What Is an ITIL Framework?

ITIL Framework

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ITIL® is an acronym that stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. ITIL is a best-practice framework that guides the actions, operations, and measurable outputs from IT Service Management (ITSM) teams. 

ITIL is not the only framework in town. However, ITIL is well-known, respected, and widely implemented as a service framework for ITSM operations and service teams, also known as IT departments, help desks, and IT vendors.

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What is the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top 10 Risk List for Software Apps?

OWASP Top 10 Security Risks

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Building software products is inherently risky. Regardless of cloud providers and security vendors you might work with, the Web, as we know it, is a high-risk environment for software developers and applications.

Cybercrime is on the rise. Cybercriminals, either in organized gangs, professional criminal hackers (sometimes known as Hacking as a Service), and even unhappy employees or contractors will always find a way to weaken an organization's security.

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What Is an IT Operating Model, and Why Does “Everyone” Need One?

Operating Models

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New and seasoned businesspeople know that a well-thought-out business model and strategy are two key ingredients needed to create a successful company. 

However, something discussed less frequently is an operating or operational model. This outlines important details about a company, including those regarding employees, processes, systems and technology.

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What Defines Data-Driven Decision Making?

Data-Driven Decision Making

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At some point or another, we have probably trusted our "gut" with making a decision. In other cases, you make a decision, which turns out to be incorrect, and then proclaim, "I should have gone with my gut." Intuition can seem like an attractive prospect in decision making, although there's plenty of research to suggest that it is nothing more than the luck of the draw. Whether you are deciding on a new personal auto insurance plan, or a big partnership at the company you run, data can help you better understand and quantify a decision. This is where data-driven decision making, or DDDM for short, can make a big difference. So, how can you validate an action before committing using DDDM? The answer is not straightforward. How you incorporate DDDM into your business is highly subjective. It will depend on things like the industry, business goals, client-type and, of course, the way you collect and process data. Continue reading to find out how you can transition from intuition to data-driven decision making at your business.

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What is ITIL Compliance: Are Organizations Achieving It or ITIL Alignment?

ITIL Compliance vs Alignment

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In most organizations there is a generic form of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL®), that provides a detailed outline and operating procedure for IT operations and activities.

In many ways, this ITIL operational management process controls and oversees IT Service Management (ITSM), IT Help Desks, and relationships with external vendors, such as Software as a Service (SaaS) providers.

In recent years, the idea of  becoming "ITIL compliant" has become more popular. However, this leaves many IT leaders wondering:

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How Does the Responsibility Matrix (RACI) Work in ITIL?

Responsibility Matrix (RACI)

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In ITIL and ITSM, it's mission-critical that everyone has a clear understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and how this aligns with business objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

One way for IT leaders and CIOs to manage and monitor this is using a Responsibility Matrix, also known as a RACI Matrix. Another way to describe this is a Linear Responsibility Chart (LRC).

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Service Level Agreements: What Are SLA Compliance Reports and How to Measure Success

Measuring Success with SLA Compliance Reports

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In the software and IT sector, software companies and IT help desks and service centers manage customer relationships and expectations using Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Service Level Agreements are integral to the smooth running of relationships between IT help desks and Software as a Service (SaaS) companies, cloud-providers, other technology vendors, and customers.

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Our Big List of As-A-Service Acronyms

Our Big List of As A Service Acronyms

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The cloud is so much more than new-era data storage. It has grown to offer services of all kinds to businesses, healthcare organizations, educational faculties, and more. You may already be familiar with "Software as a Service" or the SaaS meaning. While that is a well-known expansion of cloud as a service, there are many other acronyms you may be unaware of. Each acronym reflects another capable service of the cloud — one or more of which may be of value to you and your organization. Continue reading as we have created a master listing of each service related to today's cloud technology.

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What Is a Maturity Model in ITIL & ITSM?

ITIL Maturity Model

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Businesses and organizations constantly need to monitor performance and identify areas of improvement. Maturity models are a tool, often used in IT departments, customer-centric organizations, and software companies, to measure the success of management processes, styles, and IT systems.

In this article, we are focusing on the use of the following maturity models in companies' operations:

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Project Management Software vs. Ticket Management Software: Do You Need Both?

Project Management vs. Ticket Management Software

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Project managers (PMs) and IT support specialists serve critical roles in a modern organization.

PMs have many responsibilities — running meetings, planning and scheduling, managing resources and budgets, analyzing reports, delegating tasks, and more.

Like PMs, IT support specialists are responsible for juggling multiple tasks simultaneously. IT service or help desk employees analyze, troubleshoot, evaluate and resolve technical issues for an organization's customers and clients, among other things.

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