A core principle of being an effective Managed Service Provider is a well-managed Change Management system.
Change Management is the process of tracking and managing a change throughout its entire life cycle, from start to closure, with the aim to minimize risk to a business.
As part of our Managed Service offering, we align with ITIL v4 Change Management processes and procedures and adapt where necessary to accommodate your specific business needs.
The following blog outlines how to effectively manage change for a business and some of the processes we adopt here at IPTel.
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Define the Process
First, you need to define a change management process that aligns with ITIL best practices.
This process should include steps for identifying, assessing, approving, implementing, and reviewing changes.
We adapt ours internally at IPTel to align without our Ticket Management software.
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Establish a CAB
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A CAB is a group of stakeholders who evaluate proposed changes to IT services and infrastructure.
The CAB should include representatives from all areas of the organization, including IT, business, and customers.
At IPTel some of our customers are on a bi-monthly, monthly or Ad-Hoc CAB schedule. It all depends on the rate of change on the service
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Identify & Assess Change
Changes should be identified and assessed for their impact on IT services and infrastructure.
This assessment should include evaluating the risks, benefits, and costs of each proposed change. We have an internal matrix for assessing these outcomes to ensure we make the right decision.
Taking the time to assess Change is critical for the success of that change being implemented.
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Approve Changes
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The classification of the change will dictate the levels of approval and the teams approving the change.
Low Risk/Standard changes may be approved internally by Change Managment.
Those Changes involving Medium or High Rish MUST be approved by the CAB before implementation. IPTel co-ordinate with our customers on CABs to ensure together we assess, discuss and work towards approval as one cohesive team.
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Implement Changes
Changes should be implemented according to the approved change management process and as per the Implementation Plan.
This plan should involve not only the steps for implementation but also the steps for regressing the change and steps for testing pre and post change.
Any issues during the change implementation should be communicated to the Change Manager so any deviations can be effectively managed.
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Monitor & Review
Once changes are implemented, they should be monitored and reviewed for their effectiveness. This includes evaluating whether the change achieved its intended outcomes and whether any unintended consequences occurred.
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Change Management: Summary.
In this blog we have covered the key elements of a successful Change Management process that form an overall ITSM approach for Managed Services
