Resource costs are increasing as is complexity, talent is scarce, governance requirements are on the increase, tools proliferate and are unmanageable, the business demands more with less, service levels are being enforced to a greater degree, and the pressures are unrelenting. Is it possible to meet all these demands that have conflicting needs and implications? Integrated automation of repeatable tasks helps deal with many of these challenges. Problems with human error and unpredictable human latency are alleviated and people swamped with operational matters can be freed up to tackle more strategic initiatives. This is also accomplished by allowing support personnel to move from dealing with “symptom” to dealing with “cause”.
ITPA is accomplished through tools with predefined objects that can be orchestrated to deliver the automated tasks. Possible areas of incorporation include:
System Administration
User control – Automated handling of “onboarding and offboarding” of users in AD, Exchange, TMS, Access Control, etc. Additionally, Induction training can be scheduled, initial documents printed prior to person arriving, additional notification can be provided to facilities for desk, parking bay allocation, etc.
Reporting on users that have not logged in for defined period of time – reduce payroll impact of people who have resigned or deserted (in the event that HR is not informed timeously)
Monitoring of systems and services – respond rapidly to error conditions that occur and remediate immediately (with full record of what has been done in the associated recorded trouble ticket)
Integration between the disparate management tools – without having to rely on specialist tool skills being required
Due diligence to meet audit requirements – daily system checks and reporting, threshold monitoring and logging of trouble tickets when thresholds are breached. Automated remediation (if resolution is known). Daily reports include trouble tickets handled in the previous reporting period
Automated password reset – call logged with HelpDesk, automatically intercepts, resets, and notifies user via cell-phone or other chosen means
Virtual world – automated control over the provisioning and control of the VM world including dismantling of servers once usage granted time has expired
Incident management - Integration into trouble ticketing system – all items handled can be automatically be logged, with activity updates and closing of calls
Change management - Integration with change management system – provides the ability to execute against approved changes without having to bring people into the office. Can also be used to verify that key system commands are executed in accordance with change approval
Release management – control the distribution and validity of software in use in conjunction with the software distribution tools
Integration with various messaging systems, including SMS and email
Automated file transfer based on times, presence of files, file contents changing, external initiation
Scheduled running of tasks under the control of key business systems
Synchronisation of data between various data sources
Interoperation with all services involved in the standard IT Services Management model
Backup – running of backups including data integrity validation – without people involvement
Synchronisation of key business documents or templates – check to see that the originals are always up to date and report abuse if detected
Review of log files – check to see for selected messages and take automated action as and when required
Report compilation for company data or systems data for audit purposes
Automated archiving of log files to comply with governance regulations
Disaster Recovery – regularly test DR policy and report on the success/failure (without involving expensive resources)
Business Processes
Handling of various internal processes that are repeatable and that currently experience unpredictable “latency” which makes it difficult to commit to service levels.
Handling of inter-business processes – including file movement, payments, order processing authorisations, credit checks, etc.
Collection of company data required by various systems
Dissemination of company information to remote locations and business partners – marketing info, corporate data, etc.
While these various items are not comprehensive, they are intended as a thought trigger as to various areas that companies have already experienced business benefit. |
