|
|
Service Level Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Maintain and improve IT Service quality
Constant cycle of agree, monitor, report and act
Better relationship with Customer
Benefits
Services designed to meet SLRs
Improved relationship with satisfied Customers
Clear roles and responsibilities
Specific targets
IT aligned with business
Clear and consistent expectations
Service monitoring to find and improve weak areas
Service monitoring identifies training needs
Underpins supplier management
Demonstrates value to enable Charging
Critical Success Factors
Clear and accurate SLAs
Regular reviews
Monitoring to confirm compliance
Clear communication to Customers, Users & staff
Key Performance Indicators
Percent of services covered by an SLA
Percent of SLAs backed by OLA and UC
SLAs monitored and reported regularly
Review meetings with minutes
Issues raised in reviews are worked and resolved
Percent of SLAs, OLAs and UCs needing review
Percent met and percent breached
Severity of the breaches
Are breaches reviewed effectively?
Are service levels improving?
Are Customer perceptions improving?
Are IT costs decreasing for stable services?
|
Possible Implementation Problems
Monitor and match perceptions before agreeing
Ensure targets are achievable
Verify targets prior to agreeing
Unrealistic SLAs
Inadequate focus, resources and time given to SLM
Inadequate authority/seniority for SLM negotiation
Inadequate UCs
Unclear responsibilities
IT bias when business does not know own needs
SLA too lengthy or verbose or unfocused
SLAs not properly communicated
Company views SLM as an overhead
Focus on contracts instead of relationships
Tools
Service Catalog
Service Level Agreements
Operational Level Agreements
Underpinning Contracts
Service Level Requirements
Accurate Configuration Items
Monitoring and reporting from CDB
Activities
Produce Service Catalog
Plan, draft, negotiate & agree the SLA
Monitor, report & review
Service Improvement Programs
Inputs
Prior informal processes & artifacts
Input from Customer, User, IT & vendors
Monitoring and reporting
Incidents, Problems, breaches and near misses
Outputs
SLM processes & artifacts
Formal Catalog of Services
Finalized SLA, OLA and UC agreements
Negotiations, agreements and periodic reviews
Reports
Requests for Change
Manager’s Duties
Create & maintain Service Catalog
Formulate, agree, maintain, monitor, report & review
on SLM, SLAs, OLAs & UCs
Negotiate & agree SLRs
|
|
Financial Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Cost effective stewardship of IT resources
Account fully for spend on IT Services
Attribute costs to appropriate Services
Provide detailed business cases for Changes
Benefits
Increased confidence in budgeting
Accurate cost information
More efficient use of IT resources
Increased IT professionalism
Critical Success Factors
Management commitment
SLM assessment on Charging impact on usage
IT Services efficient & effective at reasonable cost
Key Performance Indicators
Accurate cost recovery and expenditure profiles
Charges applied are seen to be fair
IT organization provided with expected income
Customers & Users behavior & perceptions change
Possible Implementation Problems
Limited IT understanding can add complexity
Delayed getting information from other groups
Shared staff from outside IT with right experience
Capacity Plan and IT strategies not complete
Senior management may resent this overhead
Costing may restrict IT response to Users
Cost exceeds the benefit
Monitoring inaccurate, irrelevant or too costly
|
Tools
Corporate General Ledger system
Interface to extract data from Corporate GL
Reports on resource usage
Ability to calculate costs & establish Cost Model
Spreadsheets for budgets & Cost Model
Means to input data from other SM Processes
Activities
Budgeting
Accounting
Charging
Inputs
Estimated costs and cost types
Depreciation schedules
Service Catalog and Configuration Items
Service Workloads
Outputs
Costing model
Charging rates and policies per Service
ROI, ROCE, TCO
Manager’s Duties
Develop FM policies on Budget, Accounting & Charging
Implement & maintain FM processes
Assist with financial planning for IT & Customers
|
|
Capacity Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Ensure cost justifiable IT Capacity always exists
Match Capacity to current & future Business needs
Benefits
Increased efficiency and cost savings
Reduced risk
More confident forecasts
Add value to applications life cycle
Critical Success Factors
Accurate business forecasts
Knowledge & accuracy of IT plans & strategy
Understanding current & future technologies
Ability to demonstrate cost-effectiveness
Interaction with other effective SM Processes
Ability to plan & implement to match business
Key Performance Indicators
Timely & accurate resource forecasts in Cap Plan
Ability to monitor all Services and components
New technology implemented in line with business
Old technology does not cause SLA breaches
Capacity cost-effective to met business needs
Capacity planned accurately
Planning & implementation reduces Incidents
Reduce lost business from inadequate Capacity
New Services implemented to match the SLR
Recommendations are acted upon
Possible Implementation Problems
Over committed expectations
Vendor influence
Lack of information
Complexity in a distributed environment
Complexity to design & implement monitoring
Tools
Monitoring tools
Capacity management DataBase
Capacity Plan
Linkages to the CMDB
Trend modeling tools
Forecasting tools
Tuning tools
|
Activities
Monitoring
Analysis
Tuning
Implementation
Storage of Capacity Management data
Demand management
Modeling
Application sizing
Production of the capacity plan
Inputs
Technology
SLAs, SLRs and Service Catalog
Business plans and strategy
IS/IT plans and strategy
Business requirements and volumes
Operational schedules
Deployment and development plans and programs
Forward Schedule of Change
Incidents and Problems
Service reviews
SLA breaches
Financial plans
Budgets
Outputs
Capacity Plan
CDB
Baselines and profiles
Thresholds and alarms
Capacity reports (regular, ad hoc and exception)
SLA and SLR recommendations
Costing and charging recommendations
Proactive changes and service improvements
Revised operational schedule
Effectiveness reviews
Audit reports
Manager’s Duties
Ensure appropriate monitoring data into CDB
Product Capacity Plan
Evaluate increase/decrease based on SLRs
Management information with trends & forecasts
Size HW for utilization, Service Level & cost
Assess and test new technology
Report performance against SLAs
Plan for future demands
Tuning and Changes for optimization
Recommend Resolutions to performance Problems
Recommendations for Demand Management
|
|
IT Service Continuity Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Support overall Business Continuity Management
Ensure IT resources can be recovered within required
and agreed business time scales
Benefits
Strive for lower insurance premiums
Comply with regulatory requirements
Improve relationship with Business
Marketing of ITSCM to clients and Customers
IT credibility with shareholders and clients
Competitive advantage
Critical Success Factors
Management commitment
Allocation of resources for plan & test
Commitment from IT
Integration with Business Continuity Plan
Key Performance Indicators
Identification of Critical Business Functions
Defined strategy for recovery of CBF
Number trained
Number of successful tests
Possible Implementation Problems
Management commitment
Insufficient resources
Failure to test
|
Tools
Business Impact Analysis
ITSCM Plan
Spreadsheets or tools for risk assessments
Scripts for testing & simulations
Activities
Initiation
Requirements
Implementation
Operational Management
Inputs
SLAs and UCs
IRs, PRs, RFCs, resolutions and history
CIs and their relationships
Outputs
Updated SLAs, UCs and Standby Agreements
Revised RFCs
RFCs to improve ITSCM & Availability
Identified Critical Business Functions
Manager’s Duties
Develop & manage the ITSCM Plan
Ensure recovery can be achieved
Ensure all IT Services prepared and able
Testing, reviews and communication
Negotiate & manage contracts
Manage IT Service during crises
Other Roles
BCM Steering Committee
BCM Manager
|
|
Availability Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Optimize ability
Deliver cost-effective & sustained Availability
Determine business requirements
Match IT capabilities to business requirements
Provide alternatives & costing to fill gaps
Monitor & measure to ensure Availability is provided
Continuous improvement to optimize
Benefits
Single point of accountability
IT Services meet business requirements
Availability is cost justified
Agree, monitor & measure Availability to support SLM
Identify shortfalls, identify & implement corrections
Business & User perspective to ensure optimal usage
Frequency & duration of failures reduced over time
IT mind-set moves from reactive to proactive
IT is seen to “add-value” to the business
Critical Success Factors
Clearly defined and agreed SLAs
Accurate business forecasts
Knowledge & accuracy of IT plans & strategy
Understanding current & future technologies
Ability to demonstrate cost-effectiveness
Interaction with other effective SM Processes
Ability to plan & implement to match business
Key Performance Indicators
Percent Unavailable
Duration
Frequency of failure
Impact of failure
Possible Implementation Problems
Reluctance to appoint an Availability Manager
Difficulty understanding how AM can make difference
Current Availability is viewed as good enough
Resistance to authority of Availability Manager/Process
AM not empowered to influence IT
|
Tools
Component Failure Impact Analysis
Fault Tree Analysis
CRAMM
System Outage Analysis
Expanded Incident Life cycle
Continuous Improvement
Technical Observation Post
Availability Plan
Activities
Determine Availability required for new/changed Service
Identify VBF and impact from IT component failure
Determine targets for reliability and maintainability
Establish measurements
Inputs
Business Availability requirements
Business impact assessment
Availability, reliability and maintainability requirements
Incident and Problem data
Configuration and monitoring data
Service level achievements
Outputs
Availability and recovery design criteria
IT infrastructure resilience and Risk Assessment
Agreed targets: Availability, reliability & maintainability
Reports on Availability, reliability & maintainability
achieved
Availability monitoring
Availability improvement plans
Manager’s Duties
Define & execute AM processes
Ensure Services designed for required Availability
Monitor, measure & report on Availability per SLAs
Optimize with cost effective improvements
Reduce over time frequency & duration of Unavailability
Identify & progress corrective actions
Forward looking Availability Plan
|
|
Service Desk Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Global approach
Integrated
Handles incidents & Problems
Provides interface to other processes
Benefits
Improved Customer service
perception and satisfaction
Single point of contact
Better-quality and speedier
Improved teamwork and communication
Focused and proactive
Reduced negative
Better managed infrastructure
Improved usage of resources
Increased productivity of business personnel
Better management information
Critical Success Factors
Business needs understood
Customer requirements understood
Investment in training
Service objectives and deliverables defined
Service levels - practical, agreed, and reviewed
Benefits accepted by the business
Key Performance Indicators
Number of requests
Requests taking most time
Request taking Customer longest time
Which Customers require the most support?
Possible Implementation Problems
Unrealistic expectations
Back-door support options
Misaligned communications
Tools
Configuration Management Database
Service Catalog
Service Level Agreements
Operational Level Agreements
Underpinning Contracts
Users Manual
Support procedures
Notification and escalation lists
Customer Surveys
Knowledge base including list of known errors
Soft skills such as active listening
Time tracking
Reports
Work load analysis
|
Activities
Receiving calls & Customer liaison
Recording and tracking Incidents and complaints
Customers informed
Initial assessment & attempt to resolve
Monitoring and escalation by SLA
Full life-cycle
Communicate changes
Coordinating support groups
Management information and recommendations
Identify Problems
Highlight Customer training needs
Confirm closure with Customer
Contribute to Problem diagnosis
Inputs
Data feeds (assets, etc)
Incidents:
Desktop
Security
Network
System
Application
Operational
Requests for status
Questions
Service Requests
Outputs
Management Information and Monitoring
Supportto grousp with Incidents
Third Party Support
Sales, Purchase, Contract & Account Management
Communicate status and schedules
Manager’s Duties
Coordinate distributed SD resources
Support the Service Management processes
Implement Incident Management
Workload monitoring to manage staffing level
Management reporting
Conduct & analyze customer satisfaction surveys
Classification Process Reviews
Review & revise SD tools & procedures
Other Roles
First Line, Second Line
|
|
Incident Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Restore normal service operation quickly
Minimize adverse impact
Maintain service quality & availability
Benefits
Reduced business impact
Timely resolution
Proactive identification of enhancements
Improved monitoring on SLAs
Management information on service quality
Better staff utilization
Elimination of lost Incidents
More accurate CMDB information
Improved User and Customer satisfaction
Critical Success Factors
Up-to-date CMDB
Knowledge Base
Automated Incident Management system
Close link to SLM for SLA targets
Key Performance Indicators
Numbers of Incidents
Mean time to resolution
Percentage within agreed response time
Average cost per Incident
Percentage closed by Service Desk
Incidents per SD workstation
Percentage resolved without a visit
Possible Implementation Problems
Management or staff commitment
Clarity about business needs
Practices not reviewed or changed
Poor objectives, goals and responsibilities
No provision of agreed Customer service levels
Lack of knowledge
Inadequate training
Lack of integration
Tools to automate the process
Resistance to change
|
Tools
CMDB with automated matching
Automated monitoring to create Incidents
Escalation timers
Ability to route to other groups
Automation for Classification
Auto-Call Distribution telephone system
Diagnostic tools
Knowledge base including list of known errors
Activities
Incident detection and recording
Classification and initial support
Investigation and diagnosis
Resolution and recovery
Incident closure
Ownership, monitor, track and communicate
Inputs
Incident details
Configuration Items
Matching against Problems and Known Errors
Resolution details
Response on RFC
Outputs
RFC for resolution
Updated resolution & Workarounds
Resolved and closed Incidents
Communication to Customers
Management information (reports)
Manager’s Duties
Drive efficiency and effectiveness of IM Process
Produce management information
Managing the work of IM staff
Monitoring the effectiveness of IM
Make recommendations for improvement
Develop and maintain the IM systems
Other Roles
Service Desk Manager
First, Second & Third-line
|
|
Problem Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Minimize the adverse impact from IR & PR
Prevent recurrence
Seek root cause
Initiate actions to improve or correct
Benefits
Improved IT service quality
Incident volume reduction
Permanent solutions
Improved organizational learning
Better first-time fix rate for SD
Critical Success Factors
Effective automated registration & classification
Achievable objectives to use Problem-solving talents
Balance potential conflict between IM & PM
Key Performance Indicators
Number of Problems and errors grouped
Elapsed time to close
Elapsed time on outstanding
Expected resolution time on outstanding
Mean and maximum elapsed time to confirm KE
Any temporary resolution actions
Possible Implementation Problems
Absence of good IM process
Absence of good historical data
Failing to link IR with PR and KE
Management commitment
Do not undermine SD with back-door
Time spent on Knowledge Base
Inaccurate prioritization
Tools
CMDB
Scientific Method
Ishikawa
Brainstorming
Flowcharting
|
Activities
Problem control
Error control
Proactive prevention
Identify trends
Management information from PM data
Major Problem reviews
Inputs
Incident details from IM
Configuration Items
Workarounds from IM
Outputs
Known Errors
Requests for Change
Updated PRs with resolutions & workarounds
Properly closed PRs
Matched IR to PR and KE
Management information
Manager’s Duties
Develop and maintain Problem Control process
Efficiency and effectiveness of Problem Control
Produce management information
Manage Problem support staff
Allocating resources
Effectiveness of Error Control
Recommendations to improve Error Control
Develop and maintain Problem/Error Control systems
Efficiency and effectiveness of Proactive activities
Other Roles
Problem support team
|
|
Configuration Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Account for all IT assets
Provide CIs to other Processes
Sound basis for IM, PM, CM & RM
Verify and correct CIs
Benefits
Accurate information on CIs
Control valuable CIs
Adhere to legal obligations
Help Financial planning
Make Changes visible
Contribute to Contingency planning
Improve Release Management
Security by controlling versions
Reduce unauthorized software
Perform Impact Analysis on Changes
Trend data for Problem Management
Critical Success Factors
Correct & accurate CIs to support SM
Defined procedures and tools
Identify, label, record CIs with history
Train organization on control processes
Reporting and auditing
Key Performance Indicators
Unauthorized configurations
IR & PR from wrongly made Changes
RFCs failed due to bad CIs or version control
Cycle time to approve & implement Changes
Licenses unused
Exceptions found in configuration audit
Unauthorized IT components
Possible Implementation Problems
CIs at wrong level
Inadequate analysis & design
Schedules overly ambitious
Commitment lacking
Too bureaucratic
Routinely circumvented
Processes inefficient or errors in process
Unrealistic expectations about tool
Tool lacks flexibility
Insufficient Change or Release processes
Unrealistic expectations about process
Controls not in place
|
Tools
Configuration Management Database
Software configuration management tools
Change Management support (impact analysis)
Automation for configuration auditing
Automation for release deployment
Definitive Software Library
Definitive Hardware Store
Document management system
Design, analysis and build tools
Report generation tools
Activities
Configuration Management planning
Configuration Identification
Control of CIs
Configuration status accounting
Configuration verification and audit
CMDB back-ups, archives and housekeeping
Add value to the SM organization
Inputs
Incidents, Problems, Known Errors
& RFCs with updates
SW & HW for DSL/DHS
Configuration audits
Outputs
Forward Schedule of Changes
Projected Service Availability
RFC, assessment and updates
Releases from DSL/DHS & library
Updated CIs and relationships
Management information
Linkages to the CDB
Manager’s Duties
Implements agreed CM policy
Develop/improve CM systems
Propose/agree CM scope and plan
Propose/agree Standards & procedures
Awareness campaign
Arrange for recruit/train of staff
Propose/agree CI conventions & standards
Provides management information
RFC impact assessment & updates
Configuration Audits and corrective actions
Other Roles
Configuration Librarian
|
|
Change Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Standardized methods
Efficient and prompt handling of Changes
Minimize impact from Change
Improve day-to-day operations
Benefits
IT aligned with business
Increased visibility and communication
Improved risk assessment
Reduced impact from Changes
Fewer Changes backed-out
Provide data to PM and Availability
Increased productivity of users
Fewer IT diversions
Ability to absorb more Changes
Enhanced business perspective on IT
Critical Success Factors
CM requires an appropriate tool
Implement CM with Configuration & Release
Plan, test and train for CM process
Management commitment
Audit trails in the tool
CAB requires authority
Introduce regular Change Slots
Key Performance Indicators
Number of Changes, grouped
Breakdown reasons for Change
Number successful
Number backed-out
Number secondary Incidents
Number and trends on RFCs
Size of review backlog
High RFCs due to fragile components
Prior year comparison
Number of RFCs rejected
|
Possible Implementation Problems
Too bureaucratic
Cultural difficulties with single CM system
Process circumvented
Dependent on Configuration Management
Tools
CMDB with CI, IR, PR, KE and RFCs
Activities
Filtering Changes
Managing Changes and the Change Process
Chairing the CAB and the CAB/EC
Reviewing and closing RFCs
Management reporting
Inputs
RFCs
CMDB
FSC
Outputs
FSC
RFCs
CAB minutes
Management reports
Manager’s Duties
Receive, log, prioritize, filter RFCs
Agenda, plan & conduct CAB & CAB/EC
Authorize Changes based on CAB
Issue FSC via Service Desk
Liaise & coordinate Change process
Update log & RFC
Provide management reports & trends
Other Roles
Change Advisory Board
Change Advisory Board/Emergency Committee
|
|
Release Management Synopsis
|
Goals
Plan & oversee rollout
Design & implement efficient procedures
Ensure HW & SW is traceable, secure & authorized
Communicate and manage Customer expectations
Liaison with CM to agree content & rollout plan
Implement Releases in conjunction with CM & RM
Secure software in DSL
Ensure CMDB is updated
Benefits
Improved Quality of Service via success rate
Consist, faster, accurate Release process
Minimization of disruption
Assurance of quality HW & SW
Stable test & live environments
Better use of Users in testing
Grouping releases for efficiency
Better expectation setting by publishing schedule
Audit trail
Safeguarding HW & SW
Ability to absorb more Changes
Ability to build and control remotely
Savings by consistency in multiple locations
Smoother transition from development to Live
Critical Success Factors
Clearly defined roles & responsibilities
Well defined processes
Management commitment
Accurate & complete Configuration Items
Implement RM with Configuration & Change
Key Performance Indicators
Releases built & implemented on schedule
Number of releases backed-out
Number of Build failures
Legal compliance
No licenses wasted
No reversion to prior versions
No unauthorized SW in use
All activities logged in CMDB
Actual Release matches planned
|
Possible Implementation Problems
Resistance to change
Teams most in need have least time
Circumvention of the process
Bypassed during emergencies
Reluctance to build dev & test environments
Difficulties implementing remote environments
Perception process is cumbersome & expensive
Unclear ownership
Insufficient testing staff and environment
Lack of understanding of the Release contents
Testing environment not matching Live
Reluctance to back out once started
Tools
RFC & Release status database
Release automation linked to CMDB
Software Configuration Management tools
SCM linked to PRs and RFCs
Build automation
Automatic upload to DSL from Build tool
Automation for distribution & installation
Automatic prerequisite verification
Desktops locked-down
Reload from image files
Remote control implement & troubleshooting
Remote monitoring
Activities
Release Planning
Design, build and configure a Release
Release acceptance
Rollout planning
Communication, preparation and training
Distribution and installation
Inputs
Business needs
Technology options
Outputs
Agreed release contents and schedule
Release contents into the DSL
Implemented Releases
Manager’s Duties
Propose, agree & implement processes
Liaise, coordinate, monitor and report
Other Roles
Change Builder
Independent Tester
Change Implementer
|
|
