Project Management in BPPM Implementation - Part 5: A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) example

In a previous post, we discussed two common methods to determine the time and cost of a BPPM implementation: WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) and historical average.  Regardless which method you used when you requested your budget, WBS is required when you start the initial implementation phase of a BPPM project.

WBS decomposes a project into smaller work packages.  And each work package has its own verifiable deliverables.  WBS allows you to plan resources, track progress, and make adjustment to the time and cost estimates.

Assuming that the planning phase is completed successfully with an architecture diagram and all the required hardware systems are in place, here is an example of WBS for the initial implementation phase of a BPPM project.  Please keep in mind that this is still a high-level WBS and you can decompose each task into several tasks.

1.      Install BPPM components with required high availability

2.      Configure BPPM Components and inter-component communication

3.      Create PATROL installation packages

4.      Configure staging integration service and create staging policies

5.      Deploy PATROL installation packages on a few test servers

6.      Install PATROL classic console or PATROL central console

7.      Create monitoring policies in CMA for operating systems, log files, and a few selected databases/applications

8.      Create tagging and grouping policies in CMA

9.      Test monitoring solutions on deployed test servers

10.   Deploy PATROL installation packages to a group of selected production servers

11.   Test all configured monitoring solutions on all selected production servers

12.   Customize PATROL agent thresholds

13.   Create server thresholds (absolute and signature) for each monitoring solution

14.   Create cell rules/policies to process PATROL agent events at each integration service cell

15.   Create cell rules/policies to process intelligent events at server cell

16.   Create cell rules/policies to process self-monitoring events

17.   Propagate events to server cell

18.   Set up event (or data) blackout

19.   Integrate BPPM with LDAP (optionally)

20.   Create user interface for administrators, operators, and developers

21.   Set up alert email or other notification method to end users in selected business units

22.   Deploy BPPM to production servers

23.   Perform user acceptance test on production BPPM

24.   Complete documentation

25.   Perform knowledge transfer