Leveraging ITIL/ITSM into Network Operations

Air Force Network Operations (AFNetOps) controls the AF portion of the Global Information Grid (GIG). In order to do this efficiently, the USAF had to change the way it was operating and go away Centralized Control. Decentralized execution towards Centralized Control, Centralized Execution. This was done largely in part because the USAF was struggling in protection of critical information and the networks interconnection all of our installations. In the late 80's the United Kingdom created Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) whose purpose is to provide a practical no- nonsense framework for identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services for a business. Over the years, ITIL has become the defacto standard for all IT Service Management. In consolidating our Network Operations and Security Center operations, the USAF decided to take steps towards incorporating this standard. This research discovered how well ITSM was integrated into our AFNetOps posture and the collaborative efforts to standardize change management for the benefit of the Air Force. If indeed the USAF is to become another ITIL success story, it resides with the IT Service Management framework of guiding our NetOps.