ITIL OSA - Exam tips:

best answer will show value to customer and you liaised with business
You are a manager - not details, choose the higher level answer - avoid weekends, hard dates requirements if asked in question

Numbers are not important - what is the data telling us about which itil process
Core concept for the question - what process before delving too deep into question
Keep answer within context of service operation. value to business
Identify what the question is after
May have RACI model.
Must have 1xA for each row and no more than 1
Must have at least 1xR for each row
Not too many R's (inefficient)

Review critical success factor -see handout. Don't mixup service desk KPI's with other - request, incident.
If asking about function, answer in function. If asking about sla's for request don't get involved in OLA's with SDESK

Look for VALUE

IGNORE technology

REVIEW KPI's for Incident, Request, Problem and Service Desk

High level thinking - mgt not tech

Tech mgt and app mgt - involved in design and kedb
Tech and app mgt - KEDB and training assisting SDESK. Means more incidents are solved at 1st level
Tech and app - capacity and availability mgt
Warning - don't conduct skills inventory or training needs analysis
Good - relationship between data
Review existing process is good - look out for procedures
Buy in for data team important for monitoring
Pin-point what the key issue is in the question - pick the answer that best addresses that issue

GOOD WORDS:
Value
Customer
Agree
Scope
Magnitude
Process better than procedures
Relationship
Communication
Capability

REVIEW FOUNDATIONS

Understand core concepts of each process

•·Incident (restore) vs problem (fix root cause)
•Incident (unplanned outage) vs request (planned fulfillment)
•Request (std change) vs change (normal change)
•Event (detect, make sense, action) vs incident (restore asap)

RACI responsible, accountable, consulted, informed

Personality types suit some roles

•·inc: quick, resolve fast
•prob: detailed, thorough
•chg: resilient, water off a duck back, not afraid to disappoint people
•SDesk: quick learning, customer focused

RE-familiarise where other process are in itil - DESIGN: avail, capacity. STRATEGY: SLA, etc, etc

SWOT Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

CUSTOMER
|. SLA (SLA) - MTTR Important

PROVIDER
SLM / \ supplier mgt
(OLA) | \ Underpinning CONTRACT
INTERNAL EXTERNAL
- incident KPI's. - 3rd level support
- Service Desk KPI's
- Level 2 support KPI's

Strategy Creates Value (outcomes, preferences, perception)

(Output / Requirements [utility/warranty]

Design Defines (resources and capability)

Service Design Package

PPPP People, Process, Product, Partners
Information, Metrics, Architecture, Process, Solution (IMAPS)

Transition - Deliver

Service (Puts Service into Operation)

Operation Runs the Service. Value Perceived/realised

Measure, Manage & Control
Business
Service
Process
Component / Technology

Incident Symptom
Problem Cause

REQUEST MANAGEMENT

•·To provide the channel for customers to request and receive standard services
•Provide information about Services - and how to obtain them
•Deliver Standard Service Components (licences, s/w media, etc)
•General Information , Complains or comments
•Are PLANNED. (incidents are unplanned)
Tightly aligned to Incident process

Benefits:
•·Reduces bureaucracy,
•reduces cost of providing services Policy:

•·Predefined workflowSingle point of contact

•All requests need to be authorised before Actioning (some may be pre-approved, other the Sdesk will need to chase)
•Prioritised in alignment to business functions
Types - users can request:
•·Info or advice
•A standard change
•Access to an IT Service
Uses pre-defined steps or workflow
Tool.
•·Can use a menu selection (tool, self-help, shopping cart).
•In the tool, expectations can be set by automatically providing delivery/implementation SLA's to the customer
•Users can view their request status (tracking)
Some requests handled by Service DEsk, others by specialist groups

ACCESS MANAGMENT

Strong Links to Availability Mgt and Security Mgt and HR

Process granting authorised users the right to use a Service and preventing unauthorised users
Manage and Protect assets/data/information/services - C.I.A.
•·C - Confidentiality
• I - Integrity
• A - Availability

All requests should be authorised before actioning (ie. Service desk review authorisation has been done, but do not chase it up

Access Mgt
•·should log and track access to ensure rights are being appropriately used.
•Align to a change of status of personnel
•Track history of who accessed or tried to access
Key Concepts:
•·Access - Level/extent of functionality/data user entitled to use
•Identity - users must be unique
•Rights - Privileges / Access granted to access the services
•Service Groups - Access to Several Services granted at same time
•Directory Services - Tools used to manage (AD)
•Role Conflict - Risk increases in conflict with # of roles and groups defined.
Refer appendix 15 - figure 4.9 and slide 70

EVENT MANAGEMENT

Multiple functions and processes connect to Event Mgt

Change of state of a CI that has significance to someone
Detect events
make sense of the events (through filtering and correlation)
Determine appropriate control action
Correlation = rules, if...then
early warning for incident detection, therefore minimise potential business impact
•·Password lockout after 4 attempts = event mgt
•Cleaning log files / detecting low disk space
Event Mgt - Focus on generating and detecting meaningful notification about status of IT infrastructure and services
Monitoring - Key requirement for event mgt, also seeks other conditions that do not generate events
•·Scope:
•·Configuration items,
•Environmental factors (heat, door, etc),
•S/w Licensing,
•security (intrusion detection),
•Server or Application utilisation, etc.
•·Value:
•·24x7 (save $'s and need for real tie people monitoring)
•Feed Availability / Capacity processes
•Efficiency - staff for other activities
•greater customer satisfaction
•·Policy
•·Notification -> responsibility for handling
•centralise where possible
•common messaging
Event: A change of State
ALert: A warning that a threshold has been reached
Auto-Response: automated recovery (restart service, auto reboot, etc)

Status change with significance

THRESHOLD - required for correlation.
Information (no threshold)
Warning - not yet reached threshold. <threshold
Exception - passed threshold => threshold
Into: correlation which is fed by rules

Warning - can trigger automatic response that can prevent an incident.

Key concepts - slide 87

Design
1..Instrumentation
2.Error messaging
3.Event detection and alert mechanism
4.Identification or thresholds
Event Mgt implements thresholds - but does not SET them. Inc, Prob, etc do.

Activities - pg 93 and figure 4.2

Event Management creates the Policy but up to each function (Service desk, IT Ops Mgt, App Mgt, etc) to maintain.

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT

An unplanned interruption to an IT service or Reduction Or Quality of a service

Failure of a CI that has not yet interrupted service is also a incident

Business Value:
Reduce unplanned labour and cost
Alignment - IT aligned to business priorities
Improvements - helps identify potential Service Improvements
Service Desk - additional training or service required

Incident Model
predefined steps for Standard Incident
Contains
Step to handle incident
Dependencies and co-processing requirement
roles and responsibilities
Timescale, threshold, and escalation procedures
Any necessary evidence preservation activities

PROBLEM MANAGEMENT

The unknown cause of one or more incidents

Objectives
: to prevent problems and resulting incidents from occurring
To eliminate recurring incident
To minimise the impact of incidents that can't be prevented

activities:
Reactive - respond to incidents
Proactive - Trend analysis

Aligned to incident and change processes

Value: lower expenditure or workarounds

Lower cost/effort in fire fighting or resolving repeat incidents

workaround - no resolution yet but do A,B,C in the meantime

Known error - may come from release notes or transition

Pain value analysis - #incidents x duration x severity x cost x weighting factor

Incident matching is a part of Incident process - not problem - but feeds into problem

Interfaces with : incidents, service desk, release, change, config, service continuity, availability, capacity, sla, finance

Problem mgt does not close incident.

Functions
Function: a logical concept that refers to the people and automated measures that execute a defined process, an activity or a c
processes or activities
ITIL® names 4 main functions (technical management, application management, operations management functions, and the se
are responsible for carrying out all the lifecycle processes

IT OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT FUNCTION

1.carry out day-to-day activities for the delivery of the services to ensure SLA is met – i.e. provide quality service in an efficient
effective manner
2. Technical and Application Management Functions define the activities to be carried out by Operations Management Functio

Objectives
1. maintain the “status quo” to achieve infrastructure stability
2. identify opportunities to improve operational performance and save costs
3. initial diagnosis and resolution of operational incidents

IT Operation Control
monitor the operational events of the IT infrastructure (console management)
scheduling and management of batch jobs (including backup & restore, centralized printing and maintenance activies)

Facilities mgt
1.Responsible for physical IT environment (including power supply, UPS, power for disaster recovery sites, air conditioning) wor
parties on data centre projects
2. Manage data centres
3.Power cooling
4. Large scale consolidation
5.Mgt of outsourcing contracts

How to run backup, restore, label tape, tape mgt - but don't need to know about oracle

TECHNICAL MGT
1.To manage and develop the IT infrastructure, including the groups/teams that provide infrastructure support
2.Organization aligned to the technology, e.g. mainframe management, web management, database administration
3. Custodian of all technical knowledge and expertise - IT INFRASTRUCTURE
PROVIDES TECH SUPPORT FOR SERVICE LIFECYCLE
Obj: help plan implement and maintain technical infrastructure not support in
Staffing
Technical managers – lead, decision-making, ensure training of staff
Team leaders – assist technical manager
Technical analysts/architects – identify the knowledge and expertise, document, train staff and users
Technical operator – perform day-to-day operation

APPLICATION MANAGEMENT
Involved in every stage of the service lifecycle of application, from ascertaining the requirements through design and transition
operation and improvement

custodian of all technical knowledge and expertise - IT APPLICATION

Objectives
1. Identify requirements for applications (utility and warranty)
2. Design, assist in deployment and support applications
3. Identify and implement improvements

Staffing
Application Manager / Team Leaders – lead and manager, assess training needs, report
Application Analysts / Architects – determine needs, develop operation models for optimal balance of performance vs resourc

TECHNOLOGY AND IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATION

REQUIREMENTS GATHERING
MoSCoW a
Must have
should have
Could have
Won't have

Requirements
Identify products
Selection criteria
Evaluate
Short list
Scoping
Rank
Select products

SERVICE DESK
•·Local is expensive, can have communication issues. Each site has local service desk
•Central - Service desk in one location. ie. 24x7 shifts if required.
•Virtual - Series of connected service desks in disparate locations
•Follow the Sun - Geographically dispersed, staff work normal day shifts for their timezone, need standard processes, tasks, ha

Service Desk can contain specialised groups (ie. custom apps, Video Conferencing SME's)

Super Users - not in service desk but in business. Can help speed up incidents. Issues are loss of visibility of incidents can occur
raised direct to Super Users are not raised in ITSM tool - no stats captured for reporting, true situation not exposed. Measuring
Surveys (exam) Pro's and Con's.

responsible for dealing with a variety of service activities through calls, web interface or reported events
the single point of contact for users of IT services
critical for customer satisfaction as it is most visible
Process: Event mgmt, Incident mgmt, Service Fulfilment, Problem mgmt, Access mgmt
Functions : Service desk, IT operation , Application mgmt and technical mgmt

BAD WORDS:
Some, all, none, every
Best, main
Padding
Numbers and stats
Costs
Case-by-case
Too tech specific
Request Management Process steps
1..Receive Request
2.Logging and Validation (timestamp, etc)
3.Categorisation
4.Prioritization
5.Authorization
6.Review
7.Execution
8.Closure (Service desk confirm with customer)
9.Re-open request
Access MGT steps
1..Request
2.Verification (they are who they say they are)
3.Provide rights
4.monitor identity status
5.logging and tracking
6.remove / restrict rights
Access MGT has interface with HR - very important to get rights correct
Access MGT has interface with Change Management

Information Mgt - Identity, Roles and Groups for easier management. User profile, user template, role.

Security and HR very close to Access mgt.

Access mgt only executes security policy - does not define.

Security defines who gets access to what.

HR provides list of roles and rights to access mgt.
Access mgt puts group and access together and maintains it.

Activities:
Event occurs
Event notification
Event detection
Event logged
First level correlation
Significance. informational, warning, exception
second level correlation
Further action
Response selection - incident problem change
Review
Close
Activity
Identification - call to SDESK
Logging - capture incident (summary, date, unique ID, where)
Categorisation - useful for trending, Network/telephony/handset. May help with in articles and sending job to right resolver.
Prioritisation - impact and urgency = priority. Dictates response and resolution time, if major incident execute Major incident p
Diagnosis - gather full symptoms, try to resolve, advise user if clarification or escalation required
Escalation - functional escalation (sdesk to 2nd level to Vendor), Hierarchical (for Comms, approval)
Investigation and diagnosis. - further detailed analysis and determination of cause. Search for answers.
Resolution and recovery - apply and test potential solution. User, SDESK, specialist, third party all could be involved. Pass back t
Closure - check the customer is happy

Activities
Detect
Log
Categorise
Prioritise
Investigate and diagnose
Workaround - known error (change)
Problem resolution
Closure
Major problem?
Staffing
IT Operations Manager – lead and manage, report
Shift Leaders – coordinates with other shift leaders for smooth handling of IT operations
IT Operations Analysts – determine the most effective ways to carry out IT operations
IT Operators – perform IT operations such as monitoring, back up, console operation, etc.

Primarily concerned about stability and availability

Ensure staff receive proper training on operations management
overcome failures (less complex) to minimize business impact, complex issues are to be dealt with by Technical and
Application Management Functions

Objectives
provide technical infrastructure for business processes and solve issues
plan on new / improved service requirements

Role
manage the IT infrastructure
provide enough skilled supporting staff for the whole lifecycle from strategy to operation and service improvement
guide and support operations staff members
Well designed technical topology
Better skills
Diagnose and resolve technical failures

Role

1.Manage the IT applications

2.Ensure staff have the appropriate knowledge for the application management for the entire lifecycle
a) come up with application strategy
b) design the application
c) transit application to operation
d) support for operation
3. Carry out training needs analysis and provide the training to technical and operation staff

vs Application Development
development focuses on utility / management focuses on utility and warranty
development: one-time / management is concerned about the lifetime of the application
development: focus on software development / management: operation and improvement
management is needed for applications developed externally
 ob to right resolver.
ecute Major incident procedure

e involved. Pass back to SDESK for closure

The modules covered in the exam paper was from-

· Unit 3 - Service operation process (3 questions)

· Unit 4 - Common service operation activities (2 questions)

· Unit 5 - Organising for Service Operation( 1 question)

· Unit 6 - Technology considerations (1 question)

· Unit 7- Implementation of service operation (1 Question)

The areas of focus for my exam was Event management functions, purpose and objecti
Role of Service Operation during transition in a business (please refer Module 2 – Service operation prin
2.10 – Operational Staff Involvement in Service Transition),
Functions of problem Management and Incident Management,
Access Management and its value to business.
t functions, purpose and objective,
odule 2 – Service operation principles – sub section
Service Transition),
ncident Management,
e to business.
Activities of Event Management

Determining how to manage events is unique to each IT organization, and it depend on the size and complexity of their IT infra
The following discussion of the actitvities of the Event Management process provides solely a high level reference.

1 Occurrence & Notification

2 Detection & Filtering
3 Significance & Correlation
4 Response Trigger & Selection
5 Review & Closure
d complexity of their IT infrastructure, IT services and supported business processes.
level reference.
Application Management: The objectives of Application Management are to support the organization’s business processes by
deployment of those applications and the ongoing support and improvement of those applications.

These objectives are achieved through:

 Applications that are well designed, resilient and cost-effective
 Ensuring that the required functionality is available to achieve the required business outcome
 The organization of adequate technical skills to maintain operational applications in optimum condition
 Swift use of technical skills to speedily diagnose and resolve any technical failures that do occur.

Build or Buy

Application Mgmt will assit in this decision during service design as follows

 Application sizing and workload forecasts (see section 4.6.4)

 Specification of manageability requirements
 Identification of ongoing operational costs
 Data access requirements for reporting or integration into other applications
 Investigating to what extent the required functionality can be met by existing tools – and how much customization will be req
 Estimating the cost of customization
 Identifying what skills will be required to support the solution (e.g. if an application is purchased, will it require a new set of e
 Administration requirements
 Security requirements.

Application Management Lifecycle

Optimazation is achieved through better management, improvements to customization and upgrades.

nization’s business processes by helping to identify functional and manageability requirements for application software, and then to assist i
tions.

w much customization will be required to achieve this

sed, will it require a new set of employees, or can existing employees be trained to support it?)
on software, and then to assist in the design and
Purpose/goal/objective

The purpose of Service Operation is to coordinate and carry out the activities and processes required to deliver and manage se
Service Operation is also responsible for the ongoing management of the technology that is used to deliver and support service