Can ITIL “forum lurking” really help you pass your cert test?

Using the ITIL community forums to boost your learning potential

C’mon, admit it, we’ve all done it before; trawling over other peoples’ comments looking for informational diamonds in the rough without even considering joining in the ongoing conversation. This type of voyeuristic online activity is often referred to as “forum lurking”, and while the name implies some kind of nefarious deed, the truth is that it’s completely harmless.

Regardless of whatever your interests might be, or what you might be studying, chances are, there are a great number of forums out there which deal directly with the subject matter in question. Often times, these very same forums are regularly visited by a number of highly experienced individuals that are more than happy to share their knowledge and wisdom of ITIL, free of charge.

When most people discover a forum (in an area of which they are extremely interested) they usually “lurk” around for a while before finally deciding to participate; on the net, this is considered to be the norm. The ITIL community forums, like other professional / academic / educationally-minded discussion boards are a veritable treasure-trove of useful references for those who might be studying for an ITIL certification test. Likewise, those who might have already received their certification will find these forums to be extremely useful in helping them solve ITIL-related issues as they relate to their career duties.

But before one can really begin to take full advantage of what any ITIL-related forum has to offer you must be on track with some form of ITIL training.  If you’re reading this, it is likely that you are an IT professional, which among other things, means that you are among the most tech-savvy individuals on the planet. Realizing this, you should already be aware of the inherent power and value that various e-learning / professional development courses have to offer. However, you still need the right ITIL certification program if you expect to not only pass your cert test, but absorb as much information in the subject as possible.  A great place to start looking for a choice course would be theartofservice.com. Their ITIL 2011 course(s) are not only affordable and state-of-the-art, but they are designed to provide you with a true and lasting understanding of how you can actually use ITIL in your daily duties.

ITIL is a very important, yet broad subject which is only growing in importance and relevance with each passing day. This is largely due to the fact that more and more businesses, corporations, and other types of IT-driven (and reliant) organizations are beginning to see the inherent usefulness, or value of ITIL.

Because most business is carried out with the assistance of (or through) IT assets, it is important that there are not only contingencies in place to deal with issues, but also the very best methods for dealing with constructing / maintaining IT infrastructure. This type of thinking applies to both internal operations (the systems which facilitate inter-office business) as well as those which operate externally (interfacing with consumers, etc…). The simple fact of the matter is that ITIL helps businesses to cut costs in addition to providing improved services.

How is ITIL able to facilitate cost-cutting tactics you might be wondering? As you may or may not be aware, large businesses have to formulate budgets well in advance of enacting them; this allows them to facilitate long and short-term goals and determine how much capital to allocate to various departments, for example. In reality, ITIL allows for the development of what many consider to be the best system for managing, improving and maintaining IT infrastructure / systems. How is ITIL able to achieve this?  ITIL is essentially a compilation of the best methods and practices which have ever been developed (for managing IT infrastructure); when you study the ITIL, you are literally delving into the minds of numerous IT gurus. As an IT professional, it is truly unbelievable that there are even some individuals who are not eager to absorb every last detail of what comprises the ITIL.

Once you have officially embarked upon your ITIL journey by choosing a qualified course provider, you can begin utilizing the ITIL community forums in all their potential. Remember, there is an abundance of information available via this forum, but it is more or less useless unless you are training with the right company (and an appropriate program / course).

Click here for one of the best ITIL 2011 certification programs on the market. (For IT managers: group rate discounts are available).

The US Army is adopting cloud computing technologies

Well, it seems that the (justified) hype of cloud computing has allowed it to land yet another massive benefactor, the US armed forces. That’s right, in case you might have missed the news recently; HP was awarded a contract from the US army to provide cloud services. The contract itself, abbreviated as APC2 (Army Private Cloud Contract) entails the creation of extensive enterprise-based cloud  for both “fixed and deployed” environments.  In other words, cloud computing infrastructure is being established both in administrative as well as mobile capacities.

This a significant win for HP and its cloud computing operation, especially considering that it is an indefinite delivery / quantity contract with options. The plan is to implement two “suites”; the first being centered on commercial / government buildings, and the second, for rapid mobile deployment. The contract itself is fairly unique in that it is virtually “wide-open”; there is a lot of room for expansion and nearly indefinite renewal. The real question is, will this contract open the flood gates for other large institutions to jump headlong into cloud computing? If that were to occur it would be a big win for the entire cloud computing industry.

What are the main reasons the US Army has been courting cloud computing, you might be wondering? Apparently there are two principle reasons for the Army’s push for the adoption of cloud computing; one, budgetary savings, and two, technical challenges. It would seem that even the US army needs cloud computing in order to solve many of its more complex technical issues and make better use of its already extensive assets. How is cloud computing able to achieve this? Cloud computing technologies allow for the greatest level of flexibility in terms of connectivity and (various other areas like) application migration. Additionally, through the use of cloud infrastructure groups like the US army will likely be able to effectively achieve more with a much lower overhead investment.

Although this isn’t really being openly talked about, it is entirely possible that the work being done in service of the APC2 project might very well lead to even better systems / components for information assurance and security. Over the last couple of years cloud computing (in general) has faced opposition from groups and individuals claiming that it has not arrived at satisfactory solutions for the major security issues it is facing. Many have stated that these problems need to be addressed before cloud computing is (or even should be) adopted on a more widespread scale. Given that the APC2 contract is in fact a big budget project, and the US army is actively seeking cloud-specific security solutions, it’s a pretty safe bet to assume that this event will lead to some significant breakthroughs in this capacity.

With the US Army now officially adopting cloud computing enterprise systems, is it possible that a major paradigm shift is coming? How long will it be until virtually all private sector institutions will be deploying their own clouds? If you are a business owner, or merely a key player in an established organization, you should know that now is the time to begin contemplating adding cloud services to your current list of IT assets. The reasons for this are many. For example, jumping ahead of the competition is, or should always be a concern, especially if your company utilizes IT-related technology to drive profits. On the other end of the scale, cloud computing can also assist in keeping energy consumption costs low. But (arguably) the best reason to adopt cloud computing (right now) has to do with just how innovative an infrastructure it truly is, and how it can (and will) increase communication, productivity and technical capabilities. The ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate outside services and apps is a really big draw for cloud computing, especially considering the breakneck (and quickening) pace of modern business.

Most organizations these days are opting for slower transitions (from grid computing / networking to cloud computing). This allows them to not only fine-tune their cloud infrastructures in a very methodical fashion, but it also provides employees (and even clients / customers) with ample time to adapt to the new system as well. A slower cloud transition / adoption timetable also allows an organization to avoid causing internal or external service operations (office and consumer-based operations, respectively).

In tandem with this slow transition process, employees may also be effectively trained and certified in one or more cloud disciplines (for example, cloud computing foundation). Having your organization’s IT employees familiarize themselves will not only be a boon for your entire organization, it will also (obviously) benefit them directly as well. Given that most quality cloud computing certification courses can be completed online, and there are deep group rate discounts available for corporate customers, there’s never been a better time to invest in cloud-related training for your personnel. (Hint*: Free access to cloud computing certification courses might make for excellent employee bonuses).

Interested in cloud computing certification courses, you’ll find everything you need right here.

How ITIL roles help to define more important responsibilities

If you’re an IT manager, you already know how important it is to have an IT team that fully understands what needs to be done, and in particular what each member needs to primarily focus on. If you are not involved in IT management, (and keeping in line with the former statement) it’s extremely likely that you will be designated specific tasks, or roles which you must fulfill (which will hopefully synch-up in tandem with the other members of your team). This is simply the best way of conducting operations, regardless of whether or not ITIL is factored into the equation. However, it should be noted, that if utilized properly, ITIL can be used to “super-charge” any IT department, and of course, define ever-increasingly detailed and important responsibilities as well.

There are six sections which comprise all the roles associated with ITIL v3, they are:

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Design
3. Service Transition
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement
6. ITIL roles outside the IT organization

Service Strategy
Service strategy essentially deals with formulating a “game plan” if you will, which seeks to outline the goals, desires, capabilities, and components of specific services, along with a dedicated business plan for creating additional value for customers.

Service Design
When we talk of service design, we are really talking about one of the most important aspects of IT infrastructure management (and defining ITIL roles). Your organization may either flourish or flounder depending upon how well-designed your services are. As you might expect, there are a number of areas which fall under this heading including; security, applications, capacity, compliance, continuity, architecture, risk assessment, and many others. Those involved in roles related to service design are arguably involved in the most time-consuming of the six stages / steps of ITIL adoption.

Service Transition
Once the concerns of design are laid to rest, an organization can then begin actually putting their ITIL strategy into place; this is also called service transition. If everything has been carefully considered before arriving at this step, then the difficulty of the roles associated with service transition should be relatively simple or care-free.  This does not imply that this is always the case however. In fact, one of the most important duties of those operating under the banner of service transition is the emergency change advisory board (ECAB), which is tasked with creating contingencies in the event of a disruption, for instance.

Service Operation
Now everything is in place, your ITIL operation is up-and-running; those individuals dealing with this stage of activity are under the heading of service operation. As the name clearly implies, service operation is basically how an IT department realistically deals with the operation of their services on a daily basis. Inside of ITIL service operation there are various levels which are tasked with responding to specific types of issues.  For example, the first level of support deals with all issues as they are encountered, the second level, those issues which cannot be handled by the first, and of course the third dealing with manufacturer-related issues, etc…  Regardless of the specific role that a person is dealing with under the service operation heading, it is the goal of everyone involved in it to ensure that everything is constantly and consistently operational.

Continual Service Improvement
Even if you think that your IT infrastructure is perfect (maybe because you’ve encountered very few issues and you are able to deliver quality services to satisfied customers), you’re still going to have to perform upgrades and maintenance from time to time. Everyone engaging in roles under continual service improvement (CSI) is preoccupied with how they might be able to improve any aspect or component of their services and operation.

ITIL roles outside the IT organization

• Service users / subscribers
• Consumers / customers

Within each one of the aforementioned six sections there are a bevy of additional roles which deal with the various aspects needed to deliver a quality service (in each area). They are typically assigned or allotted to individuals who might specialize in these key areas. As you might expect, it is imperative that all individuals who operate under one area should be able to work as a cohesive team as well as individually (if an IT operation is to be successful in the long-term).

===========================================================

If you’re looking for ITIL certification for your entire IT department (or perhaps just yourself) you need to check out this excellent digitally-driven and affordable e-learning program. (Significant group rate discounts are available on demand!)

Did you catch the latest cloud computing news ?

Microsoft pushes through a mammoth cloud computing contract.

Keeping in line with its (global) education pledges, Microsoft is going to be using cloud computing to bring critical cloud services to 11k schools in India. The AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) is the official client of this project; this organization is serving not just India however, in a way, it will help to create better technical professionals who will likely help serve more global business interests / ventures. (We are, after all, talking about around 7 and a half million students here.) The real questions are; does this move mark the start of even more frequent philanthropic cloud computing gestures, and is this perhaps Microsoft’s attempt to build a training ground for forthcoming technologies (like cloud computing)?

There’s simply no question about it, Microsoft is a company that the entire world looks to for cues and trends.  Given their track record, it’s pretty safe to say that if you are rooted in a technical industry, you can pretty much base your moves on those made by megaliths like Microsoft. This is because they generally don’t make short-sighted decisions, and have a nearly limitless budget on hand to ensure that they are not only successful, but one of the premier frontrunners in whatever venture they undertake.

If you are a business owner, board member, or manager, I shouldn’t have to tell you that it’s best to get into a new product / field / area as early as possible. Doing so gives you the “upper hand” over your competition in several ways and allows you to potentially implement newer technologies in a more timely fashion. Then there’s the issue of branding and marketability; here’s a quick test, which company do you believe in and/or respect more?  The one that had the foresight and wherewithal to jump into a profitable venture before everyone else, or the company that “got to the party after everyone else had already arrived”?

Cloud computing is still relatively young, but it already has an extraordinary number of things going for it.  For starters, cloud computing is really a permutation of the very concept of computing and networking.  In other words, cloud computing was born of the technologies of its predecessors; it’s not as much an entirely new approach as it is a refinement or reorganization of technological elements which were already present. Additionally; computing, networking and tech experts from all over the planet are predicting or seeing trends which seem to be indicating a big shift toward widespread adoption of cloud computing. This “shift” would apply not just to businesses, universities and some governmental institutions, but to virtually every single consumer on the face of the Earth.

If nothing else, the aforementioned incentives should jump start your own thinking with regards to your IT assets, and how well prepared you (and your company) are for the next technological shift. There is of course, a rather simple and elegant solution for such a dilemma, it’ called e-learning. Through a group rate discounted e-learning program you can have your entire IT department (including all new hires) undergo cloud computing certification and training. The best part is, since these courses are deployed online, your employees won’t have to interrupt their already busy work schedules in order to complete their programs. Likewise, these classes can be accessed / viewed on virtually any device (including tablets and smartphones). What’s more, some programs even bundle the certification test costs along with other packaged items (it’s quite a value for employers and employees alike). By having your IT workers engage certification in cloud computing you are protecting your company’s assets as well as providing your employees with extremely valuable career skills (which they will probably come to greatly appreciate).

Everyone’s doing it; giving in to (justified) technological peer pressure
Perhaps the biggest concern for most organizations is figuring out when they should begin attempting to adopt cloud computing (entirely or in part). While a full transition to cloud computing might not be possible for some enterprises at this time, those with true technological savvy are at least considering adding individual (a la carte) cloud services to augment their current capabilities. The simple fact of the matter is that there are oodles of individually deployable cloud services which can and will transform the way you do business (for the better).

An organization like Microsoft invariably understands the importance of not only utilizing emerging cloud technologies, but also how promotion of them can further enable and revolutionize business for the entire IT industry. Once you reach “the top”, and the world is your “oyster”, so to speak, you can either use your tidal wave of success to crush everyone underneath you or perhaps take a more benevolent and altruistic approach to the way you conduct future business. Luckily for us, Microsoft has taken a more generous approach in the manner in which they conduct their business. This recent move that they have made in India, in which they are using cloud computing to reinforce education, confirms that they are committed to the betterment of humanity and the overall continued progress of technology.

Handling ITIL Role Conflicts

Although it’s clear (at least in theory) that the addition of various ITIL roles can improve the quality of an organization’s services, it should be noted that internal conflict among these “roles” is still very likely to occur.

Nearly everyone involved in the IT profession is aware of the fact that ITIL certification is among one of the best ways to prepare an individual or group to deal with virtually any infrastructure-related issue(s). When an ITIL-rich approach is adopted by an IT group, a variety of roles are created for which individuals are tasked with presiding over. These roles comprise the maintenance, assurance, planning, design, and improvement of all the individual components of all IT-related assets. To simply assume that there won’t be the occasional miscommunication or misunderstanding (concerning shortfalls, mishaps, or misplaced responsibilities) would be a mistake. Even though the various ITIL roles were created to help manage the 6 primary steps* associated with ITIL adoption, their primary focus is on improving and providing quality uninterrupted service(s).

*The six steps / stages:

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Design
3. Service Transition
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement
6. ITIL roles outside the IT organization

One of the big secrets about ITIL implementation is that it is not being fully or completely embraced. For instance, even most large organizations, which might have become increasingly reliant on ITIL, are holding back on fully implementing the complete roster of official “roles”. There are a variety of reasons as to why this might be the case, one of the biggest being that some IT departments may be slow to encourage all their team members to attain ITIL certification, for example.

One individual, multiple roles…
If we were to trace most ITIL implementation role conflicts back to a single point where they originally began to “sour”, you might discover that everything started to go wrong when too much stress was put upon an individual (or individuals). It might start off innocently enough; with some individual(s) “cross tasking” to lend assistance in another developmental stage, only to eventually end up managing both elements. This sort of “multiple roles” syndrome can create serious problems, especially when individuals are performing duties in one area which might unpredictably alter those of another (of which they are also tasked with).

By and large, the best way of avoiding internal conflict(s), which are stemming from placing undue strain on individuals, is to keep them designated to one specific stage. Simply put, if one person absolutely must be tasked with managing multiple components, they should all fall under the same heading / step / stage (like service design, for example).

Still, major issues can creep up even if this recommendation is followed to the letter. You are most likely already familiar with the concept of checks and balances, perhaps not as they pertain to ITIL implementation however. One of the primary reasons why even expertly assigned multiple roles (even those falling under one stage) might cause strife, has to do with “checks and balances”. It is through regulation(s) that most ITIL (along with IT) implementations are allowed to flourish. Multiple points-of-view are often required to not only functional, but also to keep everything “legitimate”. All it takes for a major mishap to occur is for one individual who is juggling multiple roles to knowingly or unknowingly sidestep the established system.

Following formal ITIL recommendations...
If your IT group has encountered problems because they have not implemented a majority of the required roles, then difficulties should come as no surprise. In all honesty, the established system for ITIL works very well, but in order to reap the benefits of such a thing, you have to be in alignment with the initial requirements and expectations. For example, the various ITIL implementation roles exist as part of a larger system which has been meticulously designed to serve several purposes and achieve multiple goals simultaneously.

However, if it simply isn’t possible for your IT organization to adopt every single role as outlined, you still have another option at your disposal; simplification. If individuals absolutely must take charge of multiple roles, it must be under the direct supervision of the IT manager. Often times, conflicts arise because there is no one surveying the actions that are occurring; in other words, no one is privy to the “big picture”. It is definitely possible for an IT department to fully implement virtually every single ITIL “role”, but that would require someone to take a complete inventory of duties and then determine the best system for organizing them, with the ultimate goal being an elimination of internal conflict(s).

Get your entire team ITIL certified with a top provider; cost-effective group rate discounts are available.