Analyzing Service-Level Agreements

The concept of service-level agreements (SLAs) is broad, but the principle behind SLAs is simple. Both the provider of a service and the purchaser of a service have a stake in understanding exactly what is being delivered, what constitutes acceptable performance, and what the penalties are for failure to meet expectations. Expectations are the key here and, in fact, SLAs are sometimes referred to as service-level expectations (SLEs). For example, bad feelings, if not lawsuits, are virtually guaranteed if the company purchasing a service expects 24/7 telephone support, but the service provider expects to deliver email support with a two-business-day turnaround. Once you understand the reasons for SLAs and why they help both parties, you may want to consider implementing SLAs for internal IT services as well as for outside vendors. You may also want to investigate some of the many software packages designed to improve reporting and monitoring of SLA metrics.

• InformationWeek discusses the benefits and pitfalls of SLAs and the kinds of software that are available to help manage SLAs.

Related Links

• In October 2008, CIO.com published the results of a survey on cloud computing. Security was the obstacle cited by the most respondents, but many also expressed concern about availability and performance, both topics that should be covered in SLAs.

How Technology Affects Access to Information

Most people have seen firsthand how digital storage of information and the Internet have changed our ability to retrieve data that used to be buried in government offices and expensive publications. From checking when library books are due to searching medical databases, technology has made it easier for people to get information on a wide variety of subjects. Electronic databases also change the equation for legal records, because what used to take a trip to the courthouse to request a specific record is often now available with just a few anonymous mouse clicks. While there are great benefits to making information more broadly available, there are also important ethical and business questions about who owns data and how it should be shared.

• BusinessWeek reports that patients are using technology aggressively to interact with their peers.

Related Links

• Ars Technica discusses the debate over how and when research results are made available to the public.

• Wired explores efforts to make access to electronic court records free to everyone.

Technology Options in Perspective

The Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern is often considered the quintessential application architecture. Ideally, an MVC application separates the View (user interface) from the Model (database and business logic) so that they can be written in different languages, run on different machines, and be maintained by different groups of developers. The Controller acts as the link between the Model and the View—a sort of software traffic cop that directs requests from the View to appropriate logic in the Model and returns results from the Model to the View. The reality, however, is often muddier than this idealized implementation.

• Avogato.org (a free software community) has published an analysis of MVC options for web development. Although I disagree with some of the conclusions in this article, especially its dismissal of PHP, it provides some excellent insights into the role of JavaScript.

Related Links

• O'Reilly blogger Kurt Cagle opines that the programming language used to write an application is becoming less important.

• TechRepublic goes out on a limb and lists the top 10 certifications for IT professionals.

Evaluating Leadership

Everybody has his or her own criteria for measuring leadership in IT. Perhaps you're concerned with implementing technical innovations, reducing environmental impacts, controlling costs, or hiring and retaining an excellent professional staff. Ideally, an IT executive does all these things (and many others) extremely well. So how can a publication list the top 100 leaders in IT? Visibility certainly counts, but so does the ability to balance current requirements with long-term strategies and to create effective alliances with employees, vendors, and other managers.

• Computerworld issues its annual list of the top 100 IT leaders and describes some of the projects these leaders are working on.

Sharon L. Hoffman is a System iNEWS senior technical editor. She began working with IBM midrange systems in 1981, and her background includes extensive application development as well as creation and delivery of technical education.