Drawing the Line IT/IS

I am assuming IS stands dor Internet Services.

Actually it is more simpler then one can suppose: IT provides services and resources to IS, so IS is a client, a customer of IT, so the line must be established by the SLA between both. IS usually has its own resources, complemented with those provided by IT.

IT: provides infrastructural services and resources for the company and its units.

IS: provides information and services to the company customers.

I have saw this conflict before; usually, some IT director does not want lose its power on IT resources, or wants to impose his/hers own agenda on IS operations. It is important to establish IS as an Customers Relationship unit - more like sales, commercial or marketing area - and not a sub-section of IT. IS must have its own budget on resources, and autonomy on selecting the resources according to its needs - which is sometimes very diverse from the needs of a corporate-wide IT.

--Sedrez

This is how I would try to draw the line.

IS (Information Systems) or MIS (Management Information Systems) is generally concerned with computer systems, and can be thought of as incoporating software, people and processes (eg, processes for people using software to produce a business result). Information Technology is a broader category, that often includes IS/MIS, but also is concerned with many other aspects of technology, including infrastructure, security, hardware, software, asset management, data, communications, telephony, sometimes physical site security (related to IT assets or data). IT's scope of responsibility is also more likely to include vendor relations and management of service levels than IS's.

As a practical matter, I don't believe that many people clealry differentiate the two, and in common reading the terms are often used interchangably. IT is more the current vogue, as I think it acknowledges the growing role of managing physical assets (and their expenseand maintenance requirements) in a company's information enterprise. If both terms were to be used, I would assume IS/MIS would constitute a subset of IT, and would focus on software, particularly the solutions that solve that enterprise's specific and unique business needs. The overlap, however, prevents there from being a clear delineation in my mind. And certainly there is plenty of room for conflict in that area of overlap.

I hope this perspective helps.