New Application? WAIT - We are not ready!

New applications in the enterprise needs to be a structured event.  Remember in years gone by, you would have the business say we want application XYZ and you would go buy it, stick it on a server and let them use it.  IT would just deal with the logistics and support around that application as part of the job.  Does that really work anymore? 

New applications need a little more structure, as you have key issues to address now, and that has to be right up front before implementation.  Key issues such as compliance, data classification, archive strategy, security, DR and interfaces.  Many organizations have gone to a checklist tool that is used as part of the new application project.  It is essential that this information is collected right up front, and entered into the application inventory. 

I had a colleague ask, what is the big deal, just deal with it as needed.  So let's look at that view, and see what some of the impacts are.  Take archive strategy - should be defined right up front.  This key item will assist in storage requirements, application hardware performance, compliance, and DR requirements.  If you have say SAP growing over years, and you don't archive on a regular basis, you can have the following issues: 

• Storage demands continue to grow year over year.  Adding to data center costs.
• Application server performance decreases as the data continues to grow.
• DR RTO/RPO requirements change as the data becomes unmanageable
• You have data beyond retention policy(s)

I propose to you that part of the application project define process is to address data requirements, technical requirements, user requirements.  You need the complete picture and direction before the application is in production.  It is to difficult to go after some of these issues after the fact.  In addition, as years go by, and staff changes, user staff changes, it becomes difficult to recall the details of the application.  Document it up front and you can move this application through it's lifecycle with ease and efficiency. 

Keep it positive.

Scott Arnett
scott.arnett@charter.net

Does the IT Organizational Structure of Yesterday work Today?

Many organizations today are organized into silos, Systems, Networks, Security, Storage, Help Desk, and so on.  Has worked for years, and easy to manage into these groups.  Why won't it work anymore?

Look at the changes in the technology and how it is really becoming the converged infrastructure.  FCoe - Fiber Channel over Ethernet - touches on network, storage, security - so who owns it?  Who manages it?
Take a look at VBlock from EMC, Intel, Cisco, VMWare - now you have systems, storage, network all in one solution.  Virtualization is really changing the playing field, and the emerging of technology is bringing new skill requirements to the IT department. 

I propose to you that the old silo structure no longer works,  and should really look at what services your IT group is going to deliver to the business.  The private cloud, which brings virtualization, self provisioning, data consolidation, and central management tools, creates new focus teams.  I had one colleague recommend you have  hardware team, virtualization team, transport team, and application team.  Ok, I can work with that, but you need management, performance/capacity, and user support.  Telecommunication is now a transport and application, as a converged technology.  So I think you see the picture now, it is all blending together.

Take it a step further, do you really want to be in the hardware support?  Is there where cloud infrastructure as a service comes in?  Do you out source your data center and become a virtual data center?  There are a great deal more options today, and the technology and trends are changing ever so quickly.  You need to really develop your road map, talk with the business, and put a technology solution in place that supports the business goals.  There is nothing wrong with a hybrid solution, on premise and cloud solutions.  In any case, your organizational structure and staff skills sets are changing.  You ready?

Lastly, don't force your new strategy and goals into an organization of yesterday.  You will frustrate your staff, develop work arounds, and process failures.  You need to change your organization to support the new technology, strategy and goals. 

Keep it positive!

Scott Arnett
scott.arnett@charter.net