The formulation and integration of an IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) strategy is an investment in core business operation based on international best practice in the workplace. So claims Lance Fanaroff, joint-MD of Integr8 IT, a national network technology integration and infrastructure management specialist.
Fanaroff believes there is an increase in companies that are adopting this model of control, encouraged by the higher levels of connectivity and management of functionality acquired from implementing this strategy in business.
"Information and communications technology and telecommunication sectors are ultra-competitive and force decision-makers to review the way they manage all facets of operation. All activity within the organisation becomes inter-related at some point and therefore is only as strong as the weakest link. This is where ITIL comes into play because it magnifies inconsistency and critical requirements in key processes and procedures," says Fanaroff.
ITIL is generally defined as being international best practice guidelines on how to run IT within an organisation. It is the IT industry's equivalent of the ISO 20000 global standard.
"The focus of the business is to move from a conventional common-sense approach to growth management to something that is more structured and focused to ensure that all bases are covered and nothing is left out," explains Fanaroff.
ITIL is an ongoing process that eventually pays dividends as it develops in line with the growth of the organisation, he says. "But there is still a degree of misperception around ITIL that exists in the market.
"For example, contrary to what many people believe, there is really no such thing as ITIL-compliance. ITIL-readiness is a continuous process that serves as a guideline within an organisation. It cannot simply be implemented overnight with the expectation of instantaneous results. It is a framework that directly assists companies in change management and growth. Although it takes time to develop with the organisation, it will certainly pay dividends," adds Fanaroff.
ITIL typically involves many layers of management, including, but not limited to, application management, capacity management, availability management, IT services management, financial management, service desk and change release.
All these aspects cover what are often intricate processes and procedures involved in the general operation of a business," adds Fanaroff. "What a good individual does is common sense and we need to structure and formalise this in order to ensure that it is repeated."
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Integr8 IT is a network technology services and solutions company. A renowned leader in the field of system integration, infrastructure management and support services, the company employs a wealth of highly skilled, best of breed, certified system engineers who are directly involved in high-level consulting, support and integration.
The company's core focus is on network infrastructures specialising in design, planning, deployment, management and maintenance. Offices are located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and representation in Port Elizabeth, East London, and across the southern Africa region. Integr8 IT is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner for Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, Network Infrastructure Solutions, Information Worker Solutions, and OEM Solutions.
It has been acknowledged and accredited with many awards, namely: Microsoft Gold Partner of the Year, African ICT Achievers CIO of the Year for Africa, Best Customer Experience of the Year, Network Infrastructure Solution of the Year, Security Solution of the Year for Middle-East, Africa, and Eastern Europe, Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, and many others, every year, since its inception.
Named as one of the country's Top ICT Companies and honoured with a position among South Africa's Technology Top 100 Companies, Integr8 IT has established itself as a strategic partner with numerous internationally-recognised technology vendors and industry leaders, including 3Com, Attix 5, CA, Citrix, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, MTN Network Solutions, Sun Microsystems, T-Systems and Verizon Business.
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