IT Notes

Last updated April 5, 2018   (continuously updated)

• mindless: goog, upd, scan, auto, default
• non-forensic mindset (foresight, discipline, methodology)
• unsystematic: lack abstraction, pure nuts & bolts
• too eager, all incl. no boundary (ignorance)
• excessive hedging (willful deception)
• invoke magic

1. consult, assess & educate
2. ground work (prep)
3. basic efforts (end goal, or as pilot)
4. advanced efforts (opt.)
5. bounty hunter (rare)

• 1:10 minor glitches (patch-induced)
• 1:25 significant glitches
• 1:50 brief operational outages/data losses (patch woe)
• 1:100 baseline routine incidents (non-patch-related)
• 1:1000 catastrophic incidents (serious breach, etc.)

• recoverability: existential threats
• C/I/A: exfiltration/tampering/loss of data
• down time objectives: DR/BC/BIA

• Goals: confidentiality, integrity, availability
• ORG: importance, sensitivity, recourse, chg frequency, bulk, category
• Tasks: backup, forensic recovery, sanitization, encryption, ACL

1. things are not random (path)
2. things are technical & complex (efforts, systematic)
3. convoluted & counter-intuitive (myth, incredulity)
4. there is no magic (deceptions, "exclusive"?)
5. prioritization, coordination, long-term (TCO)
6. adversarial interests

1. in-shop: labs/tools/spare parts req
2. remote: long wait time
3. touch required

• things are complex & convoluted:
  • prerequisites, serial dependency
• nothing is random
  • narrow path
  • explicit
• there is no mystery
  • just ignorance
• there is no magic
  • exclusive? impervious? flawless?

• complexity
• rapid change
• ubiquity
• fudgeability

• unknown modifications (features/behavior)
• uncoordinated (schedule/sequence/extend)
• unreliable (unproven in your own environment)

1. difficulty: training costs
2. risks: ramifications of mishaps
3. recurrency: intervals & regularity
4. resources availability & staff qualifications

• scheduled jobs launched successful
• monitor columns: Error/Warning, performance
• examine log entries w/ errors
• initiate call to IT as needed
• manage off-site rotation

• idea & content
• organization
• legibility
• theme & presentation

• 7s/15s/30s: physical access, boot, unlock, nav/search
• UI & features (live, react, control: z/rot/nav/tl/xfr)
• selection & presentation (design)
• unwieldiness

1. hosted web site
• interactive, navigate
• accessible online-only
• trackable
• updated, always current: live | addenda | rev.
2. offline web site (encapsulation of HTML + embedded objects)
3. HTML document (optional embedded graphics online)
4. picture: jpg, png, tiff, gif, webp
5. PDF
• layout control, vector fonts, structure lost
6. PDF with online authorization & tracking
7. physical printed media

• falsehood (beyond imprecision)
• undefined (vacuousness, platitudes, sophistries)
• self-contradictory (illogical, oft linguistic-level failure)
• self-defeating (against YOUR self-interest)

1. unpolished, incomplete
2. expectation, obligation
3. confidential info (btc/clt)
4. proprietary info

Why Retain Part-Time IT Director, not ad hoc sub-contract?

• Official Role acknowledgment & commitment
• Mutual road map, expenditure and resource allocation
• Simplify billing and tracking
• Standing Overseeing Authorization ("general contractor")
• Cross-tasks/projects Continuity, and always "In the Loop"
• Ability and Opportunity to Offer Insights and Optimization
• Streamlining, preplanning, visions and strategies
• address "You don't know what you don't know" 
• Avert problems and crises, rather than react & combat

IT Personnel Expenditures  April 2007. An analysis on cost allocation and strategies

Attached Spreadsheet: Bravo Analysis on IT Department Expenses

Essential memos

• Cost-Effectiveness vs. Mode of Sessions  Oct. 2006
• Clarifications on the Role of Out-Sourced IT Director Oct. 2004 memo
• DIFA: Designated In-house Facilitator/Administrator June 2000 memo + Jan. 2006 addendum
• Baseline General IT Policies for Client Firms June 2004 memo + 2006 revision
• Bravo General IT Advocacy  My philosophical points
• State of IT Services  Nov. 2004 Whitepaper on SMB IT arena, behind the scene analysis for small-biz management

Additional Related Materials

• "Official Responses" & Over-Lying  May 2006. Essentially an open letter, on how to deal w/ vendors
• PMS Servers