The remit of the Strategy and Operations is to develop and manage the technical platform and operational ICT services, including all hardware, software, network installation, support and maintenance and to provide a single point of contact service centre for all customer ICT support and service requests. There are 4 broad elements to the service. These are:
Service Centre
The Service Centre is the single point of contact for all customer ICT requests for support, requests for change, advice and guidance and service requests. The Service centre comprises:
- The ICT Service Desk
- 2nd Line Support Team
- ICT Administration Services
- Members ICT Support Services
Platform
Encompasses servers, networks, data centres, backup, disaster recovery and hardware platform operations. Specific process related responsibilities reside in this team for release management of hardware related change, testing of hardware related infrastructure change, capacity management of the technical architecture and availability management of the hardware and data centres to ensure minimum system outages and downtime. This team is also responsible for ICT service delivery tasks and has a delivery team embedded into it for ICT hardware and infrastructure change and service requests.
Applications
Responsible for the support, maintenance and development of all software applications systems. This team has accountability for the validation of testing and release protocols for application and system changes. It also encompasses systems integrations, database administration, application interfaces and web development.
Asset and configuration Co-ordination
To manage and develop the Configuration Management Databases and systems which record the partnership Councils ICT assets. To ensure that information is accurate, up-to-date and fit for purpose and that effective processes and procedures are established and adhered to.
To be responsible for the effective management, control and protection of the software assets throughout all stages of their lifecycle ensuring that all software in use is compliant with appropriate internal policies, licensing agreements and legislation.
Change and Problem Management
This role is accountable for the validation and authorisation of all ICT related change requests, and the investigation and resolution of ICT problems to remove the root cause of incidents. It chairs the Change Advisory Board (CAB) and manages the forward schedule of change. It's primary purpose is to enable and enforce effective change management protocols to protect the live ICT service environment and minimise failed changes. It will also ensure that complex ICT problems are investigated and resolved and the pro-active management of the ICT environment to identify trends and eliminate the causes of Service desk incidents. It will also manage the Known error database.
ICT Architecture Strategy and Planning
To manage the conception and delivery of a programme of technical change to achieve business benefits and service improvements for both ICT Services and its customers through the implementation of an efficient and effective technology architecture.