Service Level ManagementService Level Managementfor eLearningfor eLearning

at the CSU Systemat the CSU System

Scott ZakScott ZakDirector, IS ApplicationsDirector, IS ApplicationsSystem Office System Office Connecticut State University SystemConnecticut State University Systemzaks@ct.eduzaks@ct.edu

BackgroundBackground

Four distinct universitiesFour distinct universities Recognition of IT as major cost Recognition of IT as major cost

centercenter Interest in controlling costsInterest in controlling costs Installation of ERP system (Banner)Installation of ERP system (Banner) WebCT/Vista – consortium purchase WebCT/Vista – consortium purchase

under leadership of DHEunder leadership of DHE

Strategic ReassessmentStrategic Reassessment

Changes inside and outside CSUS ITChanges inside and outside CSUS IT Re-orientation from cost control to Re-orientation from cost control to

provision of service provision of service Persistent cost pressuresPersistent cost pressures Need to rebuild relationships Need to rebuild relationships

between system office and between system office and universitiesuniversities

IntroductionIntroduction to ITIL to ITILFrameworkFramework

Audit prompting on service support Audit prompting on service support (change management)(change management)

Examination of change management Examination of change management practices pointed back to ITIL (V2)practices pointed back to ITIL (V2)

Brief consultant engagement to Brief consultant engagement to introduce ITIL to senior staffintroduce ITIL to senior staff

IntroductionIntroduction to ITIL to ITILResistanceResistance

Parts of framework did not really Parts of framework did not really appeal to some technically-oriented appeal to some technically-oriented managersmanagers

Additional documentation deemed Additional documentation deemed burdensome to some staffburdensome to some staff

Benefits of an “ITIL Project” were Benefits of an “ITIL Project” were perceived to be unquantifiableperceived to be unquantifiable

ITIL at CSUSITIL at CSUS

Change management put into placeChange management put into place Other processes were considered Other processes were considered

intriguing, but impracticalintriguing, but impractical Support existed for further explorationSupport existed for further exploration ITIL training was supported for those ITIL training was supported for those

who askedwho asked No money for nowNo money for now

ITIL and CSUS eLearningITIL and CSUS eLearning

WebCT/Vista was an unusual WebCT/Vista was an unusual programprogram High demand/availabilityHigh demand/availability Alignment with mission was clearAlignment with mission was clear Considered very high priorityConsidered very high priority

ITIL and CSUS eLearningITIL and CSUS eLearning

Service support processes were Service support processes were modified for use to support eLearning modified for use to support eLearning application.application. Service desk functions at universities, Service desk functions at universities,

but none at system levelbut none at system level Incident management applicationIncident management application Problem management processProblem management process Configuration management database?Configuration management database?

ServiceService DeliveryDelivery

Overarching discipline is Service Level Overarching discipline is Service Level Management (as opposed to Management (as opposed to Configuration Management for Service Configuration Management for Service Support)Support)

Focus on alignment of service with Focus on alignment of service with institutional goalsinstitutional goals

Foster common expectations between Foster common expectations between service provider and service usersservice provider and service users

Service DeliveryService Delivery

Service Level ManagementService Level Management

Availability ManagementAvailability Management

Capacity ManagementCapacity Management

IT Financial ManagementIT Financial Management

IT Service Continuity ManagementIT Service Continuity Management

Service Level ManagementService Level Management

AgreementAgreement MonitoringMonitoring ReportingReporting

Service Level Service Level ManagementManagementAgreementAgreement

Getting to an AgreementGetting to an Agreement Catalog ServicesCatalog Services DraftDraft NegotiateNegotiate RatifyRatify Agree and PublishAgree and Publish

Formal signature not necessarily Formal signature not necessarily requiredrequired

Service Level ManagementService Level ManagementAgreementAgreement

Overview of services providedOverview of services provided Support and service hoursSupport and service hours Clear definition of roles and Clear definition of roles and

responsibilitiesresponsibilities Anticipated usageAnticipated usage Availability and quality targetsAvailability and quality targets

Service Level ManagementService Level ManagementAgreementAgreement

Schedules and deliverablesSchedules and deliverables Pre-defined service and maintenance Pre-defined service and maintenance

windowswindows Turnaround times for specific Turnaround times for specific

requestsrequests Continuity and recovery objectivesContinuity and recovery objectives Date for review and revisionDate for review and revision

Service Level ManagementService Level ManagementMonitoringMonitoring

Robust application monitoringRobust application monitoring

Proactive trend analysisProactive trend analysis

Regular proactive contact with Regular proactive contact with

clientsclients

Service Level ManagementService Level ManagementReportingReporting

Regular reporting to clients on aspects of Regular reporting to clients on aspects of operationsoperations Usage reports (academic calendar)Usage reports (academic calendar) Operations reports (academic calendar)Operations reports (academic calendar) Availability reports (quarterly)Availability reports (quarterly) Capacity planning reports (quarterly, and Capacity planning reports (quarterly, and

annual)annual) Incident/exception reports (on occurrence)Incident/exception reports (on occurrence) Service improvement project reports (as Service improvement project reports (as

necessary)necessary)

Service Level UnderstandingService Level Understanding

A look at the contentsA look at the contents

Availability ManagementAvailability Management

Design inputDesign input ReliabilityReliability ResilienceResilience RecoverabilityRecoverability

Availability targetsAvailability targets SecuritySecurity AMDBAMDB

Availability ManagementAvailability ManagementReportingReporting

Taking charge: agreement on Taking charge: agreement on perceptions about performanceperceptions about performance

Targets and calculation methods are Targets and calculation methods are set in SLA – make sure they are realisticset in SLA – make sure they are realistic

Incidents affecting confidentiality, Incidents affecting confidentiality, integrity, availabilityintegrity, availability

Exclude scheduled maintenance Exclude scheduled maintenance windowswindows

Capacity ManagementCapacity Management

Service CapacityService Capacity current operation, usage peaks and troughs, current operation, usage peaks and troughs,

“demand engineering”“demand engineering” Resource CapacityResource Capacity

current operation at the component level, current operation at the component level, performance monitoringperformance monitoring

Business CapacityBusiness Capacity proactive planning – load simulation, statistical proactive planning – load simulation, statistical

modeling, trend analysis and predictionmodeling, trend analysis and prediction

IT Financial ManagementIT Financial Management

Attempt to capture full extent of Attempt to capture full extent of resources required to deliver the resources required to deliver the service.service.

Communicate real total costs for Communicate real total costs for planning planning

Find a way to recapture costs, if you Find a way to recapture costs, if you cancan

IT Financial IT Financial ManagementManagementCosting Model – Cost TypesCosting Model – Cost Types

HardwareHardware SoftwareSoftware PeoplePeople Facilities/AccommodationFacilities/Accommodation External ServicesExternal Services Transfer CostsTransfer Costs

IT Financial ManagementIT Financial ManagementCosting Model – Cost CategoriesCosting Model – Cost Categories

Capital/OperationalCapital/Operational Direct/Indirect CostsDirect/Indirect Costs

Labor is money. Staffing can be a direct Labor is money. Staffing can be a direct cost of providing a service.cost of providing a service.

Absorbed/UnabsorbedAbsorbed/Unabsorbed Fixed/VariableFixed/Variable

IT Financial ManagementIT Financial ManagementCharging PolicyCharging Policy

Communication of InformationCommunication of Information Notional ChargingNotional Charging Direct BillingDirect Billing

IT Service Continuity IT Service Continuity ManagementManagement

Define for yourself what qualifies as a Define for yourself what qualifies as a disasterdisaster

RPO and RTO are defined in the SLARPO and RTO are defined in the SLA DR/BC is DR/BC is insuranceinsurance

Know what you’re protectingKnow what you’re protecting Negotiate partnerships for space and resourcesNegotiate partnerships for space and resources Pre-position contracts and assetsPre-position contracts and assets Make test equipment serve double.Make test equipment serve double.

Service Improvement Service Improvement ProjectsProjects

Service Service ImprovementImprovement Project ProjectArchive ServerArchive Server

Service Level Understanding promised two Service Level Understanding promised two day turnaround on restoring sectionsday turnaround on restoring sections

Operations reports tracked progress Operations reports tracked progress during overnight batch windowduring overnight batch window

Projected growth (capacity) suggested Projected growth (capacity) suggested that method could not support service that method could not support service levellevel

Clients affirmed that support level should Clients affirmed that support level should not be reducednot be reduced

Service Service ImprovementImprovement Project ProjectArchive ServerArchive Server

Embarked on minor project to support Embarked on minor project to support service levelsservice levels

Monthly reports on progress until project Monthly reports on progress until project completedcompleted

Proactive approach minimized exposure Proactive approach minimized exposure period when service couldn’t be period when service couldn’t be guaranteedguaranteed

Completion allows for an improvement in Completion allows for an improvement in service levels, now written into SLAservice levels, now written into SLA

ResultsResults

All parties agree as to the stability of All parties agree as to the stability of services surrounding eLearning at CSUSservices surrounding eLearning at CSUS

Vista operations team is recognized as Vista operations team is recognized as providing excellent serviceproviding excellent service

Hardware is correctly sized, running wellHardware is correctly sized, running well University personnel feel supportedUniversity personnel feel supported Relationships have steadily improvedRelationships have steadily improved

ITIL 2 v. ITIL 3ITIL 2 v. ITIL 3Service Level ManagementService Level Management Service Service

DesignDesign

Availability ManagementAvailability Management Service Service DesignDesign

Capacity ManagementCapacity Management Service Service DesignDesign

Financial ManagementFinancial Management

for IT Servicesfor IT ServicesService Service StrategyStrategy

IT Business Continuity IT Business Continuity ManagementManagement

Service Service DesignDesign

Q & AQ & A

Scott ZakScott ZakDirector, IS ApplicationsDirector, IS ApplicationsSystem Office System Office Connecticut State University SystemConnecticut State University Systemzaks@ct.eduzaks@ct.edu