IT Manager's Handbook: Getting Your New Job Done / Edition 2
by Bill Holtsnider, Brian D. Jaffe"This book takes new IT Managers on a journey through various facets of the IT world in a very easy-to-follow style. It uncovers typical IT pitfalls and offers useful tips and techniques on becoming a successful IT Manager."
- Lana Finkel, Business Unit IT Manager, Xerox Corporation
"I think this is a valuable tool for any person moving into a management roll
… See more details belowOverview
"This book takes new IT Managers on a journey through various facets of the IT world in a very easy-to-follow style. It uncovers typical IT pitfalls and offers useful tips and techniques on becoming a successful IT Manager."
- Lana Finkel, Business Unit IT Manager, Xerox Corporation
"I think this is a valuable tool for any person moving into a management roll in the IT field. This book presents concepts and ideas that seem like common sense, but no one ever taught you. I now feel like I can perform my job more effectively after reading this book."
- Kenneth Corriveau, Director of Information Technology, DDB Digital Worldwide
"This book is a superb training manual for an IT Manager. It details everything from HR issues to contract of equipment management and everything in-between. I would highly recommend this book to any newly promoted IT Manager."
- Christine Mathis, Manager of Support Services, Medshares
Are you one of many new IT managers with limited managerial experience? Are you a technician or programmer contemplating a move into IT management? Or, has your technical position evolved to include significant management responsibilities?
The IT Manager's Handbook provides essential information to help you manage your new responsibilities. This unique book provides a guide to help you create budgets, manage projects, evaluate technology and hire and motivate personnel. The authors provide sound advice to equip you with an overall, winning strategy for success.
Features:
- Provides practical, easily accessible management advice specifically for new IT managers.
- Organizes information modularly, so you can delve directly into the topics that you need to understand.
- Brings you up-to-speed on the business practices that are most critical to effective IT operations: recruiting, resource planning, working with vendors, and more.
- Provides a unique management perspective on the technical issues with the heaviest business ramifications: e-commerce, remote access, system security, LAN/WAN management, intranets, disaster recovery, and more.
- Includes pointers to additional resources, on the Web and in print, that you can turn to for more information on particular topics.
Bill Holtsnider is an experienced writer, educator, and software professional, with more that sixteen years experience working in the computer industry. His IT expertise includes working in such areas as biotechnology, interactive television, risk management, and software development. He is the author of several books and a wide range of technical and marketing documentation.
Brian D. Jaffe is a seasoned veteran in the IT community, with more than eighteen years of related experience. Throughout his tenure as an IT professional, he has worked for several Fortune 500 companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Philip Morris, and Random House. Currently, he is vice president of information technology for McCann-Erickson, one of the country's leading advertising agencies, and is a contributing editor for eWeek (formerly PC Week). His articles have appeared in Computerworld, InfoWorld, and The New York Times.
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9780123704887
- Publisher:
- Elsevier Science
- Publication date:
- 09/29/2006
- Pages:
- 632
- Product dimensions:
- 7.50(w) x 9.24(h) x 1.05(d)
Table of Contents
| Preface | xxv | |
| Chapter 1 | What Is an IT Manager? | 1 |
| 1.1 | Just What Does an IT Manager Do? | 2 |
| 1.2 | What Is All This about the New Strategic Value of IT? | 3 |
| 1.3 | Why Are IT Managers So Critical Now? | 5 |
| Chapter 2 | Staffing Your IT Team | 7 |
| 2.1 | Hiring: Why Do I Need to Do This? | 8 |
| 2.2 | Hiring: How Do I Write a Position Description? | 9 |
| 2.3 | Advertising: How Do I Write an Ad for an IT Job Posting? | 14 |
| 2.4 | Advertising: Where Should I Advertise? | 17 |
| 2.5 | Advertising: Can I Fill a Job without It? | 20 |
| 2.6 | Recruiters: Should I Use One? | 21 |
| 2.7 | Recruiters: How Do I Find the Right One? | 23 |
| 2.8 | Interviewing Candidates: How Can I Do This Well? | 26 |
| 2.9 | Making an Offer: How Do I Know How Much to Offer for an IT Position? | 38 |
| 2.10 | The Human Resources Department: What Is Their Role in the Process? | 40 |
| 2.11 | Career Paths: What Are Current Career Paths for Myself and My Employees? | 42 |
| Chapter 3 | Managing Your IT Team | 49 |
| 3.1 | Tasks: How Do I Keep My Employees Focused on the Right Ones? | 50 |
| 3.2 | Burnout: How Do I Help My Employees Avoid It? | 53 |
| 3.3 | Training: How Do I Know When My Employees Need It? | 55 |
| 3.4 | Performance Reviews: How Do I Conduct Useful and Meaningful Reviews? | 60 |
| 3.5 | Strategy: How Do I Develop an IT Strategy? | 64 |
| 3.6 | Tactics: How Do I Keep My Department Central to the Company's Operations? | 67 |
| Chapter 4 | User Support Services | 69 |
| 4.1 | Help Desk: How Do I Set One Up? | 70 |
| 4.2 | Help Desk: How Do I Staff One? | 74 |
| 4.3 | Service Level Agreements: What Are They and How Do I Define Them? | 76 |
| 4.4 | Training: How Do I Arrange for User Training? | 77 |
| 4.5 | Call Tracking: How Do I Select a Call Tracking Package? | 78 |
| Chapter 5 | Managing Projects | 81 |
| 5.1 | Initiating Projects: How Do I Get Started? | 82 |
| 5.2 | Project Teams: How Do I Set One Up? | 86 |
| 5.3 | Project Meetings: How Can I Make Them Productive? | 88 |
| 5.4 | Funding Projects: What Do I Need to Know? | 91 |
| 5.5 | Keeping Track: How Do I Keep Track of My Project? | 95 |
| Chapter 6 | Budgeting | 99 |
| 6.1 | Budgeting: What Are the Key Items in a Budget? | 100 |
| 6.2 | Budgeting: How Does the Process Work? | 101 |
| 6.3 | Capital vs. Expense Items: What Is the Difference? | 104 |
| 6.4 | Lease vs. Buy: Which One Is Better? | 106 |
| 6.5 | Budgeting: What Are Some Key Factors I Should Consider? | 108 |
| Chapter 7 | IT Infrastructure Fundamentals | 113 |
| 7.1 | Inventory: Where Do I Start? | 114 |
| 7.2 | Users: How Do I Find Out Who They Are, and Why Is This Important? | 120 |
| 7.3 | Downtime: How Do I Estimate, Schedule, and Announce It? | 122 |
| 7.4 | Testing: How Do I Test New Software Versions? | 124 |
| 7.5 | Testing: How Do I Test on a Production System? | 125 |
| 7.6 | Testing: How Do I Create a Test Environment? | 126 |
| 7.7 | Legacy Systems: How Do I Manage These? | 127 |
| 7.8 | TCO and Asset Management: What Are They? | 128 |
| Chapter 8 | Hardware | 133 |
| 8.1 | Products: How Do I Get Current Information on Functionality? On Pricing? | 134 |
| 8.2 | Products: How Do I Evaluate Them? | 137 |
| 8.3 | Vendors: How Do I Evaluate Them? | 138 |
| 8.4 | Desktop Computers: What Are the Issues Involved in Buying Them? | 148 |
| 8.5 | Desktop Computers: How Do I Choose Specifications for Them? | 149 |
| 8.6 | Laptops: How Do I Evaluate/Choose Specifications for Them? | 153 |
| 8.7 | Network Computers: What about Them? | 157 |
| 8.8 | Workstations vs. PCs: What Is the Difference? | 158 |
| Chapter 9 | Software | 161 |
| 9.1 | Software: How Do I Get Current Information on Functionality? On Pricing? | 162 |
| 9.2 | Desktop OS: How Do I Deal with the Various Versions of Windows? | 163 |
| 9.3 | Desktop OS: How Should I Decide between Using a PC and a Mac? | 165 |
| 9.4 | Desktop OS: How Do I Deal with Windows OSs and Mac OSs in the Same Shop? | 167 |
| 9.5 | What Is Linux and What Should I Do about It? | 169 |
| 9.6 | Workstation Software Updates: How Do I Deal with These? | 171 |
| 9.7 | Software Licensing: How Do I Deal with It? | 176 |
| Chapter 10 | Data Networks | 181 |
| 10.1 | Servers: What Is the Difference between Database, Application, Web, and File and Print Servers? | 182 |
| 10.2 | Servers: How Do I Configure a Server? | 184 |
| 10.3 | Server OS: What Is the Difference between MS Windows NT/2000 Server, Novell Netware, and Unix Systems? | 190 |
| 10.4 | LAN: What Are the Important Issues in Design? | 191 |
| 10.5 | LAN: What Are the Key LAN Technologies I Should Know? | 193 |
| 10.6 | LAN: How Do I Manage One? | 198 |
| 10.7 | LAN: How Do I Expand One? | 199 |
| 10.8 | WAN: What Are the Important Issues in Design? | 200 |
| 10.9 | WAN: What Are the Key WAN Technologies I Should Know? | 201 |
| 10.10 | WAN: How Do I Manage One? | 204 |
| 10.11 | Cable Plant: How Do I Install, Manage, and Expand One? | 205 |
| 10.12 | Wires: Can I Do without Them? | 210 |
| 10.13 | Remote Access: How Do I Know If I Need It? | 211 |
| 10.14 | Telephone Remote Access: What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages? | 212 |
| 10.15 | Direct Line Remote Access: What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages? | 214 |
| 10.16 | Web-Based Access: What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages? | 216 |
| 10.17 | Remote Users: What Do They See When They Log In? | 217 |
| 10.18 | Network Security: What Are the Key Issues I Need to Worry About? | 219 |
| Chapter 11 | Internets/Extranets/Intranets | 223 |
| 11.1 | Internet, Intranet, and Extranet: What's the Difference between the Three? | 224 |
| 11.2 | Internet, Intranet, or Extranet: Which Do I Need? | 228 |
| 11.3 | Content Issues: What Should I Put on My Web Site? | 230 |
| 11.4 | Setting Up: How Do I Design a Server for Internet, Intranet, or Extranet Uses? | 233 |
| 11.5 | E-commerce: What Is It? | 236 |
| 11.6 | Web Site: What Are Some Specific Examples of What the Web Can Do for My Company? | 241 |
| 11.7 | Web Site: How Do I Create One? | 243 |
| 11.8 | Domain Name: How Do I Register One on the Web? | 247 |
| 11.9 | ISPs: What Are They, and How Do I Pick One? | 249 |
| 11.10 | E-mail: What Are the Important Technical Issues to Consider When I Set Up E-mail Internet Connectivity? | 253 |
| Chapter 12 | Enterprise Applications | 257 |
| 12.1 | E-mail: What Is the Value of an E-mail System? | 258 |
| 12.2 | E-mail: What Are the Different Options? | 261 |
| 12.3 | E-mail Programs: How Do I Choose One? | 263 |
| 12.4 | E-mail: How Do I Manage My E-mail System? | 264 |
| 12.5 | ERP: What Is Enterprise Resource Planning? | 267 |
| 12.6 | Groupware: What Is It and How Do I Know I Need It? | 269 |
| Chapter 13 | Security | 273 |
| 13.1 | External Threats: How Do I Protect My Company from Them? | 274 |
| 13.2 | Internal Threats: How Do I Protect My Company from Them? | 277 |
| 13.3 | Firewalls: What Are They? | 280 |
| 13.4 | Viruses: How Do I Protect My Systems from Them? | 282 |
| 13.5 | Suspicious Activity: How Do I Monitor It? | 284 |
| 13.6 | Security Breach: How Do I Handle One? | 287 |
| Chapter 14 | Disaster Recovery | 291 |
| 14.1 | Disaster Recovery: Why Do I Need It? | 292 |
| 14.2 | Levels of Disaster: What Are They? | 292 |
| 14.3 | Disaster Recovery Plan: What Components Should Be in It? | 293 |
| 14.4 | Contact Information: Who Do I Need to Contact? | 294 |
| 14.5 | Documentation: What Do I Need? | 295 |
| 14.6 | Real Estate Issues: Where Will Everyone Go When Disaster Strikes? | 296 |
| 14.7 | Retrieval of Off-Site Backups: How Do I Plan for That? | 298 |
| 14.8 | Hardware Availability: What Are Some Key Issues? | 298 |
| 14.9 | Disaster Planning/Recovery Committee: Companywide Membership | 299 |
| 14.10 | Testing and Updating: Is My Disaster Plan Current? | 300 |
| 14.11 | Regional and Catastrophic Outages: Why Are These Different? | 300 |
| Bibliography | 303 | |
| Glossary | 311 | |
| Index | 319 |
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