The ITSM Practice: Elevating ITSM and IT Security Knowledge

AI that summarizes an incident is one thing. AI that disables accounts, isolates endpoints and blocks connections is another.
In this episode of The ITSM Practice Podcast, Luigi Ferri explains the ITIL 5 6C Model for AI and why CIOs, CISOs and MSPs need to stop asking, “Are we using AI?” and start asking, “What are we allowing AI to do?”

In this episode, we answer to:
What is the ITIL 5 6C Model for AI?
How much authority should MSPs give AI to decide and act?
Who is accountable when autonomous AI gets a decision wrong?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
ITIL website, article "AI Governance in Organizations", link https://www.itil.com/Itil-News-and-Announcements/itil-ai-governance-organizations

ITIL website, white paper "ITIL AI Governance White Paper", link https://www.itil.com/-/media/itilsite/site-assets/documents/itil-ai-governance/itil-ai-governance-white-paper-2025.pdf

PeopleCert Community website, article "AI Governance in Service Management", link https://community.peoplecert.org/home/clubs/itil/blogs/ai-governance-in-service-management

PeopleCert Community website, article "What ITIL AI Governance Teaches Us About Maturity in an AI-Enabled World", link https://community.peoplecert.org/public/clubs/itil/blogs/what-itil-ai-governance-teaches-us-about-maturity-in-an-ai-enabled-world

ITIL website, article "Governing AI in organizations – new ITIL guidance is making a difference", link https://itil.com/Itil-News-and-Announcements/itil-version-5-ai-governance-guidance

ITIL website, article "ITIL AI Governance (Version 5): categorizing and assessing AI, and deploying appropriate controls", link https://www.itil.com/Itil-News-and-Announcements/itil-version-5-ai-governance-controls

PeopleCert Community website, article "ITIL (Version 5): A Value Stream Perspective", link https://community.peoplecert.org/public/clubs/itil/blogs/itil-version-5-a-value-stream-perspective

Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theitsmpractice/
Website: http://www.theitsmpractice.com
And if you want more tips and guidance, follow me on LinkedIn. I am sharing daily posts regarding Enterprise Service Management, IT Service Management, and IT Security.

Credits:
Sound engineering by Alan Southgate - http://alsouthgate.co.uk/

Graphics by Yulia Kolodyazhnaya

A critical vulnerability is not automatically a critical business risk. If your CMDB only tells you which server is affected but not the customer, service, contract, SLA, or revenue behind it, you are missing the information that matters. This episode explains why CISOs need a business-aware CMDB to connect technical risk with real business impact.

In this episode, we answer to:
Can your CMDB tell the CISO what a security incident actually means for the business?
How do you prioritize vulnerabilities based on customers, SLAs, contracts, and revenue at risk?
Why is connecting CMDB, ITSM, CRM, and ERP data critical for risk-based security decisions?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
PeopleCert website, course "ITIL 4 Practitioner: Service Configuration Management", link https://www.peoplecert.org/browse-certifications/it-governance-and-service-management/ITIL-1/itil-4-practitioner-service-configuration-management-3800

PeopleCert website, case study "SITA", link https://www.peoplecert.org/-/media/folders-reorganized/pdfs/itil-maturity-model/cs-sita.pdf

ServiceNow website, guide "CMDB Design Guidance", link https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/resource-center/white-paper/wp-cmdb-design-guidance.pdf

BMC website, article "Best Practices for the Common Data Model", link https://docs.bmc.com/xwiki/bin/view/Service-Management/IT-Service-Management/BMC-Helix-CMDB/ac254/Managing-the-common-data-model/Best-Practices-for-the-Common-Data-Model/

Device42 website, article "CMDB Architecture Best Practices: Aligning Design with IT Objectives", link https://www.device42.com/cmdb-best-practices/cmdb-architecture/

Device42 website, guide "The Technical Guide to CMDB Best Practices", link https://www.device42.com/cmdb-best-practices/

Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theitsmpractice/
Website: http://www.theitsmpractice.com
And if you want more tips and guidance, follow me on LinkedIn. I am sharing daily posts regarding Enterprise Service Management, IT Service Management, and IT Security.

Credits:
Sound engineering by Alan Southgate - http://alsouthgate.co.uk/

Graphics by Yulia Kolodyazhnaya

Is your security stack actually protecting you, or are you just paying for too many tools? This episode looks at security tool sprawl, unused capabilities, overlapping products, skills gaps and vendor dependency. Before buying another security product, understand what you already have, what your team can actually operate and what would really happen if you switched a tool off.

In this episode, we answer to:
Are you paying for security tools you do not actually need?
Is your team using the security capabilities you already pay for?
Should you consolidate security tools or invest in specialist products?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Meriplex website, blog article “Cybersecurity Services for Mid-Market Businesses: What You Really Need in 2025”, link: https://meriplex.com/cybersecurity-services-for-mid-market-businesses/

HashiCorp website, blog article “The risks of cybersecurity tool sprawl: Why consolidation is a strategic priority”, link: https://www.hashicorp.com/en/blog/the-risks-of-cybersecurity-tool-sprawl-and-why-we-need-consolidation

MES Computing website, article “What Midmarket CIOs Must Prove By EOY 2026: Fewer Platforms, Faster Security, Measurable Outcomes”, link: https://www.mescomputing.com/news/2026/business/what-midmarket-cios-must-prove-by-eoy-2026

CyberNeurix website, blog article “Security Tool Consolidation in 2026: Why CISOs Are Deleting Tools Instead of Buying Them”, link: https://blogs.cyberneurix.com/blog/security-tool-consolidation-2026/

Red Canary website, blog article “Why CISOs under consolidation pressure are embracing Microsoft Security solutions”, link: https://redcanary.com/blog/microsoft/tool-consolidation-microsoft/

Bitdefender Business Insights website, article “The Security Platform Is Dead. Long Live the Security Platform.”, link: https://businessinsights.bitdefender.com/security-platform-is-dead-long-live-security-platform

Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theitsmpractice/
Website: http://www.theitsmpractice.com
And if you want more tips and guidance, follow me on LinkedIn. I am sharing daily posts regarding Enterprise Service Management, IT Service Management, and IT Security.

Credits:
Sound engineering by Alan Southgate - http://alsouthgate.co.uk/

Graphics by Yulia Kolodyazhnaya

24/7 support does not automatically mean 24/7 capability. In this episode of The ITSM Practice Podcast, Luigi Ferri explores how MSPs can design profitable 24/7 IT support using follow-the-sun models, AI, automation, Level Zero support, intelligent routing, and service tiers, while protecting engineering capacity, customer experience, SLAs, and margins.

In this episode, we answer to:
How can MSPs deliver effective 24/7 IT support without replicating expensive engineering capability across every time zone?
How can AI, automation, and Level Zero improve incident management, troubleshooting, routing, and follow-the-sun handovers?
How can MSPs balance SLA performance, customer experience, engineering capacity, and profitability in a 24/7 support model?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
TechMonarch website, article “How to Scale Managed IT Services for Growing Businesses Without Compromising Quality”, link: https://techmonarch.com/blog/how-to-scale-managed-it-services-for-growing-businesses-without-compromising-quality/

Splashtop website, article “5 Strategies for Scaling IT Operations”, link https://www.splashtop.com/blog/5-strategies-for-scaling-it-operations

Convergence Networks website, article “How to Overcome the 10 Biggest Managed Services Challenges”, link: https://convergencenetworks.com/blog/managed-it-services-challenges/

Advance IT website, article “From Startups to Scale-Ups: Key Trends in Scaling Operations for Long-Term Growth”, link: https://www.advanceit.sg/blog/from-startups-to-scale-ups-key-trends-in-scaling-operations-for-long-term-growth

ScottMadden, website, article “IT Organizational Structures Explained: Finding the Best Fit”, link: https://www.scottmadden.com/insight/it-organizational-structures-explained-finding-the-best-fit/

BPM website, article “Scaling IT Security Operations”, link: https://www.bpm.com/insights/scaling-it-security-operations/

Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theitsmpractice/
Website: http://www.theitsmpractice.com
And if you want more tips and guidance, follow me on LinkedIn. I am sharing daily posts regarding Enterprise Service Management, IT Service Management, and IT Security.

Credits:
Sound engineering by Alan Southgate - http://alsouthgate.co.uk/

Graphics by Yulia Kolodyazhnaya

AI is no longer just a technology tool, it is becoming part of the workforce. In this episode, Luigi Ferri explores why AI represents a workforce transformation rather than a technology project, and how CIOs, CISOs, and business leaders must rethink governance, digital workers, AI leadership, cybersecurity, and Enterprise Service Management to successfully manage hybrid human-AI teams.

In this episode, we answer to:
Why is AI a workforce transformation rather than just another technology implementation?
How should CIOs and CISOs govern and manage digital workers alongside human employees?
What leadership, governance, and cybersecurity challenges emerge when AI agents become part of the workforce?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
ServiceNow website, article "Autonomous Workforce", link https://www.servicenow.com/platform/autonomous-workforce.html

Atomicwork website, article "The AI Workforce: What it actually is and how to make it work for your service teams", link https://www.atomicwork.com/itsm/ai-workforce-guide

Digital Workforce, article "Business Automation. Orchestrated.", link https://digitalworkforce.com

NICE Cognigy website, article "AI Agent Examples and Use Cases for Enterprise Contact Centers", link https://www.cognigy.com/ai-agents/examples-ai-agents

DOMO website, article "Customer Support AI Agents: What They Are and How to Build Them for Best Results", link https://www.domo.com/blog/customer-support-ai-agents-what-they-are-and-how-to-build-them-for-best-results

IBM website, article "Better customer service with AI agents", link https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/ai-agents-in-customer-service

Torq website, article "The Economics of an Agentic SOC: How AI Reduces Security Operations Costs", link https://torq.io/blog/economics-agentic-soc/

KuppingerCole website, article "The Emerging AI Security Operations Center (SOC)", link https://www.kuppingercole.com/research/lc81057/the-emerging-ai-security-operations-center-soc

Connect with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theitsmpractice/
Website: http://www.theitsmpractice.com
And if you want more tips and guidance, follow me on LinkedIn. I am sharing daily posts regarding Enterprise Service Management, IT Service Management, and IT Security.

Credits:
Sound engineering by Alan Southgate - http://alsouthgate.co.uk/

Graphics by Yulia Kolodyazhnaya