To paraphrase a previously used analogy, conceptualize the existing network as an interstate highway and the IT management function as traffic cops, allowing or disallowing traffic on their piece of road. Understanding their requirements and being able to explain what impact the new equipment may or may not have on network traffic will go a long way toward smoothing out what can be a contentious relationship among in-house security executives, an alarm company, systems integrators and an IT department.
To best understand IT concerns, it’s necessary to understand IT’s responsibilities. The IT management job is not just to manage the cable plant, computer hardware and software used in the enterprise network; they must also manage subordinates who work on the system. Another overriding responsibility is to function as the human interface for all of a computer system’s users, which usually encompasses nearly every person in an organization. If and when users have problems with their computers, they will be calling the IT department for assistance.