As more users are added to an interactive system, response times get longer. The project manager responsible for the system is perplexed because he believes the system should be able to cope with many more users without any noticeable increase in response times. He cannot determine whether the response time problem is hardware or software based. Because you are the manager of internal audit within the organization, he asks your assistance in trying to identify the problem.

During your first meeting with the project manager, you ask him to provide an overview of the hardware-software configuration for the interactive system. He indicates that terminals in the system are located in clusters in remote locations. These clusters are connected to a local controller that in turn is connected to a frontend communications controller for the central machine. The software that handles the interactive system consists of a master program that calls subroutines from a library to handle the various functions to be performed in light of an interactive request from users.

Required: Identify five system events that might be measured to determine whether the response time problems are hardware or software based. Explain the type of measurement you would undertake-trace, activity, duration, and so on-and why you would measure the activities you list in the manner that you specify. For each event you intend to measure, indicate whether you would use a hardware monitor, software monitor, or firmware monitor for measurement purposes. Explain the reasons for your choice.