Multi-Platform-Inclusive IT Optimization Assessment Methodology

Project and Program: Enterprise Data Center, Integrating Innovative Technologies

Tags: Proceedings, 2012, SHARE in Atlanta 2012

Choice choices choices.

 

 

It is great having choices.  Choices are the harvest of competition, driving innovation and price/performance (and we all want that!).

But making choices in the vast - complex - fast moving technology and business space that is "IT" is difficult and inefficient and all too often ineffective.  The results of ill-made choices can have long lasting dire effects including failed projects, blown budgets, delayed timelines, and worse (i.e. careers veering off course).

In this presentation, our speaker will suggest an approach for making IT decisions that is architectural-based, requirements-oriented, and platform-inclusive. Our speaker's suggested approach has three parts:

(1) A suggested taxonomy for depicting (i.e. drawing) an application architecture including its code (and data components), the containers (where the code runs), the connectors (communications between containers), and platforms (hardware and hypervisors) ... cognizant of application tiers AND application development lifecycle stages

(2) A "local-factors"-based requirements analysis of leading architectural options (derived in step (1)) resulting in a requirements scorecard providing a relativistic rating of the architected options.  Requirements are solicited from the varied and multiple viewpoints of a project (architects, developers, engineers, operations, etc. ... these "local people" provide the facts and information that are the "local factors").

(3) A "TCO"-based analysis, creating a technically-sound and requirements-equitable cost of ownership scorecard for the top-rated architecture options (derived from step (2)).

The result of the approach is the derivation of decision-making artifacts including understandable architectural diagrams, a requirements scorecard, and a cost scorecard, wherein the information required to assess the "best fit" (the best "choice") is brought together in an "inclusive" manner (inclusive of all viable architectural elements, AND inclusive of all local-factor-based requirements). Montgomery Bauman, IBM Corporation

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