ISEB MANAGER S CERTIFICATE IN ITIL INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT. Guidelines for candidates who are taking the ICT Infrastructure Examination

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1 ISEB MANAGER S CERTIFICATE IN ITIL INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT Guidelines for candidates who are taking the ICT Infrastructure Examination This qualification is based on ITIL Infrastructure Management as described in the IT Infrastructure Library, ITIL Best Practice for ICT Infrastructure Management book. The qualification also covers Related technical topics that support the Service Management Lifecycle. Inter-dependencies between these topics and ITIL Best Practice for Infrastructure Management. Inter-dependencies between these and other ITIL processes, including those defined in the ITIL Best Practice for Service Support and Service Delivery, Application Management and Business Perspective books. 1. EXAMINATION OBJECTIVES AND GUIDELINES What you need to know before taking the examination Candidates who wish to take the ITIL Infrastructure Management Manager s Certificate examination will have the technical and management competence to provide the business and technical justification and advice required to apply the ITIL ICT Infrastructure Management guidance to different types of organization. Candidates will have significant knowledge of the management, development and operation of current and emerging information and communication technologies. Candidates will have a technical and management understanding of the: goals and scope; the technologies, the processes; the inputs, activities and deliverables; the potential benefits, costs and possible problems; the key roles and responsibilities; the internal and external interfaces and the tools, tasks and techniques to support the processes. More specifically, candidates will know how to: Identify, plan, design, develop / procure, deploy, operate and enhance the ICT Management Processes. Evaluate tools, resources, technologies and organizational desires so that best value is delivered from proposed and actual ICT investments and the associated components and services. Define, develop and deploy the associated strategies, architectures, tools, techniques, relationships, roles, responsibilities, deliverables and dependencies that are impacted by, and impact on, ICT Infrastructure Management so that continuous improvements are delivered. Apply the concepts of the four major processes of ITIL Infrastructure Management (including the related ICT Infrastructure Management strategies and practices as required by the Programme, Project, Application, Service and Business Management areas) to different types of organisations and businesses. ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 1 of 6

2 The following narrative describes some of the areas which are examinable; it is a guide only and is not intended to cover all potentially examinable areas. ICT Infrastructure Management key concepts 1. Evaluate an ICT Infrastructure Management strategy and define the major objectives and responsibilities of each of the ICT IM supporting processes; (Administration; Design and Planning; Deployment; Operation and Technical Support) and the major links to the business, product and service life cycle, 2. Describe the concept of management domains (including the environmental domain) and readiness assessments. 3. Identify the key objectives, processes, deliverables, roles and responsibilities of the Service Delivery, Service Support and Application Management areas and assess their potential contribution to ICT Infrastructure Management. 4. Provide advice on how the ICT Infrastructure Manager can help deliver enhanced performance from ICT Infrastructure Management and the Service Lifecycle. 5. Demonstrate evidence of technical understanding of current IT infrastructures and their components. Programme and Project Management The support of the technical aspects of ICT infrastructure Management 1. Describe the role of the ICT Manager and define the contribution he/she can make as a key member of the programme, project and business change management team or board. 2. Define and agree critical success factors for infrastructure requirements to ensure they support the organization s ICT infrastructure blueprints and related architectures and services as appropriate for different business scenarios and cultures. 3. Propose strategies (business, process, communications and technical) that will help to establish, maintain, co-ordinate and optimise internal and external technically focused ICT projects. 4. Create plans showing the key processes and work programmes (including activities, dependencies, deliverables, risks and countermeasures) required to ensure successful completion of ICT infrastructure projects. 5. Propose frameworks required for resource scheduling; business priority and alignment; risk assessment and options selection processes. 6. Identify staffing implications, define the roles and responsibilities and justify recruitment and training needs for full or part time internal and external sources. Design and Plan To develop and maintain ICT strategies, policies, plans, architectures and frameworks Summarize the basic concepts of ITIL Infrastructure Management Design and Planning process including the goals and scope; the inputs; activities and deliverables; the potential benefits, costs and possible problems; the key roles and responsibilities; the internal and external interfaces and the tools and techniques to support the processes. More specifically candidates will be able to: 1. Describe the major inputs and processes that are required to develop ICT policies, plans and strategies that are aligned to the business. 2. Demonstrate the importance of: aligning ICT and business goals. managing ICT needs. acquiring and retaining the right resources. managing the supply chain and other governance requirements. ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 2 of 6

3 evaluating their importance in underpinning the operation of the business. 3. Construct a robust Business Case for changing an ICT infrastructure and describe how ICT policies; standards; strategies; architectures and ICT plans will support the business case and eventual service improvement plans. each deliverable is used to help ensure the delivered solution meets functional and non-functional requirements. the contents required for a D and P business and technical case may be derived and developed. 4. Describe how the key Infrastructure, business, environmental, security, process, sourcing and other related ICT design philosophies, considerations, tools and techniques can be applied in a due diligence process. to establish best options within a selection of ICT supplier project. standard procurement processes will help to identify the tasks, risks and coping strategies when selecting external suppliers. typical techniques; tools; technologies and agreed Management methods and systems can help to support the business and technical strategy and reduce the Cost of Ownership (TCO) of ICT. 5. Identify staffing implications, define the roles and responsibilities and justify recruitment and training needs for full or part time internal and external sources for people involved with the IT or ICT Steering Group (ISG or ICTSG); ICT Planner; Architect and others as may be required. 6. Describe how the ICT Management and Service Delivery and Support processes and function contribute to the Design and Planning process; recognise the role that corporate, business and application management play. 7. Compare and contrast proposed solutions from the design and plan stage showing the appropriate benefits, costs and possible problems with appropriate reduction and exploitation strategies. Deployment of ICT solutions Implementation and rolling out of the business and/or ICT solution as designed and planned, with a minimum disruption to the operations of the business processes. The candidate should be able to Summarize the basic concepts of the ITIL Infrastructure Management Deployment process including the goals and scope; the inputs; activities and deliverables; the potential benefits, costs and possible problems; the key roles and responsibilities; the internal and external interfaces and the tools and techniques to support the processes. More specifically candidates will be able to: 1. Describe how the deployment process links into program and project management processes to ensure the successful delivery of Infrastructure changes into the live environment. 2. Identify the competencies and major responsibilities for Deployment Management including those involved with projects (initiation; management planning; control and closure); team; risk; quality; transition and knowledge management. Be able to apply these in central and globally decentralised organisations. 3. Describe how key staff involved in the deployment phase including the deployment process owner, deployment co-ordinator, deployment analyst, and deployment manager/project manager should contribute to a successful deployment. 4. Describe the contribution expected from the following groups in the deployment phase: Configuration, Change, Release and Service Desk Management Design and Plan, Operations, Technical Support Application, HR, Quality, Security and Supplier Management ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 3 of 6

4 5. Justify how and why the major processes, dependencies and deliverables involved in Deployment are applied in a successful roll-out, including those associated with: Projects (Frameworks) Design phase (function; process; organization and technical design) Developing a working environment (development; testing; acceptance and production) Build phase (ICT Infrastructure; standardisation; integration; documentation; training) Acceptance Testing (methods; functional tests non-functional tests; documentation) Metrics; (configuration; change; reporting) Rollout (strategy; communications; training; tests; execution; after care) Plans for Tools Technologies and Techniques 6. Describe the purpose, derivation and contents of key documents including those associated with communications; building; accommodation; transfer of undertakings; security; health and safety; SLA/ OLA; Contracts. 7. Compare, contrast and justify proposed deployment solutions showing the appropriate benefits, costs and possible problems with appropriate reduction and exploitation strategies. Operations All activities and measures to enable and/or maintain the intended use of the ICT infrastructure. 1. Summarize the basic concepts of the ITIL Infrastructure Management Operations process, including the goals and scope; the inputs; activities and deliverables; the potential benefits, costs and possible problems; the key roles and responsibilities; the internal and external interfaces and the tools and techniques to support the processes. More specifically candidates will be able to: 2. Plan, design and implement basic monitoring and control mechanisms and processes as applicable within an operational environment. 3. Understand the concepts of managed objects and domains and their relationships to configuration management. 4. Describe how an operational bridge works; explain the relevance of inputs such as OLA; SLA and UC to the bridge. 5. Evaluate the Operations Management function with particular reference to: event management (all elements). all activities involved in operational control and management of services; components and configurations such as workload; output; resilience; testing management and scheduling (major components). Storage Backup management and recovery; security monitoring and control; management of the supporting processes. analysis and reporting of availability, capacity and performance for the early warning or prediction of problems. 6. Provide selection and evaluation criteria for typical integrated tools, technologies and techniques including those dealing with systems and network management, environmental management, service, application and database management, diagnostics, configuration, accounting, testing, tuning, storage, backup, performance and service management. 7. Identify staffing implications, including new roles and responsibilities of staff directly involved in operations (including Operations / Shift Management, Administration and Analysis staff). ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 4 of 6

5 8. Compare, contrast and justify proposed operations management approaches showing the appropriate benefits, costs and possible problems with appropriate reduction and exploitation strategies. Technical Support Skills and knowledge for the provision of technical support process for the evaluation; proofing of all new ICT infrastructure solutions and the support of all existing ICT infrastructure. Summarize the basic concepts of the ITIL Infrastructure Management Technical Support process, including the goals and scope; the inputs, activities and deliverables; the potential benefits, costs and possible problems; the key roles and responsibilities; the internal and external interfaces and the tools and techniques to support the processes. More specifically candidates will be able to: 1. Formulate plans to help develop Technical support as a centre of excellence dealing with Research and Development, Supplier Management, Testing, Third line support and Continuous Service Improvement. 2. Identify staffing implications including new roles and responsibilities for the Technical Support analyst; Technical Support Team Member. 3. Describe the key inputs, processes and deliverables associated with Technical Planning including those dealing with planning for infrastructure changes, network management, performance management, quality assurance, investigations, Facilities Management, Service Management, Design and Planning, Deployment, and Operations processes. 4. Compare, contrast and justify proposed Technical Support approaches showing the appropriate benefits, costs and possible problems with appropriate reduction and exploitation strategies. Implementing ICT IM All activities and measures to enable and/or maintain the intended use of the ICT infrastructure Summarize the basic concepts of the ITIL Infrastructure Management Implementation processes. More specifically candidates will be able to: 1. Initiate a vision, policy, implementation plan and strategy with supporting communications, technology and management architectures and associated cultures. 2. Plan the activities involved in implementing or upgrading an effective ICT IM process and function. 3. Advise on how enterprise management tools and process can help to break down technical and process "silos" so that ICT IM is implemented with least pain. 4. Monitor the operational and economic performance and continuous improvement of the function against appropriate targets. Realising the Benefits of ICT IM All activities and measures to exploit the benefits from the intended ICT infrastructure Summarize the basic concepts of benefits management. More specifically candidates will be able to: 1. Describe how tools such as Key Performance Indicators (KPI) or Critical Success Factors (CSF) can help to deliver continuous improvement. ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 5 of 6

6 2. THE EXAMINATION DAY During the three hour written examination candidates will demonstrate their Infrastructure Management competencies. There will be questions on management of the infrastructure, and the associated infrastructure and technologies. Candidates will need to demonstrate their technical knowledge and management understanding by showing how the related technologies, methods, strategies, policies, plans, processes, architectures, tools, skills, regulations and environment can contribute to and directly support the achievement of the goals of ITIL Infrastructure Management. The examination comprises a three hour (100 mark) written paper. 1. There are five questions, only four of which must be answered 2. Question 1 is compulsory, it is also worth forty potential marks 3. Questions 2 to 5 are worth twenty potential marks each; candidates therefore need to choose just three questions from the four choices provided by question 2 to 5 4. Candidates are permitted to refer to the ITIL Best Practice for ICT Infrastructure Management book and associated pocket guide during the examination. No other documentation will be allowed into the examination room. 5. The examination is based on a case study. The written answers are expected to make significant reference to this case study; you will not get full marks unless you refer to specific areas within the case study and provide appropriate technical and other examples as required 6. Candidates are allowed thirty minutes case study reading time before taking the written examination. This thirty minutes is reading/study time only; you are not allowed to write any notes during this time 7. All documents will be collected at the end of the examination; this includes examination answer papers, notes, question papers and case study. ITIL IM SyllObjGuide July 06 V2.0 Page 6 of 6