Building an IT Governance Foundation - Building IT Governance: CobiT

Building IT Governance: Enter CobiT

First published in 1996, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (CobiT) provides a set of generally accepted best-practice objectives to help maximize the benefits derived through IT use. It further aids in developing appropriate IT governance and control in an organization. Managed by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association and its research body, the IT Governance Institute (ITGI), CobiT became the IT governance standard against which auditors measured process and control maturity in support of compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

CobiT provides a control- and objective-based foundation upon which decisions and investments can be based. These include defining a strategic plan; defining the information architecture; acquiring the necessary hardware and software to execute a strategy; managing projects; ensuring continuous service; and monitoring the performance of the IT system.

This is achieved by providing tools to assess and measure the performance of 34 high-level processes that cover 214 control objectives, which are categorized in four domains: Plan and Organize; Acquire and Implement; Deliver and Support; and Monitor and Evaluate. By implementing processes and procedures supporting the CobiT objectives and identifying and monitoring associated controls, users and auditors will recognize greater reliability and performance throughout the enterprise.