Infrastructure Engineering and Management

A successful IT service provider incorporates quality services with appropriate technology solutions, timely responsiveness, and an attention to client relationship management. This ensures full support for the Enterprise Performance Life Cycle. HumanTouch has helped reposition numerous government and private sector clients to become optimal IT service providers for their customers, both internal and external.

We support clients in organizational strengthening that focuses on IT service optimization. These services include a full array of best-practice offerings to include:

  • program and project management support
  • strategic planning, reengineering
  • change management
  • enterprise architecture
  • service-oriented architecture
  • security
  • design support

The HumanTouch team-services include the following:

  • Configuration Management (CM): Partner with clients to provide complete CM support services to ensure the baselining of all configuration items (hardware, software, and documentation) that comprise an IT system infrastructure. This positions the client to support new functionalities, react to changes in enterprise software, ensure IT response-time efficiency, and incorporate effectiveness. Elements included here are set out below:
    • Change Management: Use the ITIL definition of change management process. This ensures that standardized methods and procedures are used for efficient and prompt execution of all changes, thus minimizing the impact of change-related incidents upon service quality, and improving the daily operations of the organization.
    • Change Control Board (CCB): Use federal government best practices to help clients formally establish CCBs. The CCBs are made up of groups of stakeholders who are responsible for reviewing, evaluating, approving, delaying, or rejecting changes. In line with CMMI standards, we ensure that all decisions and details from each meeting are captured in minutes and archived.
  • Infrastructure Strategy & Architecture: Facilitate clients in developing a realistic enterprise IT vision by supporting an enterprise architecture framework. This establishes an "as-is" baseline and positions the client to model a "to-be" architecture solution that identifies legacy dependencies, systems headed for containment, and new hard/software solutions that will seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure. Our team uses best practices based on the Federal Enterprise Architecture framework, as well as complementary paradigms such as Zachman framework and the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF).
  • Service Level Management/Delivery: Using ITIL/ITSM methodologies, we partner with the client to objectively define service levels. This supports a responsive and effective IT infrastructure.
  • Infrastructure Management Lifecycle (IML): Provide a full array of services to support clients in planning and driving IT infrastructure change. This includes cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, and strategic planning. The IML also encompasses continuity management planning, including disaster recovery.
  • Requirements/Release Management: Support clients in developing consensus on both functional and non-functional technical requirements. This supports soft/hardware optimization by providing controls that ensure proper testing, repurposing, and licensing.
  • Infrastructure Operations: Partner with clients to administer and maintain existing IT Infrastructure, to include file/print, fax, email, applications, web servers, storage, network, firewall, and security.
  • Infrastructure Engineering: Partner with clients to systematically analyze the design and architecture of existing IT infrastructure, and configure the build-out of additions to existing IT infrastructure.

Infrastructure Management Tools

We offer expertise in the following Infrastructure Management Tools:

  • Configuration Management: PVCS/Dimensions, Mercury, Rational Clear Case Suite, and Webtrends Enterprise suite.
  • Change Management: Remedy, Vantive, and BMC.
  • IT Strategy & Architecture: UML,ARIS, Troux Metis, Mega, Popkin, and System Architect.
  • Infrastructure Operations: Exchange, SMS,MOSS, SUN, Altiris, NetCool, HP Openview, BMC Patrol, NetIQ, ISS Real Secure, Cisco PIX, , VMWare, Citrix, and CheckPoint FW.

Storage and Backup

The HumanTouch team fully supports the design, implementation, and management of backup, storage, and disaster recovery solutions. Our services encompass the following:

  • Assess/Evaluate requirements to determine current and future needs.
  • Develop business case analyses, technical white papers, and executive briefings for justification and implementation of new storage and backup technologies.
  • Develop business cases for procurement and acquisition, including ROI analyses.
  • Develop Work Breakdown Structure WBS and project management schedules.
  • Develop long-range historical data archives and recovery methodologies.
  • Deploy SUN, NetApp, EMC DMX Series (800/1000/2000), EMC Clariion CX300/600, EMC Celerra, and EMC Centera.
  • Provide Disk-to-Disk (D2D) and Disk-to-Tape (D2T) backup system design, implementation, and administration.

Lifecycle Network Solutions

The HumanTouch team provides a full array of Lifecycle Network Solutions. Our approach involves providing the following services:

  • Data/Requirements Layer: Interview stake holders for overall mission/goals; discover/document the necessary requirements; document the current infrastructure topology; and examine existing network performance data.
  • Logical Design Layer: Create a logical design based on data gathered dealing with the network topology. Develop network security plan and network management design.
  • Physical Design Layer: Identify technologies, resources and products based on the logical design layer. Test and document the design. Write a test plan, build prototype, optimize the network design, and document the entire process.

Tools

  • Veritas NetBackup 5.0/6.0, Storage Foundation.
  • EMC Control Center Storage Resource Management tool.
  • Brocade Fabric Manager.
  • Veritas Command Central Storage.
  • McData SANavigator Management Software.
  • Quantum, ADIC, StorageTek.
  • NDMP, Flash Backup, D2D2T, SAN based backup.
  • APTARE Backup Monitoring.
  • ADIC Pathlight VX Virtual Tape Library.