The phrase "Best Practices" has become so overused, it has become practically meaningless for IT managers. Improvement is necessary, but where do you start, what tools are appropriate, where do I find actionable information, and how do I do this with minimal cost? If these questions apply to you, this paper provides a plan of attack.
Implementing Best Practices for Network &
Systems Management
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TThhiiss wwhhiittee ppaappeerr aaddddrreesssseess hhooww ttoo::. Understand and identify common problems with Network & Systems Management. Implement Best Practices The Problems
The phrase "Best Practices" is so overused, it has become practicallymeaningless for IT Managers. It is a common understanding thatimprovement is necessary, but where do you start? What tools are appro-priate? Where do you find actionable information and how can this beaccomplished with minimal cost? If these questions apply to you, thispaper will provide a plan of attack.
This White Paper will identify First, let's identify a few key problems with many IT support organizationsand why they tend to be widespread with inefficiencies that produce sub-common problems in Network optimal results. These are problems that neither IT Managers nor staffand Systems Management and members like to readily admit.
provide a plan of action on We will review the following five IT operational problems, and then dis-cuss appropriate solutions: how to implement proven Best 1. Lack of clearly defined, repeatable, well documented processesPractices for efficient manage- 2. Knowledge "hoarding" ment of your network. 3. IT "silo management" - independent, decentralized management4. Insufficient budget and tools
The following sections discuss each problem, their causes, effects, andstrategies for eliminating them.
Lack of Clearly Defined, Repeatable, Well Documented ProcessesThis problem ranks #1 on our list because it is likely the most commonand the most admitted problem among IT Managers. So what causesthis? Lack of processes is not intentional but it can cause definite prob-lems.
The following table outlines the typical causes, effects and possible solu-tions:
CCaauusseess EEfffefeccttss SSoolluuttiioonnss . Introduction of new . Delayed response times 1. Written acquisition and technologies and . Poor customer service integration policies equipment . User frustration 2. Written change . Addition of staff members . Inefficiency management guidelines . Normal organizational . Outages 3. Automated software tools, changes and priorities . Performance problems including change, fault . Normal infrastructure . Infighting and finger- and knowledge growth pointing management . Management changes . Lost revenue
2Analysis and RecommendationThe first two solutions (#1 Written acquisition and integration policies,and #2 Written change management guidelines) are most common.Unfortunately, written policies and guidelines, if not meticulously main-tained, run the risk of instant obsolescence. It is difficult and impracticalto have a single person become a documentation and written policy czarwho can adequately capture and maintain these forms of documentation.The alternative is having multiple contributors provide non-standardized,highly variable and difficult to maintain document sets that furtherundermine the effort and possible benefit. "...if they don't use theSolution 3 stands a better chance because, if implemented properly, itcontinuously detects the causes and changes, and forces a well document- tool, the problems willed, automated response. Software that triggers and enforces a process persist and the softwarethat keeps pace with the organization is what is needed. If it is notrequired as part of your personnel's day-to-day responsibilities and work- will fail to achieve theflow, or in other words, if they don't "use the tool," the problems will per-sist and the software will fail to achieve the process improvement that it process improvementwas designed to solve. that it was designed to
Action Plan solve."If there is not a budget or an ROI-driven investment initiative for an auto-mated Fault Management and Knowledge Management tool, then there isno choice but to mandate that all support personnel create and adhere towritten policies for Asset Acquisition and Change, Configuration & FaultManagement. Management must then enforce the use of written proce-dures utilizing best-efforts measurement mechanisms.
If the possibility exists for examining tools, our recommendation is to lookfor a multi-function product that has a built in process that encompassesfault/change management wi... [download for more]
