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8.1.1 Why Availability Management?
8.1.2 The need for a business and
User focus
8.1.3 Goal of Availability Management
8.1.4 Objectives
8.1.5 Scope
The continued advances in IT technology design have resulted in significant improvements in the Availability and reliability of the IT Infrastructure. Fault tolerant and error correction design features in hardware and software now reduce the Risk of IT component failure to enable improving levels of Availability to be delivered.
However, against this background of improving levels of Availability and reliability, the need for Availability Management is now greater than ever.
The importance of the Availability of IT to the success of the business has never been more apparent. Over the years the interdependency between the Business process and the IT operation has developed to the point where quite simply if the IT stops, then the business stops.
This importance in supporting the business should also be seen in the context of the trends affecting society: trends such as the global economy, 24hr economy, E-Commerce and flexible working. These are the impetus for a growing demand for the Availability of IT Services that are time and place independent.
The business response to marketplace and consumer demand is to increase their exploitation of IT to create new and innovative ways to provide their Customers with flexibility and choice in the way they wish to do business. This is evidenced by the emergence of Internet based online business-to-business and business-to-consumer services. These are now viewed as essential if a business is not only to attract new Customers but also retain their existing Customers.
In today's competitive marketplace Customer satisfaction with the Service(s) provided is paramount. Customer loyalty can no longer be relied on and dissatisfaction with the Availability and reliability of service can be a key factor in Customers taking their business to a competitor.
The Role of IT is now pivotal. The Availability and reliability of IT can directly influence Customer satisfaction and the reputation of the business. This is why today Availability Management is essential in ensuring IT delivers the right levels of Availability required by the business to satisfy its business objectives and deliver the quality of service demanded by their Customers.
Given the business dependency on IT Availability, it is essential that the deployment of Availability Management has a strong business and User emphasis. This is to ensure that the IT Infrastructure delivers the required levels of Availability to support the vital Business functions key to the business operation. It also ensures that Availability improvement opportunities are focused to deliver true User benefits. This requires Availability Management to understand the business and User perspective of the IT Service provided. This should be evidenced in the key Process inputs and outputs.
By having this emphasis, the deployment of Availability Management can make a positive contribution to enhancing the relationship with the business: the IT organisation being seen to recognise and respond to IT Availability opportunities and challenges with the business needs understood.
The goal of the Availability Management process is to optimise the capability of the IT Infrastructure, services and supporting organisation to deliver a Cost effective and sustained level of Availability that enables the business to satisfy its business objectives.
This is achieved by determining the Availability requirements of the business and matching these to the capability of the IT Infrastructure and supporting organisation. Where there is a mismatch between the requirement and capability, Availability Management ensures the business is provided with available alternatives and associated cost options.
Availability Management should ensure the required level of Availability is provided. The measurement and monitoring of IT Availability is a key activity to ensure Availability levels are being met consistently. Availability Management should look continuously to optimise the Availability of the IT Infrastructure, services and supporting organisation, in order to provide cost effective Availability improvements that can deliver evidenced business and User benefits.
| Hints and Tips A suggested goal statement for Availability Management: 'To understand the Availability requirements of the business and to plan, measure, monitor and continuously strive to improve the Availability of the IT Infrastructure, services and supporting organisation to ensure these requirements are met consistently.' |
The objectives of the Availability Management process are to:
Availability Management is concerned with the design, implementation, measurement and management of IT Infrastructure Availability to ensure the stated business requirements for Availability are consistently met. Availability Management:
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