Unix® System Management Primer Plus

Decommissioning Services

All services become obsolete sooner or later. Whether the system administrator phases out an application in favor of different software or shuts down a specific system or service entirely, a smooth decommission should be the administrator's ultimate goal. Too many system administrators simply “pull the plug” on services and hardware without properly planning for the transition or the consequences.

You can avoid some of the end-user frustration and system downtime that can accompany a poorly executed service decommission by following a few simple guidelines. By identifying the users of the soon-to-be-decommissioned service and then notifying them of the upcoming transition, you have an opportunity to solicit their cooperation ...