Use of Microsoft Sharepoint for Configuration Management in It Organizations
Use of Microsoft SharePoint for Configuration Management in IT Organizations
In the contemporary business marketplace, the requirement for a technology-based system to provide the tools for global organizations to archive and manage information has become an increasingly present issue. The use of a corporate-wide portal, supported by a collaborative, content management platform, provides an Information Management System (IMS) that culminates organizational information and intellectual capital, document storage, and collaborative workspaces into a single resource, accessible through a centralized portal interface (Microsoft, 2006, p. 14).
Configuration Management (CM) encompasses the management of requirements, production, testing, technical documentation, and organizational processes during the lifecycle of a software system’s development. Within Information Technology (IT) organizations, CM defines a series of systematic controls for changes and developments to the software system, which ensure the integrity and traceability of the environment and software configuration throughout the development lifecycle. The CM process is a culmination of activities and support from each level of the organization, ensuring compliance with all applicable standards and guidelines for software development and production.
Figure 1. Overview of Configuration and Change Management Process
Integral to effective employment of CM processes is collaboration amongst the following cross-functional Teams: CM, Information Assurance (IA), and Software/Systems Administration (SA). The use of Microsoft® SharePoint® Services supports and promotes the necessary collaborative environment and interoperability throughout these often geographically-dispersed Teams (SharePoint, 2009). For the CM Team, SharePoint provides the resources for asset and inventory management, change management, and management of the applications and of security updates under the purview of CM. In concert, the IA
In the contemporary business marketplace, the requirement for a technology-based system to provide the tools for global organizations to archive and manage information has become an increasingly present issue. The use of a corporate-wide portal, supported by a collaborative, content management platform, provides an Information Management System (IMS) that culminates organizational information and intellectual capital, document storage, and collaborative workspaces into a single resource, accessible through a centralized portal interface (Microsoft, 2006, p. 14).
Configuration Management (CM) encompasses the management of requirements, production, testing, technical documentation, and organizational processes during the lifecycle of a software system’s development. Within Information Technology (IT) organizations, CM defines a series of systematic controls for changes and developments to the software system, which ensure the integrity and traceability of the environment and software configuration throughout the development lifecycle. The CM process is a culmination of activities and support from each level of the organization, ensuring compliance with all applicable standards and guidelines for software development and production.
Figure 1. Overview of Configuration and Change Management Process
Integral to effective employment of CM processes is collaboration amongst the following cross-functional Teams: CM, Information Assurance (IA), and Software/Systems Administration (SA). The use of Microsoft® SharePoint® Services supports and promotes the necessary collaborative environment and interoperability throughout these often geographically-dispersed Teams (SharePoint, 2009). For the CM Team, SharePoint provides the resources for asset and inventory management, change management, and management of the applications and of security updates under the purview of CM. In concert, the IA
References: Bogue, Robert. (2008). Managing code when customizing SharePoint. Intranet Journal, 1-3. Retrieved from http://www.intranetjournal.com/articles/200806/ij_06_09_08a.html Microsoft® communication and collaboration: working together in the new world of work. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F38AD00F-ED59-4411-BD9B-1E438DD5CC6B&displaylang=en Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Dashboard. (2010). Retrieved from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff369719.aspx What is SharePoint? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/Pages/Default.aspx