network inventory program

Planning is based on the management of change requests. Whenever a new request comes in, it needs to be reviewed, analyzed and then, if it’s a request for a service not already covered in the existing network inventory program, prepared appropriately. The preparation involves the design of a proper architecture for the service, one that fits within existing global or enterprise architectural orientations. A better understanding of the service can be achieved through functional testing.

Next comes the preparation of the service for delivery to the network. This phase is focused on certification of the new service. This involves a refinement of the architecture, detailing how the service is to be installed and used, followed by installation and configuration packaging to automate the process. Here, a strong emphasis is placed on service cohabitation—cohabitation and perhaps collaboration with all of the existing services in the network inventory program. Once again, the service undergoes thorough testing, including deployment testing through a pilot project or a proof of concept if the testing can be done in a smaller scale. Once all tests are complete and results are documented, the service is deployed.