ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to help data center managers and other Information Systems (IS) professionals develop and draft an effective long-range plan. Long-range IS plans must support these strategic, functional, and operational levels of planning. Managers should understand the purposes and functions of each planning level. IS managers are often faced with a variety of external factors that influence long-range planning. An IS planning team is usually established under the guidance of the IS director or the chief information officer. To be effective, the IS strategic planning team should consist of personnel who have a unique blend of professional management, operations, and systems analysis experience coupled with an in-depth knowledge of the organization and its mission. The IS planning team must first establish a set of broad goals for its planning effort. These goals should include such matters as the level of the final planning product—strategic, functional, operational, or multilevel.
