Part 2: Keep Everyone in the IT Information Sharing Loop
This series of posts examines ways to build a KIS (Keep It Simple) technology philosophy for supporting and managing a company’s information technology.
KIS Rule #2 for improving information technology network performance and partner communications: Keep management, users and technology partners in the information and communications sharing loop.
In the world of information technology KIS often means “keep it secret.” The inability to share information between connected technology partners almost always leads to:
- Poor performance and downtime at the most critical times;
- Lots of finger pointing between technology partners;
- No single point of responsibility for managing a company’s technologies.
Nobody ever wants to see any of those outcomes.
When you bring together the right combination of tools and processes, you consolidate and centralize your IT information.
Recommendations for tools and processes that improve information technology network performance and partner communications include:
- 7x24 managed network monitoring;
- A speedy process of remediation or escalation;
- Resolution confirmation;
- A reporting process that includes an audit trail of accountability and recommendations for continuous service improvements.
In organizations where technology is best managed, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) has become the standard by which information technology is managed and maintained. For more information and a comprehensive review of performance and management guidelines for today’s IT systems, you might want to read my summary of ITIL standards.