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- Management Reference Guide
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Strategic Management
- Establishing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
- Aligning IT Goals with Corporate Business Goals
- Utilizing Effective Planning Techniques
- Developing Worthwhile Mission Statements
- Developing Worthwhile Vision Statements
- Instituting Practical Corporate Values
- Budgeting Considerations in an IT Environment
- Introduction to Conducting an Effective SWOT Analysis
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part One
- IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part Two
- Customer Management
- Identifying Key External Customers
- Identifying Key Internal Customers
- Negotiating with Customers and Suppliers—Part 1: An Introduction
- Negotiating With Customers and Suppliers—Part 2: Reaching Agreement
- Negotiating and Managing Realistic Customer Expectations
- Service Management
- Identifying Key Services for Business Users
- Service-Level Agreements That Really Work
- How IT Evolved into a Service Organization
- FAQs About Systems Management (SM)
- FAQs About Availability (AV)
- FAQs About Performance and Tuning (PT)
- FAQs About Service Desk (SD)
- FAQs About Change Management (CM)
- FAQs About Configuration Management (CF)
- FAQs About Capacity Planning (CP)
- FAQs About Network Management
- FAQs About Storage Management (SM)
- FAQs About Production Acceptance (PA)
- FAQs About Release Management (RM)
- FAQs About Disaster Recovery (DR)
- FAQs About Business Continuity (BC)
- FAQs About Security (SE)
- FAQs About Service Level Management (SL)
- FAQs About Financial Management (FN)
- FAQs About Problem Management (PM)
- FAQs About Facilities Management (FM)
- Process Management
- Developing Robust Processes
- Establishing Mutually Beneficial Process Metrics
- Change Management—Part 1
- Change Management—Part 2
- Change Management—Part 3
- Audit Reconnaissance: Releasing Resources Through the IT Audit
- Problem Management
- Problem Management–Part 2: Process Design
- Problem Management–Part 3: Process Implementation
- Business Continuity Emergency Communications Plan
- Capacity Planning – Part One: Why It is Seldom Done Well
- Capacity Planning – Part Two: Developing a Capacity Planning Process
- Capacity Planning — Part Three: Benefits and Helpful Tips
- Capacity Planning – Part Four: Hidden Upgrade Costs and
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 1
- Improving Business Process Management, Part 2
- 20 Major Elements of Facilities Management
- Major Physical Exposures Common to a Data Center
- Evaluating the Physical Environment
- Nightmare Incidents with Disaster Recovery Plans
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process
- Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process – Part Two
- Automating a Robust Infrastructure Process
- Improving High Availability — Part One: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Two: Definitions and Terms
- Improving High Availability — Part Three: The Seven R's of High Availability
- Improving High Availability — Part Four: Assessing an Availability Process
- Methods for Brainstorming and Prioritizing Requirements
- Introduction to Disk Storage Management — Part One
- Storage Management—Part Two: Performance
- Storage Management—Part Three: Reliability
- Storage Management—Part Four: Recoverability
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part One
- Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part Two
- Meeting Today's Cooling Challenges of Data Centers
- Strategic Security, Part One: Assessment
- Strategic Security, Part Two: Development
- Strategic Security, Part Three: Implementation
- Strategic Security, Part Four: ITIL Implications
- Production Acceptance Part One – Definition and Benefits
- Production Acceptance Part Two – Initial Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Three – Middle Steps
- Production Acceptance Part Four – Ongoing Steps
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part One – Objectives
- Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part Two – SWOT
- Case Study: Implementing an ITIL Service Desk – Part One
- Case Study: Implementing a Service Desk Part Two – Tool Selection
- Ethics, Scandals and Legislation
- Outsourcing in Response to Legislation
- Supplier Management
- Identifying Key External Suppliers
- Identifying Key Internal Suppliers
- Integrating the Four Key Elements of Good Customer Service
- Enhancing the Customer/Supplier Matrix
- Voice Over IP, Part One — What VoIP Is, and Is Not
- Voice Over IP, Part Two — Benefits, Cost Savings and Features of VoIP
- Application Management
- Production Acceptance
- Distinguishing New Applications from New Versions of Existing Applications
- Assessing a Production Acceptance Process
- Effective Use of a Software Development Life Cycle
- The Role of Project Management in SDLC— Part 2
- Communication in Project Management – Part One: Barriers to Effective Communication
- Communication in Project Management – Part Two: Examples of Effective Communication
- Safeguarding Personal Information in the Workplace: A Case Study
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 1: Building a Manageable Schedule
- Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 2: Tracking and Reporting Availability
- References
- Developing an ITIL Feasibility Analysis
- Organization and Personnel Management
- Optimizing IT Organizational Structures
- Factors That Influence Restructuring Decisions
- Alternative Locations for the Help Desk
- Alternative Locations for Database Administration
- Alternative Locations for Network Operations
- Alternative Locations for Web Design
- Alternative Locations for Risk Management
- Alternative Locations for Systems Management
- Practical Tips To Retaining Key Personnel
- Benefits and Drawbacks of Using IT Consultants and Contractors
- Deciding Between the Use of Contractors versus Consultants
- Managing Employee Skill Sets and Skill Levels
- Assessing Skill Levels of Current Onboard Staff
- Recruiting Infrastructure Staff from the Outside
- Selecting the Most Qualified Candidate
- 7 Tips for Managing the Use of Mobile Devices
- Useful Websites for IT Managers
- References
- Automating Robust Processes
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part One: Quality and Value
- Evaluating Process Documentation — Part Two: Benefits and Use of a Quality-Value Matrix
- When Should You Integrate or Segregate Service Desks?
- Five Instructive Ideas for Interviewing
- Eight Surefire Tips to Use When Being Interviewed
- 12 Helpful Hints To Make Meetings More Productive
- Eight Uncommon Tips To Improve Your Writing
- Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Fire Drills
- Sorting Out Today’s Various Training Options
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 1
- Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 2
- 12 Tips for More Effective Emails
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part One
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Two
- Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Three
- Asset Management
- Managing Hardware Inventories
- Introduction to Hardware Inventories
- Processes To Manage Hardware Inventories
- Use of a Hardware Inventory Database
- References
- Managing Software Inventories
- Business Continuity Management
- Ten Lessons Learned from Real-Life Disasters
- Ten Lessons Learned From Real-Life Disasters, Part 2
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 1
- Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 2
- 15 Common Terms and Definitions of Business Continuity
- The Federal Government’s Role in Disaster Recovery
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 1
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 2
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 3
- The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 4
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 1
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 2
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 3
- Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 4
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part One
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Two
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Three
- The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Four
- The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- The Origins of ITIL
- The Foundation of ITIL: Service Management
- Five Reasons for Revising ITIL
- The Relationship of Service Delivery and Service Support to All of ITIL
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part One
- Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part Two
- Characteristics of ITIL Version 3
- Ten Benefits of itSMF and its IIL Pocket Guide
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Delivery Processes
- Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Support Processes
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part One: Service Delivery Processes
- Case Study: Recovery Reactions to a Renegade Rodent
- Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part Two: Service Support
- Case Studies
- Case Study — Preparing for Hurricane Charley
- Case Study — The Linux Decision
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at an Aerospace Firm
- Case Study — Production Acceptance at a Defense Contractor
- Case Study — Evaluating Mainframe Processes
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part One: Quantitative Comparisons/Natural Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Two: Quantitative Comparisons/Man-made Disasters
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Three: Qualitative Comparisons
- Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Four: Take-Aways
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part One: Planning
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Two: Planning and Walk-Through
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Three: Execution
- Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Four: Follow-Up
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part One: Qualitative Measures
- Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part Two: Quantitative Measures
- Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part One: What Did the Team Do Well
- (d) Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part Two
In part one of this series I described the first six of the twelve most common traits that distinguish a world-class infrastructure from that of a mediocre one. Table 1 below summarizes all twelve of these. In this second part I describe in detail the last six of these traits.
- Call Management - Well managed infrastructures do far more than simply log problems in their call centers. Technicians in these environments track, age and escalate calls; they pinpoint root causes, solicit customer feedback, and analyze trends, patterns and relationships between problems, changes and other factors. Call management is really the cornerstone of a sound problem management philosophy. Marginal infrastructure organizations often do not see or understand the integrated relationships between problem management and those of change management, capacity management, performance management, and service request management.
- Employee Empowerment – Many firms are reluctant to empower
their employees. Some managers believe only supervisory level staff are capable
of making technical decisions or personnel judgments. Others may feel employees
are not capable or well-trained enough to be decisive. Still others fear that
that granting employees more authority will result in them requesting more
compensation. Progressive infrastructure organizations tend to mitigate these
empowerment issues with communication, training, empathy and support.
Table 1 Common Criteria of World-Class Infrastructures
World-Class Infrastructures
Mediocre Infrastructures
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Totally Supported By Executive Management
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Meaningful Metrics Analyzed, Not Just Collected
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Proactive Approach To Problem Solving, Change Management, Availability, Performance and Tuning, and Capacity Planning
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Employees Well Trained
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Employees Well Equipped
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Processes are Designed With Robustness Throughout Them
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Help Desk Involves Call Management, Not Just Call Tracking
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Employees Empowered To Make Decisions and Improvements
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Standards Are Well Developed and Adhered To
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Technology is Effectively Used To Automate Streamlined Processes
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Functions of Systems Management are Integrated
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Technical Goals are Aligned with Business Goals
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Little or No Support From Executive Management
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Convenient Metrics, Not Necessarily Meaningful, Collected, Not Analyzed
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Reactive Approach To Problem Solving, Change Management, Availability, Performance and Tuning, and Capacity Planning
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Employees Poorly Trained
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Employees Poorly Equipped
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Processes Designed With Little or No Robustness in Them
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Help Desk Focuses on Call Tracking, Not Call Management
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Employees Empowered Very Little, or Not At All
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Standards Poorly Developed With Little or No Enforcement
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Technology is Applied, if At All, Inappropriately
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Little or No Integration of Systems Management Functions
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Little or No Alignment of Technical Goals with Business Goals
The issue of management support can be key in determining an employee empowerment program's success or failure. Employees are bound to make an incorrect judgment on occasion when empowered with new decision-making authorities. Supportive managers who show the interest and time to understand and correct the faulty decision-making seldom see poor judgments repeat themselves.
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- Well-developed Standards – Standards can apply to virtually
every aspect of IT, from versions of desktop software to mainframe operating
systems; from dataset naming conventions to password construction; and from
email systems to network protocols. When properly applied, standards can
simplify maintenance, shorten deployment times, and ultimately reduce costs. But
proper application requires that standards be thoroughly developed and
effectively enforced.
Many shops develop only those standards that are simple to deploy or easy to enforce. In this sense these companies are similar to those that collect only the metrics that are simple to implement or easy to measure. In both cases, the real value of these activities is compromised.
World-class infrastructures, on the other hand, usually identify all stakeholders of a particular standard prior to its development, and invite them to participate in its design, implementation and enforcement. These stakeholders typically consist of representatives of user groups most impacted by the standard, including internal and external customers and suppliers. Their participation goes a long way to ensuring buy-in, support and compliance.
- Effective Use of Technology – Managers of highly regarded infrastructures understand that the best application of technology, especially automation, comes only after processes have been designed with robustness and then streamlined. Mediocre shops often rush to automate prior to streamlining. This almost inevitably leads to chaos brought about by processes that are highly automated, but poorly designed. The next chapter will cover this in detail.
- Integrated Systems Management Functions – World-class infrastructures go beyond just having well-designed systems management functions. The leaders of these organizations know how to select and integrate several of these disciplines. For example, the functions of change, problem and release management are typically integrated in world-class infrastructures, and are segregated in less proficient ones.
- Technical Goals are Aligned with Business Goals – All IT infrastructures have technical goals such as software and hardware upgrades, new platform architectures or processes to improve availability and performance. But these may not be aligned, or even related to the business goals of the organization. World-class infrastructures collaborate with business units to ensure the technical goals of IT support the business goals of the company.
This completes this series on the twelve traits of a world-class infrastructure. Obviously, the degree to which each characteristic applies will vary from shop to shop. But most all of these traits will be evident in one manner or another in robust IT infrastructures.