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IT Manager's Handbook

Getting Your New Job Done

IT Manager's Handbook, Second Edition, provides essential information to help students understand the responsibilities of today’s IT Management professionals: not only planning… Read more

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Description

IT Manager's Handbook, Second Edition, provides essential information to help students understand the responsibilities of today’s IT Management professionals: not only planning network security and implementing disaster recovery plans, but also such vital tasks as creating budgets, administering compliance, and managing staff. In particular, the book discusses business practices that are most critical to effective IT operations: recruiting, budgeting, resource planning, managing personnel, and working with vendor.

This updated version includes expanded coverage on such critical IT management topics as security, disaster recovery, storage, government/regulatory compliance, and project management. Information is organized modularly so that instructors and students can delve directly into only the topics needed. Each chapter contains additional resources sections for books, articles, and websites relevant to that topic.

It contains new material on key technology topics such as open source, outsourcing, offshoring, and handhelds, plus updated coverage of e-commerce, remote access, intranets, and LAN/WAN management.

Key features


A completely updated and expanded second edition that provides practical, easily accessible management advice written specifically for new IT managers:
· Brings you up to speed on those business practices most critical to effective IT operations: recruiting, budgeting, resource planning, managing personnel, and working with vendors.
· Includes expanded coverage on such critical IT management topics as security, disaster recovery, storage, government/regulatory compliance, and project management.
· Organizes information modularly so you can delve directly into only the topics that you need.
· Provides a unique management perspective on those specific technical issues with the most significant business ramifications.
· Includes new material on key technology topics such as open source, wireless, handhelds, outsourcing, offshoring, and operations, as well as updated coverage of e-commerce, remote access, intranets, and LAN/WAN management.

Readership

New IT managers in all areas of specialty, including technical professionals who are wannabe IT managers.

Table of contents

Chapter One

1.1 Just What Does an IT Manager Do?

1.2 Managers in General

1.3 The Strategic Value of the IT Department

1.4 Develop an IT Strategy

1.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Two

2.1 Keeping Employees Focused

2.2 Avoiding Burnout

2.3 Employee Training

2.4 Performance Reviews

2.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Three

3.1 Why IT Managers Need to Deal with Hiring People

3.2 Write a Position Description

3.3 Recruiters

3.4 Selecting Candidates

3.5 Outsourcing and Offshore Outsourcing

3.6 Additional Resources

Chapter Four

4.1 Projects and “Project Management”: A Quick Overview

4.2 Phase One: Scope the Project

4.3 Phase Two: Develop a Project Plan

4.4 Phase Three: Launch the Project

4.5 Phase Four: Track the Project’s Progress

4.6 Phase Five: Close Out the Project

4.7 Decision-Making Techniques

4.8 What to do If/When the Project Gets Off Track

4.9 Useful Project Management Techniques

4.10 Funding Projects

4.11 Multiple Projects: How to Juggle Well

4.12 Dealing with Non-IT Departments on a Project

4.13 Additional Resources

Chapter Five

5.1 The First Day

5.2 The First Month

5.3 Two IT Departments –
What Happens If Your Company Merges with Another?

5.4 Additional Resources

Chapter Six

6.1 The Budgeting Process

6.2 The Difference between Capital vs. Operating Expense Items

6.3 Lease versus Buy: Which One Is Better?

6.4 Other Budgeting Factors to Consider

6.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Seven

7.1 Dealing with Vendors

7.2 Key Evaluation Metrics

7.3 Getting Current Information

7.4 Purchasing Sources

7.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Eight

8.1 The Importance of Compliance to IT

8.2 The Rules

8.3 How to Comply with the Rules

8.4 Hidden Benefits of Complying with the Rules

8.5 Methodologies and Frameworks

8.6 It’s Not Just Regulatory Compliance

8.7 Additional References

Chapter Nine

9.1 The Technical Environment

9.2 Understanding the User Environment

9.3 TCO and Asset Management

9.4 Standards

9.5 Technology Refreshing

9.6 Additional Resources

Chapter Ten

10.1 Operations Center

10.2 Multiple Environments

10.3 Scheduling Downtime

10.4 Change Management

10.5 Additional References

Chapter Eleven

11.1 Data Center

11.2 The Cable Plant

11.3 Additional Resources

Chapter Twelve

12.1 OSI Model

12.2 IP Addressing

12.4 Wide Area Networks (WANs)

12.5 Remote Access

12.6 Network Management

12.7 Voice and Data Convergence

12.8 Additional Resources

Chapter Thirteen

13.1 A Quick Note on How We Got Here

13.2 Managing Security

13.3 Security Solutions and Technologies

13.4 Types of Threats

13.5 Some Security Stories

13.6 Stay Informed

13.7 Additional Resources

Chapter Fourteen

14.1 Types of Software

14.2 Operating Systems

14.3 Open Source

14.4 Managing Software

14.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Fifteen

15.1 E-mail

15.2 Directory Services

15.3 Enterprise Resource Planning

15.4 Additional Resources

Chapter Sixteen

16.1 Managing the Data

16.2 Disk Storage Technology

16.3 Tape Storage and Backup

16.4 Information Lifecycle Management

16.5 Additional Resources

Chapter Seventeen

17.1 Value of Help Desks

17.2 Components a Help Desk

17.3 Call Tracking

17.4 Staffing

17.5 Service Level Agreements

17.6 User Training

17.7 Additional Resources

Chapter Eighteen

18.1 The Internet

18.2 Corporate Websites

18.3 Intranets

18.4 Creating and Managing Websites

18.5 E-commerce

18.6 Additional Resources

Chapter Nineteen

19.1 User Equipment Issues You’ll Face

19.2 Desktops

19.3 Laptops, Handhelds and Other Portable Equipment

19.4 Additional Resources

Chapter Twenty

20.1 Defining the Scope

20.2 Create a Disaster Recovery Plan

20.3 A Word About Business Continuity

20.4 The Hidden Benefits of Good Disaster Recover Planning

20.5 Additional Resources

Review quotes

"The IT Manager's Handbook, 2nd Edition is a must-read for new IT leaders. The technology industry changes so rapidly that this edition will even be helpful to veteran IT leaders. The ever-changing world of technology challenges IT leaders to stay current; the authors do a great job of highlighting the changes in IT you need to know about. In a nutshell, the Handbook educates the reader on nearly every aspect of IT. Every IT manager needs to move aside a few technical manuals to make room for Holtsnider & Jaffe’s 2nd Edition, IT Manager's Handbook. They have captured the role of every IT Leader and their book should be mandatory for anyone moving into this position."—Jim Chilton – Vice President and CIO, SolidWorks Corporation "Had this book been available 10 years ago, it would have eased my transition from a purely technical role to a technology management role. Even after a number of years as an IT Manager, I found helpful insights in the first edition of this book and this second edition has added an expanded base of topics to help any new manager succeed. "—Brian McMann, Director, IT Systems, New Global Telecom "This book is a must-read for a new IT Manager. It is a comprehensive guide to assist the new manager perform the wide variety of job tasks within the organization that s/he will be facing. The seasoned IT Manager/CIO may already know the information presented, but there are sections that provide relevant information and excellent advice to address current issues. For both types of readers, excellent and useful references and resources are included at the end of each Chapter."—Mark Landmann, Partner, Infusion Group LLC

Product details

About the authors

BH

Bill Holtsnider

Bill Holtsnider is an experienced writer, educator, and software professional with more than 26 years of experience working in the computer industry. His IT expertise includes working in such diverse areas as stock portfolio management, identity management, and software development. He is the author of six books and a wide range of technical and marketing documentation.
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Writer at ClickFox with more than 26 years of experience working in the computer industry

BJ

Brian D. Jaffe

Brian D. Jaffe is a seasoned veteran in the IT community. As an IT professional, he has worked for several Fortune 500 companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Time Warner, Philip Morris, and The Interpublic Group of Companies. Currently he is Senior Vice President for Global IT at McCann Worldgroup in New York City, one of the country’s leading advertising agencies. His articles have appeared in Computerworld, InfoWorld, eWeek, and The New York Times.
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Vice President of Global IT, McCann-Erickson Advertising

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