IT Automation: The Quest for "Lights Out"

First edition; 190 pages ISBN: 0-13-013786-3 ( by:Howie Lyke with Debra Cottone )

IT Automation Preface Table Of Contents

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Data center automation in distributed environments: Practical advice and proven tools!

Everyone wants a “lights out” data center and infrastructure operation – but in an era of distributed, Internet-centered computing, that’s tougher to accomplish than ever. IT Automation: The Quest for Lights Out can get you remarkably close to the level that’s right for you. In this book, a leading IT consultant helps you define realistic goals for automating your IT data center and infrastructure, and then delivers a systematic, enterprise-level methodology that encompasses today’s best approaches to achieving those goals, from planning through deployment and management. Coverage includes:

• Analyzing your own operation to identify gaps and requirements for automation
• Designing IT automation: steps, operations, and key considerations
• Addressing the organizational and staffing challenges associated with data center and infrastructure automation
• Redefining your technical architecture and administrative processes for maximum efficiency
• Selling your IT automation plan throughout the organization
• Identifying post-deployment continuous improvement techniques for enhancing your “lights out” operation

IT Automation: The Quest for Lights Out contains all the hands-on resources you need to get results: sample project plans, process flows, IT org charts, and more. If you’re an IT executive, operations manager, consultant, or vendor seeking to enhance the value of enterprise data centers, this is the one book that will get you there.

About the Authors

Howie Lykeis a senior Principal for Change Technology Solutions, Inc., which provides leading edge services for midsize to Fortune 100 companies. He is co-author of Networking the New Enterprise (Prentice Hall PTR, 1997).

Debra Cottone is a consultant with over 20 years’ experience in communications, change management, and business development. She holds a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, where she is an adjunct faculty member.

			IT Automation The Quest for “Lights Out”: Data center automation in distributed environments.
			CIO Wisdom Best Practices from Silicon Valley’s Leading IT Experts
			IT Services Costs, Metrics, Benchmarking, and Marketing: Delighting IT customers: your real-world, start-to-finish guide
			CIO Wisdom II More Best Practices from Leading IT Experts
			IT Architecture Toolkit Less theoretical, more practical approach to developing and implementing enterprise architecture.
			IT People Doing More with Less. Best practices for managing the people within the IT organization.
			Data Warehousing Architecture and Implementation: A start-to-finish process for deploying successful data warehouses
			Building Professional Services The Sirens’ Song: A comprehensive guide to creating a professional services organization
			IT Problem Management The complete “best practices” guide to IT problem resolution.
			IT Organization Building a World-Class Infrastructure.
			IT Web Services A Roadmap for the Enterprise: Architectures, platforms, roles, business models, and deployment realities.
			Software Development Building Reliable Systems.
			IT Production Services Building Competitive Advantage: Describes one of the most important functions of an IT infrastructure
			Managing IT as an Investment Partnering for Success: Maximizing the value of technology—and the success of your IT organization.
			High Availability Design, Techniques and Processes: The complete how-to guide for maximizing availability of enterprise systems
			IT Systems Management Design, Implement, and Manage World-Class Infrastructures.
			Technology Strategies Managing technology, value, and change in the new economy.
			Web-Based Infrastructures A 4-D Framework: Maximize the value of your next Web-centered initiative.