Todays big challenge has been to deploy a new version of a management tool that we had developed for storing our business unit risk assessment data.
It's a big deal because having the information relating to more than 160 business units stored in a single database allows us to have very granular reports - for example, at an instant we can see a list of all business units that might have one or more risk categories out of compliance with policy, or we can view all business units that are making use of a particular brand of security device. It also enables us to look for patterns across the organisation - for instance perhaps a majority of business units are having difficulty achieving compliance in a certain area so we can focus on that area and determine the best ways forward.
The original process was Excel-spreadsheet based so getting access to this level of information could be a very time consuming process. With the database, it's much easier for us to manage and review security objectives and set measurable targets. It's also easier for businesses to update their own information. Instead of having to fill out a new spreadsheet they only need to update their information online.
So, back to todays challenge of deploying a new version. Did it work? I can hear you asking...no! It's all gone pear-shaped and we are going to have to roll the deployment back to the previous version and hope for better luck tomorrow!