ITIL Advantages and Disadvantages

Note: The points are taken from articles all over the Internet. I decided to talk a little about ITIL because it seems to be a topic of interest of conversation between me and my IT peers these days.


The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of concepts developed by the UK government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) to standardize IT management practices. Initially published in 1989, it has gone through a few iterations, namely ITIL v1, ITIL v2 and ITIL v3, its most recent version released in 2007. The current version is comprised of five volumes that focus on Service Management.

As with any type of guidelines, there are proponents and opponents who constantly argue about ITIL. The proponents argue that ITIL offers many cost saving measures, which in the current context of the recession makes enormous economic sense. It also helps to organize and manage IT departments. The biggest factor in its favor is that ITIL has been implemented in various parts of the world and has been proved to work.

That being said, it also has its own disadvantages. While ITIL does start to get everyone speaking the same language, its language/terminology is far from complete because it only handles a very small area of IT.


Parts of its language/terminology conflict with other parts of IT's understanding of that language, such as how software developers view "Release Management" and "Configuration Management". This means implementing ITIL to the letter will cause instant conflict with other teams that already have such solutions in place, as part of their own best practice frameworks.


Most people overcomplicate the implementation of ITIL. People and enterprises that lack experience in ITIL tend to implement it one discipline at a time, trying to "scope" its implementation and make it simple. Anyone that has experience in implementing ITIL will tell you that this will lead to far more problems than it will solve. Expenses will be high. Disciplines will be incomplete and in many cases not implemented. Rollouts will take many years. Rollouts will take a great level of time, money, and energy. Tools will be incompatible to each other. Tools will naturally be antiquated as you move from the 1st discipline you rollout to the Nth, which might be years later.

Nevertheless, even with all these disadvantages, to quite a number of people, ITIL remains an excellent management tool. The regular updates, worldwide acceptance and the sheer longevity of the concept are enough to outweigh all its disadvantages.

What do you think?

Whoa. Not Bloomington Again!

Sometimes in recruiting you can sit on the sidelines predict and watch a train wreck happen.  Then follow the steam to its origin and ask the source, “Why?”  Why there were over a dozen different firms chasing the same role and no one able to fill it?  Why in the same forums on LinkedIn were these same agencies stepping all over each other trying to beat each other to the same pool of talent and still unable to fill the positions?  There must have been dozens of capable candidates out there in this rush to turn every stone that were left in the lurch. 

Sanity?

In the past few months while this Three Stooges like rush to no good end, was taking place some good candidates were disused.  The red flag has been waved and still some of the madness continues.  I guess a few have not even gotten the word that this search was called off for a bit.  While this craziness was going on I followed the mayhem up stream and spoke with the companies that sent the flotsam of requirements downstream to the waiting hands of all the sub agencies, creating the turbulence.  I was asked to throw in and at first I gave it some consideration but decided that throwing in would only cast my team among the lot already thrashing about.  So I took a seat once again on the sideline and answered calls for my help with a, “Désolé No Habla Englez”. A smart move was made by Cisco to call off the hounds and start fresh.  Wow that was a good call.

Green Flag

So here we are starting again.  I was asked to play a role now because my team has earned some credibility by saying “het” when called on so many times before to help the agencies spinning their wheels.  Now I can say, yes these roles are for Cisco and yes if you were mishandled before my team will help you get thru the dizziness you might have been treated to.  Provide a professional dose of Dramamine to help you regain your composure and queue back up for real this time.

Here’s the scoop on the roles:

In Illinois;

PM: Contract to perm (red badge to blue) We need three of these.

Project Management experience in the deployment of leading edge technologies in a complex commercial environment.
Has completed significant part of formal Project Management training program. (Translation-PM Best Practices or PMI Training)
Has basic knowledge of routing, routing protocols, switching, internet and general network architecture.
Has leadership skills and experience working with large project teams and strategic account teams.
Has a working knowledge of the sales process including risk assessment and scoping.
Has a good understanding of the legal issues with contracts and has advanced negotiation and presentation skills.
Typically requires BS/BA degree or equivalent plus 4-5 years related experience in networking / telecommunications industry or min 4-5 years managing LAN and/or WAN network implementation and support PLUS 2-3 years in a Clearly defined Project Management role. Project plan and schedule creation, ability to balance multiple critical tasks.
Advanced Negotiation, Communication and presentation skills.
Ability to work independently in remote customer sites.

Responsibilities:

Manages medium to large or multiple small customer facing projects.
Creation of a project schedule and plan with financial, resource and material requirements.
Participates in the preparation of proposals and agreements.
Oversees project staff including project engineers, vendors, partners and subcontractors.
Manages the project from start to completion including the resolution of project issues.

NCE: Contract to perm (red badge to blue) We need 14 of these.

Expertise in Cisco UCC Technology (UCCE, CVP, IPIVR) and UC Platform required.
* CCIE Voice (LOL-Preferred but not required)
* Knowledgeable of Advanced Services Program model deliverables (we can explain this) and expectations. Be able to articulate value-add to Customer.
* Leading edge technology design assistance for primary accounts.
* Cross-functional contribution and impact with development engineering on product development and serviceability design.
* Excellent consulting and communication skills.
* Excellent Multi-Vertical Market Industry Education, Exposure and Experience. Leverages Vertical Market Industry analysis documentation.
* Continuously pursuing an accomplished expertise level for selected technology.
* Excellent understanding of customer network infrastructure business goals and objectives and apply this knowledge to influence customer and Cisco success.
* Excellent understanding of the customer Change Mgmt process and positive or negative impact towards achieving desired goals.
* Excellent understanding of customer overarching Governance, Standards, Policies and Practices.
* Excellent understanding of the customer formal/informal culture.
* Excellent time management skills. Able to manage required workload schedule, actively offer assistance to other team members or groups on selected emerging technologies.
* Strong understanding of all chosen current technologies and good understanding of emerging technologies.
* Excellent technical account management skills.
* Advanced technical project management skills.
* Strong technical presentation skills to all levels, especially to Cisco and customer senior management.
* Strong communications skills that must be both verbal and media based.
* Demonstrated team leadership.
* Travel Required

So welcome back to sanity and if you would like to work for a world class organization that has helped many geeks build their careers with some great enterprise expertise, you really need to put you trust in our team at CCIE Agent, Limited. 

Send resume to eman@ccieflyer.com and lets talk!