical benefits of a client environment include:

• An integrated client environment enables users to more efficiently interface with the contact center and data center.

Contents

The typical major contents of a client environment are:

• Hardware Components:
  • Client Tier:
    • Local Area Network
    • Work Station
    • Firewall
• Software Components:
  • Application client software
  • Email client software
  • Browser
  • Antivirus software
  • Operating system

Stakeholders

The typical stakeholders of a client environment are:

• Producers:
  • Environments Team
• Evaluator:
  • Environments Inspection Team
• Approvers:
  • Technical Leader
  • Project Manager
  • Customer Representative
• Maintainer:
  • Environments Team
• Users:
  • Operations Team, which uses the data center environment to operate the applications.
  • Maintenance Team, which uses the data center environment to maintain the applications.

Phases

• Business Strategy: Not Applicable
• Business Optimization: Not Applicable
• Initiation: Not Applicable
• Construction: Completed
• Delivery: Maintained
• Usage: Maintained
• Retirement: Archived

Preconditions

A client environment can typically be started if the following preconditions hold:

• The initiation phase has started.
• The environments team is adequately staffed and trained.
• The client environment section of the project environments description document is reasonably complete and stable.

Inputs

The typical inputs to a client environment include:

• Work Products:
  • System Architecture Document, which documents the hardware architecture of the data center production environment including associated architectural mechanisms.
  • Project Environments Description Document, which documents the objectives, physical location, stakeholders, components, and estimated costs of the data center environment.
• Stakeholders:
  • Requirements Team, which ensures that the client environments adequately implement the requirements.
  • Architecture Team, which ensures that the client environments conform to the architecture.
  • User Experience Team, which ensures that the client environments provide an appropriate environment for the users.

Guidelines

• There will typically be multiple client environments.

Conventions

A client environment is typically constrained by the following conventions:

• Client Environment Inspection Checklist

Examples

• Workstation
• Laptop
• Smart phone
• Personal digital assistant