Q 1. What is IT Management?
Initial response: I think IT management is kind of way to manage information technology resources.
IT management discipline may be defined as the process by which all matters relating to information technology resources and operations are overseen or managed in relation to the needs and priorities of an organization. IT resources include both tangible aspects such as IT personnel, computers and networking hardware, and also intangible resources such as data and software. The task of IT management encompasses practices, policies, steps, strategies and procedures that are used to oversee the selection, implementation, application and maintenance of IT systems in various, but interrelated business environments. IT management practice is both an organizational and a business function. It does not merely mean technology installation and maintenance but rather involves the usage of technology in a manner that supports and transforms an organization.
IT ensures that each and every technological resource including associated employees is properly used in manners that add value to the organization, that is, the central objective of IT management is the generation of value through the application of technology. As such, efficient management of IT allows for resource optimization including staffing for improving communication and other business processes while also enforcing the best possible practices. In every IT-oriented organization, technology must perform, including being usable, functional and reliable. All these forms part of IT management, as it requires the combination of operational awareness, technical skills, management capabilities and business acumen. As such, these elements integrate to develop an actionable means and ways of IT management within various types of business circumstances and environments.
It is therefore, important to have individuals who demonstrate desirable abilities in areas such as strategic planning, resource allocation and leadership to work in IT management.
Initial response: IT manager is responsible for the overall performance of the electronic networks.
IT managers are purposely responsible for the planning, directing and coordinating functions that involve information and computer systems in an organization. They do more of managerial tasks with little hands-on jobs as they head their team in creating projects deemed beneficial to the IT infrastructure of an organization. This responsibility covers the installation and maintenance stretching from the hardware component to the software parts all through to networking in an organization. As such, IT managers supervise work station setups, necessary hardware linkages and how required software is loaded in every computer.
IT managers are responsible for the evaluation of the computer requirements in an organization as well as well as looking at things that can be done to improve the existing computer systems. Of course this particular function depends on the requirements of each and every organization. IT managers engage top company management and provide recommendations including potential upgrades. They are also tasked with identifying the viability of new projects by looking at their drawbacks and benefits. If then they see and feel the necessity of such new projects, they would provide reasons and convince the organizations to approve and fund those projects.
When the need for upgrading software arises, it is IT manages who are asked to oversee such upgrades. Furthermore, they are tasked with supplier negotiations including with other technological equipment and supplies vendors to ensure reception of the best pricing, servicing and support for the organization. As always, IT managers are never contented with just a single technology provider. They often extend their research on possible services and resource that can be used by their companies to improve their IT systems and consequently give their recommendations with regards to adoption and purchase.
One very crucial and key function of IT managers is about the security of the organization’s electronic information and data. They are responsible at seeing that data network security systems are updated and that every employee of the organization adheres to and follow the correct stipulated procedures while signing/logging in or accessing their respective accounts, especially while within the enterprise. Again, they keep themselves updated regarding latest technologies so that the organization’s data networks are equipped with effective, latest and the best security systems. To effectively manage this specific responsibility, IT managers are the ones who are tasked with setting up, monitoring and maintaining lockout programs, login passwords, and other procedures that reinforce security of the organization’s information systems. They equally provide users with network passwords and accounts whenever required.
Whenever there are security breaches, it is the work of IT managers to give advice to staff and management, and thereafter plan the appropriate and necessary course of action for regaining the security of the system. Instances requiring the need to dispose some organization’s hardware invite IT managers to ensure data and system stripping and security are done before disposal.
The responsibility of ensuring that every employee in an organization is conversant with the organization’s technological use rests within the job description of an IT manager. This aspect also includes the concern that technology is used responsibly. As such they are expected to familiarize and expose employees to the software, hardware and the network operating system. In essence, they train, existing staff and conduct orientations for new recruits. They are as well expected to respond to individual training or support requests from employees.
In addition to the above discussed general functions of IT managers, there are specific jobs of IT managers. However, the specific IT manages tasks varies depending on the type of managers that they are confined to. Chief information officers (CIFs), for instance, are the leading members of the entire technological strategic team of the organization. Alongside the other management team, CIOs formulate goals of the organization’s technology and ensure that they are implemented. The other It manager category would be the chief technology officers (CTOs) who, together with IT manager, evaluate new or latest technologies to see the possible benefits that they can bring to a company. Also, there is another category known as IT security officers (ITSOs) who take the the responsibility for ensuring that the network system of an organization always stay and remain secured. As such it is the IT security officers who formulate programs which aim at keeping employees informed regarding security threats while also head investigations whenever cases of security breaches are noted. Finally is the category referred to as IT directors who are tasked with the role of direct employee supervision. They are expected to find out system requirements and ensure that top-level management policies get implemented at the grassroots level. Additionally, IT directors perform administrative functions such as hiring and supervising the budget of the IT department.
Important to note is that not all organizations have or can afford CIOs, CTOs, ITSOs and/or IT directors. Fr example, smaller firms mostly have just the single type of It manager who performs and takes care of all the aspects of IT management in an organization as discussed above while larger firms have the capacity to have or afford all the above kinds of IT managers to purposely ensure that every part and aspect of the organization’s extended IT and computer systems receive proper attention.
There is yet another IT management role classified based on spanning hardware and software systems. In this case, for instance, a software-based IT development manager will oversee the aspects like software maintenance, upgrading, new inclusions and other bug fixes. Hardware-based IT managers, on the other hand, would be responsible for overseeing network authorization, firmware upgrades and system security.
