SWOT Analysis ( Mind the Gap series 10 of 10)

I’ll conclude today by looking at how the reports shown in my previous blogs translate in to a SWOT analysis.

The Strengths-Weaknesses – Opportunities – Threats (SWOT) for each site is entirely local.

In this case, there are the skills, expertise and tools available, but resources are stretched across so many machines that matters are essentially ad hoc or reactive at best.  This is compounded by the project culture which does not encourage good infrastructure-wide processes.

The highlights of a study are site specific and need to be aimed at the management to try to establish a path forward, the highlights in this case were assessed as :

The summary below tries to identify the key items to address in the roadmap.  For each strategic target, tactical activities are identified.

The next move is suggestions for some immediate next steps, to help focus the management team on practical solutions to address the worst of the gaps in the current process.

AHR Next steps = Review and improve:

      •          Current Infrastructure processes and interactions

•          All 16 CMP Good Practice checklists in detail

•          Real benefits of VMware program

•          Pilot prototypes on top 2 services per domain:

–        CDB

–        Performance reports

–        Performance patterns and thresholds

–        Performance analyses and trends

–        Capacity plans

•          Pilot prototypes on top 2 servers per domain

–        Workload characterization

–        Workload forecast scenarios

–        Resultant resource demand scenarios

This next piece relates back to the original maturity review and suggests current levels of implementation of the main ITIL capacity management objectives.  It then adds a suggested target level after an agreed project to address them, with some notes and caveats.

Over this series I’ve indicated the findings for five sites and discussed two of them in more detail, showing a sample selection of reports for one of them. 

The same approach and extended set of checklists can be used for every site, but the factors that make each site different will apply to a gap analysis project too, so every study will have its own character. 

I hope I’ve given you an appreciation with my couple of examples and if you’ve got any questions feel free to ask. Don't miss our webinar this afternoon 'Demystifying z/OS Capacity Management for Distributed Planners', there's still time to register 
http://www.metron-athene.com/services/training/webinars/index.html

Adam Grummitt

Distinguished Engineer

Footnote: Adam's book "Capacity Management: Best Practice (ITSM Library)" is available online and in book stores http://www.amazon.co.uk/Capacity-Management-Best-Practice-Library/dp/9087535198/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335950364&sr=1-1