MTI Services

Project Management

Due to their complexity and impact on a company’s business, Project Management is key for the success of an IT infrastructure project. The main causes of failure for an IT infrastructure project are the lack of project management, inappropriate resources, bad project definition and scope, underestimated risks and impact; poorly defined planning and insufficient tests.

Projects are generally divided into several stages: Definition, Initiation, Planning, Implementation, Tests. Each stage is characterized by a distinct set of tasks. Each of them is of equal importance and contributes to the overall success of the project.

Managing an infrastructure project is difficult under the best circumstances. Project Management is people management, technology management, risk management and business constraints & expectations management.

Project Management is always a real challenge. Projects are successful only when the right environmental conditions exist and clear objectives have been defined.

PHASES	MTI PROJECT MANAGEMENT MAIN TASKS
Step 1	Project Initialisation The project definition document is prepared and formally signed off by the Steering Committee. This document defines the project scope, goals, objectives, detailed planning, resources, risks, issues, tests plan, communication plan, methodology and approach. Agreement on the Statement Of Work (SOW) including acceptance form. Management of the installation of MTI’s technical platform. Definition of roles, responsibility and commitments both on MTI and Customer side. Finalisation of the constitution of the project team.
Step 2	Studies and detailed specifications Control pre-requisite and pre-site definitions. Setup of equipment and definition of parameters to be integrated. Definition of all procedures (migration, consolidation, fail back, ...) Detailed planning and task definition. Resources allocation on tasks. Draft a detailed architecture and specifications document. Produce project Quality Assurance definition. Define a test plan.
Step 3	Execution Implementation of the solution Prototype the new solution and gain feedback from customers. Physical installation of hardware and software components. Integration of various hardware and software products. Setup parameters and integrity control. System configuration, migrations & tuning relating to level of service QoS required. Reporting on project progress (planning, resources, issues, risks, proposed changes, ...) Upgrade documentation and customer’s CMDB. Operational procedure definition.
Step 4	Tests Performance analysis. Integration tests and validation of the new environment relating to the SLA. Launch the new solution on real IT production.
Step 5	Finalise Upgrade of the test receipt documentation Handover and training of the customer’s operational staff. Signature of the acceptance form by the steering committee.

MTI’s Project Management

For 25 years, MTI have delivered high quality solutions to their customers with the right project resources, forming a cohesive team, motivated and efficient able to deliver on IT infrastructure project.

MTI’s Project Leaders have a good vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. Having value placed on openness and directness, they are comfortable communicating with people at all levels regarding goals, responsibilities, performance, expectation and feedback. Due to their experience and skills, they understand the process and dynamics required to drive an IT infrastructure project. Our Project Managers take care about business drivers and user expectations. MTI’s Project Managers have been hired based on their ability to successfully lead other experts rather than on pure expertise. However most of them are certified on the technologies they are familiar integrating.

Project Leaders manage software and hardware architects, implementation specialists, support engineers with a common view and clear understanding of the objectives, scope of the project and customer’s expectations.

MTI’s Project Managers reduce risks and failure on project by using a strong and tested methodology, PRINCE 2 which is a process-based method for effective project management. PRINCE 2 is scalable to align efficiently and effectively with any size of IT project. PRINCE 2 is a complete and logical set of processes that ensures that all important aspects of a project are addressed. Based upon common sense, this methodology is easy to understand by Customer's representative who is not familiar with. Utilisation of PRINCE 2 is a key factor for success and communication.

They lead the project on a day-to-day basis and coordinate people working on the project to guarantee that the project will deliver the required outcome within budget, on time and to the appropriate quality.

Due to their experience, MTI’s Project Managers will provide customers with the best advice to make your project successful from start to finish and ensure the projects acceptance.

MTI requirements

In order to optimise project roll-out and communication, MTI requires that an experienced user representative be appointed to work in partnership with MTI’s Project Manager. The user resource should have the full capability to drive the project and have the ultimate ownership of it.

Together the MTI Project Manager and the user resource will ensure that roles, responsibilities and pre-requisites are clearly defined taking care to keep the organisational and operational structure as simple as possible.

A Steering Committee must be set up and become operational for taking all key decisions about the project and should be composed of senior managers from both parties.

MTI Project Management - Key Benefits

Scope and objectives of the project
MTI define precisely with the customer the objectives and the scope of the project. MTI take care of business constraints and verify that objectives are aligned with them.

Critical success factors
MTI’s project team clearly defines with the customer the critical factors that makes the project a success and will use them at the end to measure project success.

Detailed planning, task and resources
The Project Manager clearly defines a valid and realistic time-scale, documents project milestones and deliverables and appropriates resource allocation. A security factor will be applied to avoid any disruption.

Communication
MTI’s Project Manager ensures communications within his project team and with the customer. This guarantee is in place to ensure the team is motivated and focused on the same objectives.

Tests
Due to the possible impact of an incident to the business, the MTI Project Manager takes care of tests and performance analysis to be sure that the new solution will run at expected level.

MTI Expertise

MTI’s core expertise is based upon its manufacturing heritage and 25 years of operating in the storage and technology industry. Over this period, MTI’s staff have developed key infrastructure solutions and the service philosophy which is at the core of MTI’s business operation. MTI’s business is built on the following key capabilities:

Specialist in house expertise & knowledge
Project Management capability
Managed Services capability
Proven track record
Unique business processes
Solution testing capability
Customer focus & service (24x7x52)
Vendor independence
Industry best practice
Highest level of certification with our key partners

These skills, knowledge base and work practices enable MTI to understand a customers business and IT problems. Then design, implement, test, service and maintain the right solution for the right business requirements.

Key Partners

MTI’s key partner relationships with the leading Infrastructure technology companies, allows MTI to extend its key competence and capability to deliver infrastructure solutions that enhance the storage and storage related solutions it delivers to its EMEA customer base. These relationships capitalise on the partners market leading positions, world class technology, geographical coverage and services led solutions. The combination of these skills ensures MTI delivers world class solutions designed to meet its customers unique requirements.