Information technology governance

The discipline of IT governance focuses on IT infrastructure, performance, cost structure, and risk. This creates some challenges in a decentralized blockchain network, since the governance framework should establish accountability to encourage desirable behavior and optimal functioning of the network's IT infrastructure. The technical design and infrastructure choices of the blockchain network ought to be able to adapt to the needs of its participants. Because blockchain networks thrive on at least some level of decentralization, IT governance should include distributed flexibility and distributed control.

IT governance should provide at least the following:

• A distributed IT management structure
• A model for distributed maintenance, upgrades, and so on
• Utilization of industry standards — COBIT, ITIL, ISO, CMMI, FAIR, and so on
• Resource optimization—this includes technology procurement, supplier-vendor relations, SLA management, skills, and talent management

• Technology adoption and evaluation to keep up with technology evolution
• A network deployment strategy to encourage and enforce regular updates and upgrades
• Network support services — IT SLA enforcement and membership services
• Risk optimization — operational support services (OSSs) and business support services (BSSs), IT infrastructure continuity services/planning, technology alignment to legal and regulatory requirements, and so on