ITIL Overview
ITIL offers a commonly established approach to managing business and IT services. ITIL comprises best IT practices that includes a service life cycle in five core publications: Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement.
Main purpose of Service Operation is to make sure that IT services are provided proficiently and in timely manner. It includes undertaking user requests, resolving service failures, fixing problems, and performing operation tasks on daily basis.
Service Operation publication includes the best-practices and direction on all aspects of handling the regular operation of an organization’s information technology (IT) services. Service Operation includes all issues relating to the People, Processes, Infrastructure Technology and associations necessary to ensure the best-quality, cost-effective IT service delivery needed to meet the business requirements. Fast paced changes in the technological changes along with existing technology silos of software, hardware, networks and telephony management which means that an updated approach to managing service operations is needed.
Primary goal of Service Operation
- The primary goals of Service Operation are to: -
- Enable responsive, stable and repeatable IT Service Delivery
- Provide robust end-to-end working practices
- Deliver improved Processes such as Incident and Problem Management
- Deliver new Processes such as: Event Management and Service Request Fulfillment
- Promote more adaptive, responsive and agile Service Operation functions
- Help shape and define Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition and Continual
Major Challenges in Service Operation
Major challenge in service operation is to provide services regularly whereas responding effectively in a manner that increases value for customers and users. Operational undertakings need to be executed, controlled and maintained properly.
Operations staff require well defined processes and support tools which help them to have an overall control of their service operation and delivery to be able to spot any potential threats or failures to service quality or security. One of the critical issue is to cover a complete picture of an end to end service that comprises the business as well as technical viewpoint rather than just the individual components.
Several services are delivered by one or more internal or external suppliers. A major challenge is to understand and maintain the end-to-end service with components that are provided externally as well as managing process work flows across organizations.
To cater the fast changing need, service providers require to adapt and react proactively to changes in demand needs to customers and users as demand for services changes.
Key benefits of embracing ITIL for Service Operation
ITIL training and certification comprises the best practices of service management compiled by the industry leaders. Selecting and adopting the best practices of the Service Operation will benefit an organization to contribute immense benefits as mentioned below:
- Helps in resource and cost optimization through better handling of service outages and identification and elimination of their root causes
- Helps business and customers to add value from the services they are receiving by reducing unplanned closure or disruption
- Empowering continual improvement and better investment decision making by providing operational results and data for decision support
- Hand holding users to improve their productivity or the quality of business services and products by delivering quick and effective access to standard services
