Using a Depth Tree Framework to Evaluate Change Impacts of Modifications to IT Infrastructure

In a business IT system, change is an engine of progress, as well as a source of doom. End user applications, operational disciplines, and IT vendors are major sources of continuous change. However, application software change control is a relatively mature process; many organizations implement IT infrastructure change manually, relying primarily on the IT staff's knowledge and expertise. Thus, an effective and efficient way to settle it is urgently needed. In this paper, we take a necessary first step toward the change management of IT infrastructure. Mainly along with utilizing a depth tree, termed with DTM in the following, to qualitatively get hold of the sequence of affected parts of IT infrastructure and trace the detailed propagation paths, it can also be relatively accurate to evaluate the quantitative influence to each implicative part and provide its benchmark-values corresponding to industrial experiences in business and techniques for the decision-makers.