Case Study: Sustaining the ICT and service management backbone of joint collective training
Client: Department of Defence, Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC J7)
Project: Joint Collective Training Branch managed ICT service delivery
How Profectus sustains the ICT infrastructure and IT service management that underpin Headquarters Joint Operations Command J7 simulation environments, keeping directed ADF and coalition exercises operationally ready across a four-year managed workforce engagement.
Client and context
Headquarters Joint Operations Command J7 is responsible for delivering high quality, innovative, timely and focused live, virtual and constructive joint collective training, so that directed Australian Defence Force elements are prepared to achieve success. The Joint Collective Training Branch within HQJOC J7 plays a critical role in ensuring ADF elements are ready for operations through simulation-based training exercises.
Major exercises, involving approximately 1,200 ADF personnel and coalition forces from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, test operational command and control in complex conflict scenarios. These activities depend on robust ICT infrastructure, skilled personnel, seamless service delivery and comprehensive IT service management to meet Defence operational requirements.
The engagement
Profectus was engaged to supply and sustain a managed workforce of 25 skilled ICT specialists across network, systems, simulation and service management roles, maintaining HQJOC J7 training environments and ensuring readiness for high-end exercises. The remit spanned managing networks, storage and system configurations, adhering to ITSM standards, overseeing the transition from Jira to the ServiceNow platform, and recruiting, training and retaining qualified personnel to meet Defence stringent criteria.
The challenge
Sustaining a live operational training capability at high tempo placed several compounding demands on the workforce:
- Operational complexity: managing ICT infrastructure to support live and simulated, multi-national training environments while integrating multiple vendors and stakeholders within a cohesive service management framework
- Stringent criteria: ensuring all personnel met Defence high standards for qualifications, security and technical capability while adhering to strict SLAs for incident resolution, change management and operational performance
- Service continuity: maintaining operational readiness and ICT infrastructure under high-intensity conditions, where an exercise window cannot be moved
- Compliance: maintaining security and assurance against the ISM, DSPF and PSPF throughout continuous change
Our approach
Profectus support was built on three core pillars, delivered by cleared specialists embedded within the J7 environment.
ITIL-aligned service management
The team implemented robust incident, problem and change management processes tailored to Defence, developed SOPs and knowledge bases to standardise ITSM practice across JCTB and HQJOC J7, raised and managed tickets, and participated in Change Advisory Board meetings so that every modification was vetted and aligned to Defence standards, including through the transition from Jira to ServiceNow.
Skilled ICT personnel
Profectus applied rigorous recruitment standards, evaluating candidates on technical skills, security clearances and alignment with Defence organisational culture, then kept skills current through ongoing training. Personnel held certifications including ITIL, PRINCE2, Microsoft Certified Professional, Cisco CCNA and CCNP, VMware, Red Hat and ServiceNow.
Infrastructure and continual improvement
Network teams handled configurations, device deployments and firewall settings, while systems teams administered compute and storage using Cisco IOS, NetApp storage and VMware virtualisation. The team performed network load testing, security vulnerability assessments and application compatibility checks, implemented Role-Based Access Control, and ran post-exercise reviews so lessons learned fed continuous improvement.
What we delivered
- Exercise readiness: prepared and maintained ICT environments for every training exercise and Event Functional Test, with Network Engineers providing the secure, high-bandwidth connections critical to communications during Vital Prospect
- Secure command and control: Systems Administrators and Joint Simulation Application Architects and Developers delivered application interoperability and RBAC-protected infrastructure, enabling seamless coalition command and control
- Disciplined ITSM: incident, change and request management run to Defence standards, including CAB participation and the managed transition from Jira to ServiceNow
- Assured quality: automated and manual testing, continuous monitoring and detailed configuration documentation supporting continuity, training and compliance
Systems and methods
Cisco IOS · NetApp storage · VMware · Role-Based Access Control · Jira to ServiceNow transition · ITIL-aligned ITSM · Change Advisory Board · ISM, DSPF and PSPF alignment
The result
Over 48 months, every exercise and Event Functional Test supported by Profectus resources was delivered successfully, including one of HQJOC J7s largest coalition-based simulations. This sustained support has met Defence stringent standards and SLAs, reinforced HQJOC J7 resilience and operational capability, and strengthened trust with stakeholders through post-exercise reviews and adaptive practice.