ITIL FOUNDATION

ITIL v3 Foundation Notes: Service Operation and Functions

BYEDWARD CHUNG NOVEMBER 27, 2014

[ITILv3FoundationNotes]TheServiceOperationphaseofthe
ITILv3FoundationCertificationexamiscoveredherewithan
introductionofServiceOperationandhowserviceoperationsare
organizedthroughfourfunctions:TechnicalManagementFunction,
ApplicationManagementFunction,OperationsManagement
FunctionandServiceDeskFunction.ServiceOperationisconcerned
withthedeliveryofservicetotherequiredstandard.

Purpose,ObjectivesandScopeof
ServiceOperation
Outputofallpreviousphrases(servicestrategy,designand
transition)becomesvisibleinserviceoperationandbegins
deliveringbenefitstothebusiness
Serviceoperationspansamuchlongerperioduntiltheservice
isretired
ThemajorityofITstaffisinvolvedinthisphrase
Benefitssavings,lessincidentsanddowntime,automationto
savestaffrequirements
Communicationisveryimportant

PurposeofServiceOperation
ThepurposeofServiceOperationistodelivertheagreedlevel
ofendtoendservice(throughtheservicelevelmanagement

process)totheorganization,includingthemaintenanceand
managementoftheservices(e.g.updates,backup,etc.),within
theoperationalbudget.
Manyprocessesfromthepreviousphrasesactuallytakeplace
inthisstage(e.g.servicelevelmanagement,capacityand
availabilitymanagement,etc.)

ObjectivesofServiceOperation
Delivertheexpectedservice(accordingtoSLA)forcustomer
satisfactionanddeliverybusinessvalues
Minimizeincidentsanddisruptions
ControlaccesstoITservicesthroughaccessmanagement
process

ScopeofServiceOperation
Includestheprocesses,functions,organization,andtoolsthat
areusedtodeliverandsupporttheagreedservicesforbusiness
benefits
Collectsperformancedataforcontinualserviceimprovement
TheITILbookprovidesguidanceon
Serviceallactivitiestodelivertheservice
ServiceManagementProcessincludesevent,incident,
problemandaccessmanagementandrequestfulfillment
Technologymanagethetechnology(network,platform,
database,etc.)todelivertheservice
Peoplesupportingstaff

Functions
Function:alogicalconceptthatreferstothepeopleand
automatedmeasuresthatexecuteadefinedprocess,anactivity
oracombinationofprocessesoractivities
ITILnames4mainfunctions(technicalmanagement,application
management,operationsmanagementfunctions,andthe
servicedesk)thatareresponsibleforcarryingoutallthe
lifecycleprocesses

TechnicalManagementFunction
tomanageanddeveloptheITinfrastructure,includingthe

groups/teamsthatprovideinfrastructuresupport
organizationalignedtothetechnology,e.g.mainframe
management,webmanagement,databaseadministration
Staffing
technicalmanagerslead,decisionmaking,ensure
trainingofstaff
teamleadersassisttechnicalmanager
technicalanalysts/architectsidentifytheknowledgeand
expertise,document,trainstaffandusers
technicaloperatorperformdaytodayoperation
Role
managetheITinfrastructure
provideenoughskilledsupportingstaffforthewhole
lifecyclefromstrategytooperationandservice
improvement
guideandsupportoperationsstaffmembers
Objectives
providetechnicalinfrastructureforbusinessprocessesand
solveissues
planonnew/improvedservicerequirements

ApplicationManagementFunction
involvedineverystageoftheservicelifecycleofapplication,
fromascertainingtherequirementsthroughdesignand
transitionandthenoperationandimprovement
Role
managetheITapplications
ensurestaffhavetheappropriateknowledgeforthe
applicationmanagementfortheentirelifecycle
comeupwithapplicationstrategy
designtheapplication
transitapplicationtooperation
supportforoperation
carryouttrainingneedsanalysisandprovidethetrainingto
technicalandoperationstaff
Objectives
identifyrequirementsforapplications(utilityandwarranty)
design,assistindeploymentandsupportapplications
identifyandimplementimprovements
Staffing

ApplicationManager/TeamLeadersleadandmanager,
assesstrainingneeds,report
ApplicationAnalysts/Architectsdetermineneeds,
developoperationmodelsforoptimalbalanceof
performancevsresources
vsApplicationDevelopment
developmentfocusesonutility/managementfocuseson
utilityandwarranty
development:onetime/managementisconcernedabout
thelifetimeoftheapplication
development:focusonsoftwaredevelopment/
management:operationandimprovement
managementisneededforapplicationsdeveloped
externally

ITOperationsManagementFunction
carryoutdaytodayactivitiesforthedeliveryoftheservicesto
ensureSLAismeti.e.providequalityserviceinanefficient
andcosteffectivemanner
TechnicalandApplicationManagementFunctionsdefinethe
activitiestobecarriedoutbyOperationsManagementFunction
Objectives
maintainthestatusquotoachieveinfrastructurestability
identifyopportunitiestoimproveoperationalperformance
andsavecosts
initialdiagnosisandresolutionofoperationalincidents
Staffing
ITOperationsManagerleadandmanage,report
ShiftLeaderscoordinateswithothershiftleadersfor
smoothhandlingofIToperations
ITOperationsAnalystsdeterminethemosteffectiveways
tocarryoutIToperations
ITOperatorsperformIToperationssuchasmonitoring,
backup,consoleoperation,etc.
primarilyconcernedaboutstabilityandavailability
ensurestaffreceivepropertrainingonoperationsmanagement
overcomefailures(lesscomplex)tominimizebusinessimpact,
complexissuesaretobedealtwithbyTechnicalandApplication
ManagementFunctions

ITOperationControl
monitortheoperationaleventsoftheITinfrastructure(console
management)
schedulingandmanagementofbatchjobs(includingbackup,
centralizedprintingandmaintenance)

FacilitiesManagement
responsibleforphysicalITenvironment(includingpowersupply,
UPS,powerfordisasterrecoverysites,airconditioning)
workwiththirdpartiesondatacentreprojects

ServiceDeskFunction
responsiblefordealingwithavarietyofserviceactivitiesthrough
calls,webinterfaceorreportedevents
thesinglepointofcontactforusersofITservices
criticalforcustomersatisfactionasitismostvisible
Staffing
needgoodcommunicationskillsandbasictechnical
knowledgeofallservices
understandbusinessprocessesandtheirimpactinorderto
prioritizesupport
Objective
provideasinglepointofcontact(SPOC)forallIT
assistanceneeds
coordinateactionsacrossallITdepartments,onbehalfof
theuser,keepingcommunicationflowingbackandforth
resumeservicesbysolvingsimpleincidentssuchas
resettingpassword,providinginstructions,etc.
prioritizesupportserviceneeds
receives,handles,escalatesandreportsincidents/
requestswhereappropriate
communicatewithusersonchangesandincidents
monitorperformancesagainstSLA(includingthirdparty
providers)
Organization
LocalServiceDeskcolocatedwithusersintheoffice,
efficientbutexpensive,needmorecoordinationamong
differentservicedeskswithintheorganization
CentralizedServiceDeskeconomyofscale,better

coordination,knowledgeandmindsharing,nodirect
physicalinteractionwithusers
VirtualServiceDeskphysicallyseparatedservicedesks
linkedtogetherwithacommonsystemtologissuesand
communications,allocationofcallsbasedonworkload
FollowtheSunsimilartovirtualservice
desk,allocationofcallsbasedontimeofdayfor24
hoursupport,greatforglobalorganization
SpecializedServiceDeskGroupsneedtospecifythe
typeofincidentsontheusersidetoreachthesupportstaff
toallowfasterresolution

Conclusion:ITILv3FoundationService
Operation
ThisITILv3Foundationstudynotetouchesuponthedefinition,
purpose,objectivesandscopeofServiceOperation.Fourmain
typesoffunctionsarealsodiscussed,namelyTechnical
ManagementFunction,ApplicationManagementFunction,
OperationsManagementFunctionandServiceDeskFunction.
ServiceDeskFunctioncanbeorganizedintolocal,centralized,
virtual,followthesunandspecializedgroups.