Chapter 29
Technology Considerations for Service Transition
THE FOLLOWING ITIL INTERMEDIATE EXAM OBJECTIVES ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS CHAPTER:
- ✓ The role of technology in the service transition lifecycle stage:
- Incorporating technology into design
- Mechanisms for maintaining and maximizing technology
- Specific tools applicable throughout the service transition processes and service lifecycle, including knowledge management tools, collaboration, and the configuration management system
In this chapter, we review the role of technology in the service transition lifecycle stage and how it can be applied through the use of tools. We will look at some of the specific tools in use as part of a service transition, including those that are used across the whole of the service lifecycle.
Technology Considerations
Technology has a major role to play in service transition, as it does throughout the lifecycle. It is important that the use of supporting technology is part of the design for service transition and that mechanisms for maintaining and maximizing benefit from technology are in place. All organizations should be aware that when the selection and implementation of tools to support service transition takes place, wider issues such as green IT and sustainability should be taken into consideration. Technology choices should also reflect the need to support future types of configuration items (CIs) as well as those currently in use.
There are two ways in which service transition is supported by technology. The service transition lifecycle stage has some processes and policies that are specific to managing the service transition stage itself, and there will be technology used to support those processes. Then there are the processes and policies that support the entire lifecycle, which require enterprise-wide tools for the broader systems and processes within which service transition delivers support.
Technology Throughout Service Transition
Technology is used throughout the service lifecycle, and some of the technology specifically applied during service transition will support the whole of the service lifecycle.
IT service management systems are many and varied in type and use and include enterprise frameworks that provide integration capabilities for connecting the CMS or tools. System, network, and application management tools are widely used to support service transition activities. They will assist in a number of processes, for example, distribution and deployment of software. During the transition stage, service dashboards and reporting tools will be used. As transitions progress, particularly during early life support, the transition teams are able to use them to monitor potential operational performance.
IT service management technology and tools are used throughout the service lifecycle, and service transition will benefit from them. A key system, based in the process of knowledge management, is the service knowledge management system (SKMS) and collaborative content management and workflow tools. Use will be made of other tools during service transition, such as data mining tools to extract, load, and transform data. Throughout the transition stage, measurement and reporting systems will be widely used as part of the transition processes. Testing is greatly enhanced by the use of test management and testing tools and database and test data management tools. The use of tools such as copying and publishing tools and deployment and logistics technologies, systems, and tools is a major part of the release and deployment process.
The processes of change management, service asset and configuration management (SACM), and release and deployment management have many support tools that can help to make them more efficient. They may come in a variety of combinations, and each organization will have to understand its requirements and select tools that are appropriate for its needs. This is extremely important because, although most tools share some basic functionality, there may be specific needs within the service environment. These tools include configuration management systems and tools; version control tools; and visualization, mapping, and graphical representations with drill-down functionality. They are commonly used to support the processes, just as document management systems are used to support the service management approach.
As transitions progress during the realization of designs during testing, tools such as requirements analysis and design tools and systems architecture and computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools can facilitate impact analysis from a business perspective. Additionally, database management audit tools to track physical databases and discovery and audit tools (also called inventory tools) are useful in the management of CIs as part of configuration management.
Build and release tools (which provide listings of input and output CIs) and installation and deinstallation tools (which provide listings of CIs installed) are part of the processes of release and deployment management and service asset and configuration management. Distribution and installation tools and comparison tools (software files, directories, databases) are also useful for the release and deployment process.
Listing and configuration baseline tools (e.g., full directory listings with date/time stamps and checksums) and detection and recovery tools (where the build is returned to a known state) are all part of the management of service transition processes. Output and data management can be greatly supported by compression tools (to save storage space). Output and performance measurement will also require reporting tools, including those that access objects from several databases, providing integrated reports across systems.
Technology Throughout the Service Lifecycle
There are a number of specific tools that support processes across the service lifecycle:
- Knowledge management tools
- Collaboration
- Configuration management systems
Knowledge Management Tools
Knowledge management tools address the requirements of maintaining records and documents electronically.
The knowledge management tools supporting the processes include document management, records management, and content management. Used in collaboration, these tools provide the structure and functionality of the service knowledge management system (SKMS). Organizations may take the approach that there needs to be a single service management tool that hosts the SKMS, but this severely limits the capability of the concept. Instead, success should be built on the capability to integrate many different sources to provide a complete approach to the capture and management of knowledge in all its forms.
Document Management
Document management defines the set of capabilities to support the storage, protection, classification, searching, retrieval, maintenance, archiving, and retirement of documents and information.
Records Management
Records management defines the set of capabilities to support the storage, protection, classification, searching, retrieval, maintenance, archiving, and retirement of records.
Content Management
Content management provides the capability that manages the storage, maintenance, and retrieval of documents and information on a system or website. The result is often a knowledge asset represented in written words, figures, graphics, and other forms of knowledge presentation.
Web publishing tools, web conferencing, wikis, and blogs are examples of knowledge services that directly support content management. Other examples include word processing, data and financial analysis, presentation tools, flowcharting, and content management systems (codify, organize, version control, document architectures). Of course, there are also publication and distribution tools, which support the management of knowledge distribution.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the process of sharing tacit knowledge and working together to accomplish stated goals and objectives. This approach is supported by shared calendars and tasks and threaded discussions in email. Organizations now find the use of instant messaging, incorporating electronic whiteboards, and video- or teleconferencing a key part of the collaboration approach. The introduction of these tools supports a more mobile workforce. It also enables working remotely and is valuable in supporting international or global organizations.
Successful transitions rely on the organization having a collaborative approach to information and knowledge. Without this approach, the necessary integration of the many aspects of a transition will be much harder to achieve.
Communities
It is now more common for groups of people spread across time zones and in different countries to communicate, collaborate, and share knowledge using communities. The communities are typically facilitated through an online medium such as an intranet or extranet, and the community often acts as the integration point for all knowledge services provided to its members.
The tools required to support this collaborative approach include community portals; focus groups; and online events, podcasts, and Internet shows. Other technologies include email alias management. There is a need to be cautious regarding intellectual property, best practices, work examples, and template repositories, particularly where the community is engaging third-party organizations as part of the support structure. It is important to remember, though, that communities are a vital part of knowledge sharing in a diverse support model.
It’s often difficult to encourage sharing in a collaborative community. To break down the historic view of “knowledge is power,” where individuals retain their knowledge to ensure they are still perceived as being indispensable, sharing knowledge can be encouraged by using reward programs.
Workflow Management
Workflow management is another broad area of knowledge services. It provides systemic support for managing knowledge assets through a predefined workflow or process. Workflow applications provide the infrastructure and support necessary to implement a highly efficient process to accomplish specific types of tasks. Many knowledge assets today go through a workflow process that creates, modifies, augments, informs, or approves aspects of them.
Typical workflow services provided within this service category include workflow design, routing objects, event services, gatekeeping at authorization checkpoints, and state transition services.
Service management tools include workflow capability that can be configured to support these requirements, and this will be specific to the organizational needs.
Configuration Management System
Many organizations have some form of configuration management in operation, but it is often maintained in individual files, spreadsheets, or even paper-based solutions. Although this approach may be manageable on a small scale, for large and complex infrastructures, configuration management will operate more effectively when supported by a software tool that is capable of maintaining a configuration management system (CMS).
In an integrated system with a number of data sources, ideally the data sources should be connected. This includes sources such as the definitive media library (DML), and the connections between a CMDB and the DML should be captured in the CMS.
The CMS should assist in preventing changes from being made to the IT infrastructure or service configuration baseline without valid authorization via change management. Wherever possible, the authorization record should automatically “drive” the change. It is important that, as far as possible, all changes be recorded on the CMS at least by the time they are implemented. The status (e.g., live, archive, etc.) of each CI affected by a change should be updated automatically if possible. This activity and capture of information should be integrated with the main service management system or the configuration management system where the effort of integration is beneficial. It is tempting to spend time and effort integrating systems so that updates take place automatically, but careful consideration should always be given to the cost of any customization of tools. There are also implications of what will happen in the future, when upgrades are needed to the systems in the integrated setup. The integration should always be justified in terms of cost and effort, which can be managed through use of the service lifecycle approach. For example, the following questions should be answered: Does it benefit the organization and support the strategy? Has the design been costed and scoped to meet the requirements? Can it be transitioned successfully, and will it be beneficial and effective in operation? Will it support continual improvement and upgrade?
Design of the CMS
When designing a configuration management system, it is important to consider the functionality that will be needed by the organization, such as the ability to integrate multiple data sources based on open standards or known interfaces and protocols. There will need to be sufficient security controls to limit access to a need-to-know basis and support for CIs of varying complexity (e.g., entire systems, releases, single hardware items, and software modules).
The CMS is all about the relationships between the CIs, and it should be simple to add or delete CIs while automatically maintaining the relationships and history of the items. The more automation for version controls, data validation, and management of relationships there is within a tool, the more effective the system will be. Ease of use is critical for encouraging accurate updates of records and the management and use of configuration baselines. If the system does not make changes and entries easy for the operators, they are unlikely to keep the information up-to-date. Use of discovery tools and other automated approaches to populating the information can be especially useful. Some software systems will have this as a feature; others will require integration with different tools. This feature is particularly useful when managing software CIs and version control for patching.
There may be CIs that are not discoverable by tools, and where this is the case, manual upload and maintenance will be required. It is necessary to make sure the CMS supports the integration with other processes. As changes are made (discoverable or not), the database of CIs must be updated accurately for the data to retain its usefulness to the organization. Processes such as incident and problem management are reliant on this accuracy, as are the warranty processes (availability, capacity, security, and continuity) for planning and correct management of the IT estate.
Another extremely important factor in the design of the CMS is the output data. How it will be used, who will be using it, and how data will be captured and managed are all critical issues for the output data. As a result, the reporting capability from the CMS is very important. All forms of reporting should be included: graphical output, standard reports, hierarchy mapping, and the relationships between items to support impact analysis.
Summary
This brings us to the end of this chapter, in which we reviewed the concepts relating to technology in service transition.
We discussed specific tools that are applicable throughout the service transition processes and service lifecycle, including knowledge management tools, collaboration, and the configuration management system.
Exam Essentials
Understand the importance of technology in service transition. Technology is important throughout the lifecycle, and especially when introducing new ideas or concepts in a new service.
Be able to describe the use of technology in service transition. Using technology in service transition is important not only for the service provider, but also for the customers, users, and all aspects of the business. Technology in this context includes the service management tool, which in its turn, is the repository of the SKMS and CMS.
Understand the importance of specific toolsets in service transition processes and across the lifecycle. It is important to understand the transition toolsets and how they are used throughout the service lifecycle. For example, you should know how other processes use the configuration management system.
Be able to explain the use of tools relating to service transition. Know the tools that are used for testing or software distribution and how they relate to the service transition processes such as release and deployment management.
You can find the answers to the review questions in the appendix. Which of these statements is/are correct? Which of the following tools is/are knowledge management tools? Which of these are included as collaborative knowledge sharing tools? What is the relationship between the CMS (configuration management system) and the SKMS (service knowledge management system)? True or False? The CMS holds information about relationships between configuration items. Which of these statements is correct? What is the relationship between discovery tools and the CMS? What is the main reason for the use of communities in organizations? Which of these four options is the most important consideration for design of a CMS? True or False? Workflow management is a key part of knowledge management.Review Questions