A production analyst is a member of a large corporation’s information technology department. They are in charge of overseeing the background computer programs and processes that run on large computer systems. This position necessitates a mix of mainframe, technical, and processing skills. A production analyst is also known as a production controller in many organizations.
A production analyst’s main responsibilities include scheduling jobs, running jobs, managing resources, and performing system maintenance. The specific skills required are determined by the computer infrastructure, operating system, and security protocols involved. This position is critical to the continuous processing of computer programs, and it is frequently required to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Computer jobs are scheduled based on the number of processors available, the time required for each job, priority, and data accessed. Requests for jobs to be added to the schedule are submitted by the system developers or functional manager. Multiple jobs are usually scheduled at the same time, but it’s important to make sure that each one updates systems that aren’t related.
Running the jobs necessitates updating the variants with accurate data, monitoring progress, and controlling the output. The production analyst is in charge of informing the user of any issues with the job and managing the process to ensure that existing resources are used to their full potential.
Database optimization, system cloning, and hard drive partitioning are all examples of resource management. Infrastructure reconfiguration, network switch installation, and load balancing tools are examples of additional processes. This is a critical function because it is more cost-effective to maximize existing resources rather than buy new ones.
Regularly reviewing usage reports, downtime statistics, and overall system maintenance are all part of performance maintenance. Patches or additional code are applied to all operating system software packages on a regular basis to fix known issues or improve security. A skilled production analyst who understands the implications of the changes and can manage the entire process is required to apply these patches.
The technical manager usually reports to the production analyst. Due to the need for a resource to be available at all times, this role is frequently filled by two or three people. Because of the high level of responsibility, this is a mid-level position.
An error can cause critical systems to fail or jeopardize the organization’s technical infrastructure. At some point in their careers, the vast majority of technical managers have worked as a production analyst. This knowledge is required to fully comprehend the impact of decisions on a large computer system.