|
Welcome to B & M Bulletin, produced specifically for users of contract IT services. In this issue:
• GLA + SLA = A-OK
• Tech View - a look at the skills needed for SAN/NAS solutions
• 10 issues a specialist examines in considering a contract
• Real Skills. Real People - a profile of B & M's Paul Smith
|
|
GA + SLA = A-OK
Jerry Smart explains why it's wise to use general and service level agreements together when taking on contract IT specialists.
|
|
Having a General Agreement (GA) in place between customer and supplier saves time when needs for contract staff arise. When you need to 'press the button' to get contract specialists on board quickly for a time-sensitive project, all you have to do is add a schedule to the GA. This reduces ongoing paperwork and expedites the delivery of service. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) complement GAs by helping to facilitate communication between parties, define processes, indicate responsiveness and improve the quality of service.
As a supplier, B & M recognises how important it is to keep to its promises and deliver what the customer needs. For example, each stage of the procurement process should define what to expect and when to expect it. Furthermore, the SLA should define the quality of the response required so that everyone knows what the parameters are.
These commitments can be included in a GA but are often more appropriate in an SLA, which is why it pays to have both types of agreement in place. Just as we at B & M deliver to our customer contact, so they must deliver to their business. Internal SLAs are important so that line managers know when to expect candidates in response to their requests for contract staff. This allows them to plan their projects accordingly.
The absence of an SLA can lead to delays and failure. Of course, agreements of this type do not provide a panacea, but if everyone involved in the process is attentive, proactive and responsive, they can help to ensure success. To find out more about working with a company that delivers on its promises, contact sales@bmeurope.com
|
|
Tech View - maximising your SAN/NAS solutions
Paul Smith, Technical Manager at B & M looks at the types of technical skills that customers need to implement and support hybrid SAN/NAS systems
|
The need that is common to any organisation with a wide range of Storage Area Network (SAN), Network Attached Storage (NAS) or hybrid SAN/NAS solutions is a requirement for strong expertise in distributed and networked solutions. They need specialists who can demonstrate a good understanding of both hardware and networking, as well as bringing skills and knowledge about the relevant managing software and (probably lastly) the operating system in question. In fact there are four main skill areas that B & M looks at when seeking to fill contract positions in the area of storage:
- Software ? SAN/NAS management
- Networking ? protocols and technologies
- Storage Solutions ? servers and arrays
- Operating systems ? Unix, Windows and z/OS
The range of solutions found in large, complex organisations is huge; so B & M will look to propose specialists with an equally wide range of skills. In the IBM arena, we are able to offer specialists with experience in TotalStorage (including Enterprise Storage Server) often connected to zSeries, iSeries, pSeries or pretty much any Wintel unit through ESCON, FICON and fibre networks. We have also placed consultants experienced with working with the Open Software family - the series of protocols and interfaces for software to use on systems including Tivoli, DFSMS and DB2 for example. Outside of the main IBM arena, we are often asked to provide people with skills in solutions from HP (StorageWorks), Sun (StorEdge), Symantec (Veritas), EMC Legato, Qlogic and so forth. If you need expert support to design or implement storage solutions for your business, please contact us at sales@bmeurope.com
|
10 factors a specialist examines in considering a contract
|
When it comes to securing the services of the right specialist to help deliver business-critical IT projects on time and on budget, it pays to consider how you can attract those best suited to your needs. Having placed high-calibre specialists since 1992, B & M understands that there are certain factors which they tend to value highly when considering their next assignment:
- Job interest - it's worth making sure that the candidate fully understands the scope of the job and where it fits in the overall business strategy. He or she is far more likely to accept a position if it offers a range of interests.
- Opportunities to maximise their income - the package needs to be tailored to be as attractive as possible.
- Working in a convenient location - obviously this is not something you can control, but it is important to highlight any benefits of the location - such as proximity to airports or high-speed rail links at initial interview stage.
- A long-term contract - most contract specialists are interested in taking on projects that they can see through to completion, and that means staying for a number of months or even years. If you have a short-term project that could lead to a longer-term appointment, make sure that the candidate knows this.
- Being satisfied in their job - it goes without saying that we all want maximum job satisfaction and to be proud of what we have contributed. Just because someone is working on contract doesn't mean that they are any less interested than in the level of satisfaction from their job than a permanent employee.
- The chance to develop new skills - specialists will often seek chances to work with people or on projects that offer them a chance to add to their own skill set. If your project offers this possibility, make sure that candidates are aware.
- A hassle-free placement - nobody likes to be messed around and any specialist worth their salt will choose to work with an organisation that enables them to get on with their work with a minimum of complications.
- Freedom from office politics - this is one of the reasons many contractors give for preferring contract to permanent work.
- Admiration from their peers - when someone has worked hard to gain valuable skills and expertise over a decade or two it is natural that they should want some recognition from their peer group. Contractors are no different - and the benefit is that they are likely to share their knowledge and transfer some of their skills to less experienced members of staff if there is an environment that encourages this to happen.
- A pleasing social environment ? specialists like to feel part of the project team and involving them in the social aspects of the workplace will yield a better integrated, more productive team. For more information, contact sales@bmeurope.com
|
Real Skills. Real People - B & M's Paul Smith
Get to know more about our people. This month we profile Technical Manager, Paul Smith
|
|
Twenty years ago, Paul Smith realised that he was one of the few technicians working in IT who actually had a qualification in Computer Sciences. Everyone else he met appeared to be a biologist, a mathematician, an ecologist or - in one case - an ex-plumber!
He started work in the north of England with DEC/VAX equipment, providing computer support to staff and students at a college of further education and when the job demanded - occasionally drilling holes in walls. Around two years later he left for the south to work at a research laboratory, where he moved into the world of IBM mainframes. Subsequently he worked as a freelance Systems Programmer designing and setting up mainframe computer systems for a variety of clients throughout Europe and in Australia, predominantly working with MVS, RACF and Assembler.
Paul joined B & M eight years ago as Technical Manager, tasked with designing and installing a new Windows-based computer network. Paul is responsible for advising B & M on technical developments across all IT platforms, providing technical resources to the company and for maintaining and upgrading computer systems and networks. Paul also has a professional interest in the music business.
He is a director of a professional music organisation, works as a live sound engineer and also finds time to run his own recording studio. He has worked with a variety of professional and amateur musicians, poets and voice-over artists.
|
|
B & M has specialised in delivering skilled ICT specialists to meet the needs of leading organisations throughout Europe since 1992. We focus exclusively on providing consultancy, technical services and support for z/OS, UNIX and Linux enterprise systems, including third-party systems software, open systems and networking connectivity. We add real value for HR and IT professionals by taking the time to understand their needs and applying best practice methods to deliver results. To find out more about our approach to providing the best skills for each business, go to www.bmeurope.com B & M Europe Limited
www.bmeurope.com
+44 (0)118 981 1880
|
|
