7 ICT Infrastructure Management

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ICT Infrastructure Management (ICT IM) looks at the challenges associated with the management of the ICT infrastructure and covers overall Management and Administration, Design and Planning, Technical Support, Deployment and Operations.

Figure 6: The Major ICT IM Interfaces

ICT IM processes are closely associated with the ICT infrastructure on which the IT services run. They are all about managing the four Ps (see Figure 1) but concentrate on those areas of IT most closely related to the actual tools and technology as illustrated in Figure 6. The ICT IM processes are responsible for managing a service through each of the stages in its lifecycle, from requirements, through design, feasibility, development, build, test, deployment, operation and optimisation to retirement. The operation and optimisation stages are the responsibility of the ICT Operations processes and are responsible for ensuring that all operational events are appropriately managed and that all operational service targets are achieved.
The Management and Administration areas of ICT IM are responsible for creating the most appropriate environment under which a secure infrastructure is maintained for the delivery of quality IT services to the business both currently and in the future. The goal is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the ICT infrastructure, while maintaining the overall quality of the IT services provided.

ICT Infrastructure Managers play a key co-ordination role as part of a Business Change programme, by working with ICT Steering Group (ISG), through participation in quality and audit reviews, and also in crisis management situations. They also need to ensure that the support processes are in place so that all other areas of IT can operate effectively and efficiently. This requires their involvement, together with all of the other ITIL processes, in all stages of the service lifecycle from requirements analysis, through design, feasibility, development, build, test, deployment, implementation, pilot, operation and optimisation, to eventual retirement.

The Design and Planning function is responsible for all of the strategic issues associated with the running of an ICT function. They liaise with the business regarding future business plans and from the information provided, and in consultation with all other areas of the business and IT, develop the plans, architectures and strategies required for the provision of current and future ICT business solutions. One of the key tasks of Design and Planning is to include all requirements, not just the functional requirements, for a new service, considering them at the initial requirements stage and at each subsequent stage of the service lifecycle. This ensures that services are designed for “operational excellence” and that all business, Service Delivery, Service Support, operational and maintenance requirements are included at the earliest possible and most cost effective moment within the service lifecycle.

Another vital role of Design and Planning is to work closely with all business managers and planners, ISG, IT managers and planners, following the Business Perspective approach, to ensure that all business and ICT plans and strategies, as illustrated in Figure 7 are closely co-ordinated and aligned.

Figure 7: The ICT Infrastructure Model

The Deployment process deploys new and changed ICT solutions to the business to agreed quality, cost and timescales. Deployment principally involves establishing projects and project methodology to ensure that new ICT solutions are delivered to the business with minimum disruption to business processes and that use of ICT resources is optimised. This is achieved by liaising closely with the business and agreeing training, methodologies, handover processes and acceptance criteria.

The operational IT services and environments are managed and controlled within the Operations Management function. Operations use all of the management tools available to ensure that all services and components meet all operational targets, as agreed with the business and other teams in SLAs and OLAs. Operations are also responsible for the tuning and optimisation of all operational areas of the ICT infrastructure.

Technical Support ensures that the necessary support, skills and knowledge are available to underpin the overall service delivered by ICT IM. They maintain a pool of in-depth technical expertise to provide information guidance and actual resources for the research and development of new technology solutions, and third line technical support for all other areas of IT.

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