Service-level management provides for continual identification,
monitoring and review of the levels of IT services specified in the
Service-level agreements (SLAs). Service-level management ensures that
arrangements are in place with internal IT support-providers and
external suppliers in the form of Operational Level Agreements (OLAs)
and Underpinning Contracts (UCs), respectively. The process involves
assessing the impact of change on service quality and SLAs. The
service-level management process is in close relation with the
operational processes to control their activities. The central role of
Service-level management makes it the natural place for metrics to be
established and monitored against a benchmark.
Service-level
management is the primary interface with the customer (as opposed to the
user serviced by the service desk). Service-level management is
responsible for:
ensuring that the agreed IT services are delivered when and where they are supposed to be
liaising with availability management, capacity management, incident
management and problem management to ensure that the required levels and
quality of service are achieved within the resources agreed with
financial management
producing and maintaining a service catalog
(a list of standard IT service options and agreements made available to
customers)
ensuring that appropriate IT service continuity plans exist to support the business and its continuity requirements.
The
service-level manager relies on the other areas of the service delivery
process to provide the necessary support which ensures the agreed
services are provided in a cost-effective, secure and efficient manner.