ITIL® and Me

I’ve read/heard so much information about Cloud Computing vs. ITIL that it’s an understatement in saying that this is a “hot topic.”  In fact, this discussion thread may be hotter even the iPhone vs. Android debate (which I ignore because I have a Blackberry and will be unfailingly loyal to them…until the iPhone comes out for Verizon or there’s a good CDMA/GSM Android phone).  Anyway, I’m ready to give my opinion on this topic, and not just because I want this post Tweeted to just about everyone that reads #itil or #itsm hashes.  Without further adieu, here goes…

When it comes to Cloud Computing vs. ITIL I think people are missing the big, and obvious, fact that Cloud Computing is a technology while ITIL is a framework.  Maybe I’m just simple-minded, but what’s all the argument about?  Ok, so Cloud Computing (CC from now on, since I hate to type) means that servers and infrastructure changes can be deployed rapidly and the engineers will hate Change Management.  So what?  Engineers have always hated Change Management and the (sometimes) rigid framework known as ITIL.  But since ITIL is a framework, changes can be made to incorporate this technology, just like it needs to be able to work with DevOps or social networking.  And as usual, not every single process or policy in ITIL needs to be implemented.  It’s a collection of “good practice” that doesn’t, and isn’t, perfect for everyone.  My opinion is that CC fantastic and even though it’s still rising on the hype curve, it’s something that is here to stay in IT.  So ITIL’ers – get used to it.  CC champions – Change Management is a good thing so quit complaining.  I mean really, can’t we all just get along?

I was reading another interesting blog post from the IT Skeptic (I wish I could write like that) and he pointed out that really less than 5% of companies are able to successfully implement a CMDB.  If you read a little more on this topic you’ll find that the IT Skeptic pretty much holds the position that not everyone, in fact only about 5%, need a working CMDB and that it’s about time vendors move on the “greener pastures” of a Service Catalogue and auto-provisioning.  I’m definitely a proponent for keeping costs down and working with what is needed as opposed to living in the delusion of a perfect IT World, but I really can’t let go of liking the idea of a CMDB.  To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever let go of keeping in mind the “perfect” IT environment and here’s why:  Do you remember Ben Franklin?  You know, that bald-headed guy that not only flew a kite into a lightning storm but also invented bifocals, a very efficient stove, lightning rod, and was a major contributor to the American Revolution (sorry Brits) as well as a contributing author for the U.S. Constitution.  If you read about him you’ll find that he did a lot in his life.  Much more than I will ever even think about doing.  One fact I enjoy about Ben is that he really was what we’d call a perfectionist (take a look at http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l3_wit_self.html).  He held himself to standards of “moral perfection” that in reality was something that no one, not even Franklin, could fully attain.  However, Ben Franklin still practiced reaching perfection every day of his life.  In fact he even came up with 13 virtues that he listed in a book and if you read the PBS article you’ll find that after practicing a virtue for a week, he’d evaluate himself before moving to the next.  When he completed practicing all 13 virtues, he’d start all over again.  How about that – someone in the 1700’s practicing what Deming wrote about 200 years later.  My point to bring up Franklin, CSI and the CMDB together in this blog post is to 1) point out the need for CSI and 2) show that the CMDB has an importance that goes beyond a practical sense.  ITIL may have a lot of ideas that seem too impractical, but it also prevents a self-improving IT organization from ever getting to the point of “what do we do next?”