Software
Which is the Integration ITIL (Information Technology Infraestructure Library) with QA & QC about:
- Configuration Management
- Change Management
- Release Management
by rbermudez
The IT Infrastructure Library, ITIL (?), is a series of documents that are used to aid the implementation of a framework for IT Service Management (ITSM). This framework defines how Service Management is applied within specific organisations. Being a framework, it is completely customisable for application within any type of business or organisation that has a reliance on IT infrastructure.
This directory is intended to serve as a start point for your ITIL/ITSM needs. Whether you are entirely new to the topic, or whether you are a seasoned practitioner, you should hopefully find something of value. The ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) consists of 6 sets: Service Support; Service Delivery; Planning to Implement Service Management; ICT Infrastructure Management; Applications Management; The Business Perspective.
Although the UK Government created the ITIL, it is rapidly being adopted across the world as the standard for best practice in the provision of IT Service. Although the IT Infrastructure Library covers a number of areas, its main focus is on IT Service Management (ITSM).
IT Service Management (ITSM) itself is generally divided into two main areas, Service Support and Service Delivery. Together, these two areas consist of 10 disciplines that are responsible for the provision and management of effective IT services.
Service Support is the practice of those disciplines that enable IT Services to be provided effectively. The 5 Service Support disciplines are:
Configuration Management
Incident Management
Problem Management
Change Management
Service/Help Desk
Release Management
(continued..)
Configuration Management is the implementation of a database (Configuration Management Database – CMDB) that contains details of the organisation’s elements that are used in the provision and management of its IT services. This is morethan just an ‘asset register’, as it will contain information that relates to the maintenance, movement, and problems experienced with the Configuration Items.
The CMDB also holds a much wider range of information about items that the organisation’s IT Services are dependant upon. This range of information includes:
Hardware
Software
Documentation
Personnel
Configuration Management essentially consists of 4 tasks:
Identification – this is the specification, identification of all IT components and their inclusion in the CMDB.
Control – this is the management of each Configuration Item, specifying who is authorised to ‘change’ it.
Status – this task is the recording of the status of all Configuration Items in the CMDB, and the maintenance of this information.
Verification – this task involves reviews and audits to ensure the information contained in the CMDB is accurate.
(continued..)
Change Management is the practice of ensuring all changes to Configuration Items are carried out in a planned and authorised manner. This includes ensuring that there is a business reason behind each change, identifying the specific Configuration Items and IT Services affected by the change, planning the change, testing the change, and having a backout plan should the change result in an unexpected state of the Configuration Item.
IT Security must be embedded into the change management process to ensure that all changes have been assessed for risks. This will include assessing the potential business impacts should the change produce undesired results.
If Change Management procedures are not effective, this may result in unauthorised changes to IT Services, which could have major impacts on the business, including financial loss, customer loss, market loss, litigation, and in the worse case scenario, even collapse of the business that the IT Services are there to support.
Release Management:
This discipline of IT Service Management is the management of all software configuration items within the organisation. It is responsible for the management of software development, installation and support of an organisation’s software products.
Software is often not regarded as a tangible asset because of its intangible nature, which results in it not being effectively controlled. There can be several versions of the same software within the organisation, and there can also be unlicensed and illegal copies of externally provided software.
(continued..)
The practice of effective Software Control & Distribution involves the creation of a Definitive Software Library (DSL), into which the master copies of all software is stored and from here its control and release is managed. The DSL consists of a physical store and a logical store. The physical store is where the master copies of all software media are stored. This tends to be software that has been provided from an external source. The logical store is the index of all software and releases,versions, etc. highlighting where the physical media can be located. The logical store may also be used for the storage of software developed within the organisation.
SC&D procedures include the management of the software Configuration Items and their distribution and implementation into a production environment. This will involve the definition of a release programme suitable for the organisation, the definition of how version control will be implemented, and the procedures surrounding how software will be built, released and audited.
All three of the key areas of IT Security (Availability, Confidentiality, and Integrity) can be exposed as a direct result of inadequate software control and distribution. If software changes are badlymanaged and not fully tested, this can lead to problems if these changes reach the production environment by causing services to be unavailable. In addition, unauthorised software modifications can lead to fraud, viruses, and malicious damage to data files.
For these and other reasons, it is important that SC&D procedures are fully reviewed by a security assessment, to ensure that appropriate counter measures are in place to reduce the threats described above.
(continued..)
The preceding came from the organization's Web Site, "The ITIL and ITSM Directory"
http://www.itil-itsm-world.com/
(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)
There is aditional information and additional links as well.
----------
Developing quality software means much more than producing defect-free code. It involves techniques to evaluate needs, build in quality, and assess the degree of success.
QC - Quality Control:
Software quality includes activities related to the product and to the process. They evaluate the product, identify weaknesses and suggest improvements. The product may be changed as a direct result of these activities. Testing and reviews are examples of QC activities since they usually result in changes to the product, not the process. QC activities are often the starting point for quality assurance (QA) activities.
QA - Quality Assurance:
QA activities focus on the actual development process. The process evaluation results in suggested improvements and changes to processes. Audits are an example of a QA activity which looks at whether and how the process is being followed. The end result may be suggested improvements or better compliance with the process.
QC, Quality Control, is aboutthe product.
QA, Quality Assurance, is about the work process.
Good luck,
Maxwell
by rbermudez
by xgenius
by rbermudez
This discussion is closed to new replies.
Sort by Trending