Volume 9 - Number 6 - June 2011
 This month's CM Journal focuses on application lifecycle management (ALM) and IT infrastructure library/ IT service management (ITIL/ITSM). I have heard many professionals say that ALM and ITIL are completely separate topics. It is true that the operations team is most often focused on ITSM as specified in the exhaustive ITIL framework.
ALM is associated more with well-defined processes governing software and systems development. Agile ALM is an especially hot topic these days. Devops has certainly stirred up controversy with a focus on managing the work that touches development, QA, and operations, which certainly has some compelling advantages.
Our CM Crossroads writers also provide some excellent advantages in terms of their sage advice and guidance. Leading the pack is a thought- provoking Personality Matters by Leslie Sachs, who challenges managers to understand the people who may undermine the efforts to adopt ALM and ITIL/ITSM. You'll enjoy Karen Ferris's application of the ITIL framework in "Going Greener with Configuration and Supplier Management," while Ben Cody and David Hurwitz give us "The Top Five Reasons for Orchestrated IT Service Management." Just for fun, Monika Konieczny shows us how to improve communication in the team through game simulation. You'll catch my own thoughts in Alon Eizenman's article on "Automating Release and Deployment," and I also share my views on ALM and ITIL being two halves of a great application-delivery lifecycle in my Behaviorally Speaking column. Make sure you drop me a line and share your experiences and views on ALM and ITIL/ITSM! Bob Aiello
Editor in Chief
CM Crossroads
raiello@acm.org
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Personality Matters – ALM and ITIL/ITSM
by Leslie Sachs
There are many people who do not like structure. Application lifecycle management (ALM), and, even more so, IT infrastructure library (ITIL) as a framework, touch some people's buttons as being just too much structure. That can be a real problem when you need to implement a set of standards to support repeatable processes. What are the factors that help you achieve success, and what are the risk factors that you need to be aware of? In this article, we'll examine the personality factors that you need to be aware of when implementing ALM and ITIL/IT service management (ITSM).
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Going Greener with Configuration and Supplier Management
by Karen Ferris
I was reading an article recently that said, “Data center administrators everywhere are being bombarded with tips and pitches for improving the energy efficiency of their facilities.”
The piece went on to say that, though an administrator needs to be proactive to make its data center greener, it can conduct business as usual and still see its data center “deepen its emerald hue.”
The article was referring to the fact that the components of the data center are always being refreshed. Software is upgraded. So is the hardware and network infrastructure. The newer components that are brought online will hopefully be more energy efficient than the ones previously in existence. This should result in lower energy costs and a reduced carbon footprint. Read More >>
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The Top Five Reasons for Orchestrated IT Service Management
by Ben Cody and David Hurwitz
Service management systems are IT’s online face to the business. Although employees rely on enterprise applications and personal productivity tools to get their jobs done, they turn to the IT service system for fulfillment when they run into problems.
Employees are often disappointed by the user experience and opacity of these service management systems, leading to dissatisfaction with IT in general and widespread use of informal systems. Left unchecked, this unfriendly face can lead to elevated service resolution costs, extended cycle times and frustration within IT itself, all the while leaving end-users convinced that IT isn’t a suitable business partner.
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Simulation Game – How to Improve Communication in the Team
by Monika Konieczny
One of the hardest daily tasks developers, QA, ScrumMasters, and product owners encounter is effective communication with others. Sound implausible?
According to many articles [6][7][8][9], research, and personal observations, the main cause of project failure is not technology or hardware but inefficient communication stemming from lack of effective communication between team members, incomplete business analysis and imprecise requirements, and vaguely formulated business objectives. Read More >>
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Automating Release and Deployment – ALM and ITIL/ITSM
by Alon Eizenman and Bob Aiello
The journey from application lifecycle management (ALM) to IT infrastructure library/IT service management (ITIL/ITSM) can be a mysterious and challenging transition. ALM usually puts the spotlight on rapid iterative development while the operations wizards use their capabilities to keep essential business services running twenty four hours a day, seven days a week—along with managing changes, often at a very rapid pace. In fact, many technology professionals thrive on creating complex applications while secretly dreading the dangerous realm of large-scale application deployments—generally resigning themselves to giving up yet another weekend. Many successful organizations are rising to this challenge and embracing zero-touch deployments. This article will help you get started on your way to implementing completely automated release and deployment.
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Behaviorally Speaking – ALM and ITIL
by Bob Aiello
Application lifecycle management (ALM) and IT infrastructure library/IT service management are two halves of the effort to successfully develop and deploy technology solutions. ALM provides extensive guidance from requirements tracking through development, testing, and application deployment. ITIL does not provide guidance on software development, although otherwise it essentially picks up where ALM leaves off—to provide guidance on managing ITSM, including help desk (e.g., incident, problem management), along with change and release management. Together, they provide the guidance that you need for successful software and systems development. Read on if you want to understand how to successfully implement ALM and ITIL together to support your technology efforts Read More >>
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