Simple, complex and difficult

IT system lifecycle management (the discipline to which this blog is dedicated) is simple, complex and difficult.

ITSLM is simple in the sense that its principles can be explained easily.

ITSLM is a collection of techniques for identifying and controlling the development and operation of all the component parts of an IT system. This includes the entire lifecycle from conception through to retirement, and covers all aspects of the system including its documentation, software, hardware, infrastructure and all the processes and procedures necessary to ensure their efficient management.

ISTLM is complex because IT systems are growing larger and more complex in their make-up.

Individual services are made up from multiple systems, provided through multiple channels, to geographically and demographically divers users, through infrastructure that may be controlled by your organisation and others. Not only are systems increasingly complex but the method by which they are developed and operated are increasingly complex. Some services are supported by in-house developed and operated systems, others by systems developed in-house but operated by a service provided, others are supported by remove provisioning ('cloud' computing - a terrible catch-all phrase), and all manner of other combinations. These all result in highly complex systems with both technical interdependencies and contractual entanglements.

ITSLM is difficult in part because of the complexity, but mainly because many different people and organisations are involved.

People, and organisations, have their own motivations and agenda. ITSLM is often a discipline of mediation between differing, and sometimes conflicting, motives and agenda.

Where to start?

I have been considering my options as to what to put on this blog. It's tougher than I thought because almost every topic I considered could be written about for many, many pages and the danger of writing only a series of short blog post is that the reader - that's you - could easily take away an incomplete message if the whole series of posts were not read together.

Then I thought, "You're being unfair to your readers. They're smart people. So long as you make it clear posts are part of a series they'll get it." So, I'm going to post that way, some short posts but plenty of themed series.

I can hear you all now thinking "but what themes Mark? What pearls of wisdom do you have to cast?" Many my children, many. :) Here are a few thoughts that I will be investigating in this blog.

• Simplicity in organisational process and how organisations get this horribly wrong, and why, and how to fix it.
• Version control; especially version control trees and a language for describing them. How directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are useful. How the mathematics of DAGs might help. Where DAGs break down in software configuration management (SCM) and what you might be able to do about it.
• Why ITIL, CoBIT, CMMII and their ilk are both a blessing and a curse.
• How to make the business case for IT systems management, including; configuration, change, release, build, problem, and defect management.
• How to create a powerful and flexible build farm using virtual appliances. The advantages of a virtual build farm. How to automate builds.
• SCM; where people go wrong. How to avoid being one of those people.
• Changing culture; one of the biggest problems faced by anyone trying to introduce systems management into an organisation is cultural inertia. How can you overcome this tendency to 'keep doing the same thing', especially when you have direct authority over the people who need to change?

Well, that's just a few random topics that spring to mind. I'll be adding others as they come up, in the meanwhile I'll be trying to write at least one post a week. I will try to keep these blog post short(ish) and informal. When I find time I will be adding supporting information, or more formal presentation, at http://www.principia-it.co.uk and linking there from this blog.

Good luck with your own efforts.