by Jan D. Vromant - Published 09 August 2004

(Note: a new feature presentation will be on this page from time to time)

Part 1 of 5 - Capacity Management and Business Requirements

In March 2003, I was training some Pemex1 executives in IT Service Management in Mexico City. I found out that they were in the middle of their IT budget exercise. They told me that the Pemex budget is consolidated by April, because it has to be approved by the Mexican Senate. I asked the participants if they were aware of the Pemex strategic plans for 2004. “No, that comes later ...”, was the answer. My obvious follow-up question was, "How can you possibly make a coherent IT budget if you are not aware of the strategic needs and requirements of the business?"

A major car manufacturer's marketing group figured that a great television advertisement during the Superbowl would really increase the visibility of a particular brand. Because of confidentiality concerns, the marketing people did not inform the IT people ahead of time. The day of the Superbowl, the TV ad was indeed great. However, the ensuing hits on the web site of that automobile brand started to come in at a rate of more than 50 times the normal volume. The web servers and the routers buckled under the heavy loads, and failed. The ensuing yelling and accusations of ‘sabotage’ and ‘incompetence’ were not the signs of a happy family.

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• Capacity Management and Business Requirements • Missing Link • Cascade • ITIL • Commitment, Planning, and Belief •

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1 Petroleos Mexicanos - national oil company of Mexico