- 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
This section of the IT Management Reference Guide was written by Jim Salladin.
They are not going away. As much as you wish it, as much as you dream of a world without IT audits, they are coming. If you have recently gone through an audit, you know that ignoring the findings just will not work. If you have not had the pleasure, now is the time to prepare.
The business world is now inextricably linked to the IT world. We all know that information systems are no longer peripheral to your business' success; they are central to the continuance and growth of your company. That is good news for job security, but it means that IT will increasingly be in the cross hairs of risk managers and audit committees. Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, and other recent legislation only further guarantee that no CIO or IT Director will escape talking to auditors.
But what if 'Audit' was not a word of fear and dread? What possibilities could open up for your IT department if instead of running from auditors, you understood them and forged a mutually beneficial relationship? What would happen if you could leverage the influence of the auditors to secure the required resources for the projects that just never get done?
This section will not solve all of your audit problems, but I do want to point out a simple resource that can help you move from being a reactive victim of the audit report to being a proactive participant that leverages your audit findings to improve your IT environment.
The suggestion is simple: research IT audit materials. I did not understand auditors until I sat down and read some of their books. As I saw how the author explained IT concepts, I began to understand their interests and how I could more productively communicate with them. I know, reading their books and materials sounds like a ridiculous waste of time. After all, you are not the one that needs to learn about IT; perhaps the auditors should read some of your books. You may be right on that point. I am not suggesting that you read their manuals so that you can learn about IT. I am suggesting that by reading their books you will be able to get inside their minds, do a little reconnaissance work, and discover ways to communicate more efficiently. With improved communication, you will complete the audit more quickly and potentially use it to further the projects that are most critical to your company. So, here are four benefits of reading IT audit manuals and websites:
IT audit materials show you how auditors think and what they are looking for.
Just like any relationship, a good experience with auditors will require good communication. You will never communicate well with auditors until you learn how they think. Generally, auditors have not taken the same classes you have. They probably did not come up through the same ranks as those of you who are programmers or engineers. When IT professionals think of the words 'Information Technology,' their minds go to an innovative world where business problems are solved in creative and nearly heroic ways. When auditors think of the same words, their mind connotes a smorgasbord of risks. Each one of these risks carries the potential of causing business failure. It is no wonder that auditors and IT people seldom communicate as well as we would like. The auditor learns the right questions to ask by reading and researching appropriate IT controls. Ask them what their central resources are. What books have they read? What websites do they use? What classes have they taken? What methodology guides them? If you can get a hold on these resources, then you will know precisely how the auditor is thinking about your IT environment. This will enable you to anticipate the questions and concerns. As soon as you can anticipate your auditors' concerns, you begin negotiating from a point of strength.
IT audit materials will provide you a new vocabulary for you to persuasively demonstrate your strengths.
Now that you understand their starting point, you can direct them to your areas of strength. This is not about dishonesty or self-protection, it is about showing the auditors that you are concerned about IT controls, that you have an awareness of the risk issues, and that management takes this seriously. This will place the entire audit in the right light. It will also help to establish a rapport between the auditor and the IT engineers. The engineers need to know that the auditor is not out for blood, and the auditor needs to know that the engineers are not clueless about the concept of IT controls. Once you have highlighted these strengths, then lead the auditor to your weaknesses.
IT audit materials will enable you to point auditors to your weaknesses, and secure more resources.
I know it goes against human nature, but in order to establish a good and mutually beneficial relationship with auditors, you will need to demonstrate a transparent and open attitude about the areas that require improvement. Remember, just as engineers and programmers are trained to solve IT problems, the auditors are trained to sniff out business problems. They produce findings with the same passion that you produce up-time. As soon as auditors sense resistance or hear an adversarial tone, they will put on the detective hat until all that is hidden is revealed. So rather than vainly trying to hide these issues, expose them. But expose them with intentionality. Before you lead the auditor to the issues, identify precisely what will be required to fix the problems. Do this with a strategic mindset toward the future of your department. If you need more employees, articulate the need when you expose the problem. If you need a new data center, include it as a solution. In this manner you can transform your weaknesses into resources for the future.
On-going relationship will shorten your audits.
The more you foster a close working relationship with your auditors, the less time you will spend arguing back and forth with them. This will allow you to focus more energy on what makes the company money. Of course, this will require more time on the front end, and it will not eliminate the inevitable negotiations on the back end, but it will streamline the process. Besides, if the audit report can become a resource provider for you, it will be far easier to justify spending time talking to those who write it.
Given the fact that we cannot escape to a land without audits, it makes sense to prepare for them. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is to research the same materials that auditors are using. Identify one of your employees to be the designated audit contact, and have that person read the auditors' books and summarize the central concerns. Once you have this report, sit down and strategize how you can leverage these concerns to highlight your strengths and gather resources for your weaknesses. If we cannot escape audits, at least we can leverage them to release resource. And the first step is as simple as a little audit recon.
References
Here are a couple websites that will help jump-start your own research. Of course, the most important thing is to find out what your auditors use for reference.