Cisco Managed Services Channel Program

[darmadan]

Hi,

I am interested if anybody has heard of the Cisco Managed Services Channel Program - MSCP. Some of the requirements are that the company has an ITIL Service Desk (NOC) and has some ITIL processes in place - in particular Incident, Problem, Configuration, Change & Release Mgmt.

We are currently pursuing this partnership and I am interested if anybody is acquainted with this - covering the requirements, the audit process etc.

I am the person here to develop and implement the processes. So far we're done with Incident and Problem, the others yet to come.

We do not have CMDB in place, and this is the most tough question for us - whether to purchaise an out-of-the-box solution, develop some kind of linkage between our databases - I mean the processes are in a very premature state and I am still reluctant to go with an expensive solution, but there is only 2 months till the Cisco audit.

Any thoughts and insight will be appreciated.

[Diarmid]

darmadan,

firstly, there is no such thing as an "ITIL Service Desk". So presumably there is a firm definition of what they mean by this.

Secondly, since your "processes are in a very premature state" trying to hastily attach "an out-of-the-box solution" is likely to be an expensive way of making things worse.

Design your processes to meet the requirements. The procedures you write will specify how and what you record where and how it is to be used based on whart is available to you.. Although it is extremely nice to have a central integrated CMDB. if you do not have the information in a usable state already, then you are probably not in business and you are certainly not going to have it done in two months, including the procurement process.

There is good chance of being in chaos if you try to do too much in the time and everything you rush will need to be redone at greater cost later. You should get more points from the audit if you can show a sound project plan with some bits done and some work-in-progress that proves you know what you are doing and that you are getting there, than from a hectic array of half-baked and poorly understood procedures based on a software solution that you are struggling to\ understand, never mind make it work for you.

When you do buy the software (or design it yourself) it has to be based on a clear understanding of what you want it to do in the context of your processes.
_________________
"Method goes far to prevent trouble in business: for it makes the task easy, hinders confusion, saves abundance of time, and instructs those that have business depending, both what to do and what to hope."
William Penn 1644-1718

[darmadan]

Hi,

First of, thank for the respond.

Of course there are detailed requirements. If you are interested PM me and can send them to you.

I'll keep up with the process development for now, as you advised, and leave the tool selection after we are fully aware of the tool requirements.

Cheers

[Diarmid]