Beneficial Intelligence

Jetpack systems

September 04, 2020 Sten Vesterli Season 1 Episode 11
Beneficial Intelligence
Jetpack systems
Show Notes

In this episode of Beneficial Intelligence, I discuss Jetpack systems - powerful but uncontrolled systems implemented by the business without coordination with IT. 

In aviation, we have learned to separate the casual traffic in small aircraft from the serious commercial traffic in large airplanes. The commercial traffic operates on detailed IFR flight plans and flies in airspace controlled by Air Traffic Control on the ground. Outside of controlled airspace, the little planes can fly using visual flight rules just like pilots did at the dawn of aviation. 

In IT, we have a similar distinction between the serious enterprise systems - carefully controlled with change management procedures and detailed go-live plans - and ad-hoc systems, typically built by the business without coordination with IT. 

Sometimes, the two worlds collide, as when a Jetpack apparently intruded into controlled airspace near Los Angeles International Airport. Similarly, the business sometimes buys a powerful jetpack system and starts using it for enterprise data. You need to agree with the business what the boundaries are - what data is core enterprise data and handled by central IT, and what data the business is free to store and use on their own. 

Beneficial Intelligence is a weekly podcast with stories and pragmatic advice for CIOs and other IT leaders. To get in touch, please contact me at sten@vesterli.com

 ATC communication from the VASAviation YouTube channel.