Performance = Revenue, Capacity = Costs

We industry professionals would do well to remember that in collaboration, our work as a team is often counteracting each other.  I sat in one meeting recently between two SAP Architects and the Data Centre manager.  The Architects main focus was on delivering the next project on time, and with good performance.  The Data Centre manager was under pressure to cut costs.  (Essentially, this classic struggle is often the reason for virtualization programmes).

To regain our balance, we must for a while think like a CFO - and get the biggest picture.  What does this mean?  It means, we must balance performance and risk against controlling and managing expenditure.  IT Services will make or save the organisation money - but balancing that against cost is an imperitive for the CFO. 


Why isn't this imperitive more pressing?  Well, the answer is - that it is - to the CIO.  He's under pressure to cut or contain costs, whilst continuing to deliver acceptable service quality - and find buget for new projects.  However, don't underestimate the complexity of this challenge.  Often times the CIO is struggling to get to grips with the finances of his operations, and his headache is getting worse with the competing perspectives coming out of his team. 

This is where Financial & Capacity Management can help
By combining (1) a thorough understanding of IT asset utilization against (2) service portfolio and configuration and (3) financials of operating capacity we can help the CIO to reduce overheads, whilst maintaining critical IT capacity and service performance. 

What does this mean?

It's a new level of maturity. 
It's not ITIL Capacity Management. 
It's not ITIL Financial Management. 
It's not Performance Engineering. 
It's combining all these disciplines to help the CIO - and the CFO make some sense of the world, and answering those key questions - "am I getting value for money out of my IT services?"


 
Is it hard to achieve?
Of course it depends.  But it needn't be hard.  Odds on, all the data already exists in your environment.  Correlating it and cormalising it can deliver huge value to the right Decision Makers - and can help release more money for those exciting innovations!

What's the first step?
Audit your data quality, and your supporting ITSM processes.  Forge links between key processes and individuals.  You can start small.  For training and advice - click www.limsol.com