Block 1 Part 2: Service operation

Question 1

What is the key distinction between routine and unexpected events in IT service management?

Answer 1

Routine events are a normal part of the service and have no significant impact, while unexpected events, if triggered, may lead to incidents that need attention.

Question 2

What is the primary focus of Request Fulfillment within the service operation phase of ITIL?

Answer 2

Request Fulfillment primarily focuses on providing services by fulfilling user requests, including tasks like password resets, hardware/software requests, and access to specific resources.

Question 3

What are the main areas of emphasis for request fulfillment and access management in ITIL service operation?

Answer 3

These processes primarily emphasize routine operations of the service.

Question 4

What is the primary concern of the Event Management process in ITIL?

Answer 4

The primary concern of Event Management is determining the significance of an event and whether a response is appropriate.

Question 5

Define the term “process” in the context of ITIL.

Answer 5

A process is a set of tasks triggered by defined inputs, leading to defined outputs, with a feedback loop for continuous improvement.

Question 6

What is the primary role of Operations Management in ITIL’s Service Operation?

Answer 6

Operations Management in ITIL’s Service Operation focuses on ensuring the ongoing IT services run smoothly, emphasizing operational excellence and service continuity.

Question 7

When is it appropriate to close service requests in Request Fulfillment?

Answer 7

Service requests should not be closed until they have been dealt with, and confirmation of satisfaction has been obtained from the requestor.

Ignoring incidents or service requests is not advisable.

Question 8

What are four key points about incidents in ITIL?

Answer 8

• They can impact many users or just one.
• Incidents can be raised from event management or by users through the service desk.
• Incidents may be raised before the service is affected, such as when a configuration item has an error but the service has not yet been invoked.
• Causes and workarounds for service loss are not always known, and investigation may be required for new incidents (problem managemnt). Any workarounds found should be documented.

Question 9

Give examples of routine and expected operations in service operation.

Answer 9

Routine operations include fulfilling customers’ service requests and responding to access requests.

Question 10

What is the primary focus of Access Management in ITIL?

Answer 10

Access Management is primarily concerned with managing the identity, rights, and access of service users.

It ensures that the correct access is granted to the right user (authorization) and verifies the user’s identity (authentication).

Question 11

How do Problem Management and Incident Management differ in their approaches?

Answer 11

Problem Management is more proactive and focuses on understanding why services fail, seeking ways to prevent future incidents.

In contrast, Incident Management is more reactive, addressing specific service failures as they occur.

Question 12

Describe the hierarchy of functional escalation typically seen in Incident Management, starting from first line support.

Answer 12

First line support (service desk) may use scripts for common incidents and escalate unresolved issues to second line. Second line escalates to third line support, which specializes in specific technology or software related to the problem.

Question 13

What are the main processes within the Service Operation phase of ITIL, and what are their primary concerns?

Answer 13

The main processes in Service Operation are:
* Event, Incident, and Problem Management - focusing on the continuity of service provision
* Request Fulfillment and Access Management - concerned with routine or “business as usual” tasks.

Question 14

What is the primary purpose of Problem Management in ITIL?

Answer 14

Problem Management is the process for recording, investigating, and, if possible, resolving problems.

If the cause is identified but a solution cannot be found, it should be recorded in a Known Error Database (KEDB), possibly with an appropriate workaround.

Question 15

What is the role of escalation processes in Request Fulfillment?

Answer 15

Escalation processes may be needed in situations where many users are requesting the same thing, and a new solution is required. For example, in the case of software requests, a site license might be more appropriate.

Question 16

What role does the Known Error Database (KEDB) play in resolving incidents?

Answer 16

When working on resolving an incident, reference to the Known Error Database (KEDB) can help in finding solutions or workarounds, especially if the incident has similarities with known issues.

Question 17

When should an event become an incident in Event Management, and why?

Answer 17

An event should become an incident when it signals a failure of the service, impacting both the customer and the service provider. This transition is necessary to resolve the issue.

Question 18

What is the significance of the Known Error Database (KEDB) in Problem Management?

Answer 18

The KEDB is a valuable resource for Problem Management as it serves as a way for known issues, their root causes, and potential workarounds to be documented,

this will then aid incident managemnt in the resolution of future incidents.

Question 19

How do principles from Incident Management, such as request models and prioritization, apply to Request Fulfillment?

Answer 19

Request Fulfillment uses principles from Incident Management, like request models (similar to incident models) and prioritization based on impact, urgency, and possibly cost.

Question 20

What is “functional escalation” in Incident Management, and when is it typically used?

Answer 20

Functional escalation involves passing an incident to a person or group with the technical skills required to resolve the issue. It is typically used when the incident cannot be solved within the incident management process, and it often leads to investigation and resolution of the underlying cause by the problem management process.

Question 21

What is an incident, and how does it differ from an event?

Answer 21

An incident is a situation that has gone wrong and can impact the service, requiring remedial action. Unlike events, incidents need resolution, and they can vary in scale from minor issues like a paperless printer to more complex problems like software errors.

Question 22

What factors are typically considered when generating a priority for incidents in Incident Management?

Answer 22

Incident prioritization is typically based on combining the impact (how many users are affected and how badly) and urgency (how soon the incident will impact on business outcomes).

Question 23

What is the distinction between an event, incident, and problem in service operation?

Answer 23

1. Event indicates that something has happened.
2. Incident is an interruption or degradation of service.
3. Problem is the cause of the incident.

Question 24

In ITIL, how is dealing with an incident distinct from addressing its underlying cause?

Answer 24

ITIL separates the handling of incidents, which require immediate resolution, from understanding and addressing the underlying cause, known as a ‘problem.’

Question 25

What is an event in the context of IT service management?

Answer 25

An event is any change of state that is significant to the IT service or its components, such as a customer completing a purchase, a printer running out of paper, or software detecting an error.

Question 26

What is the fundamental difference between a process and a function in the context of ITIL?

Answer 26

A process is a structured set of activities designed to achieve a specific objective,

while a function is a team or group of people and the tools/resources they use to carry out one or more processes or activities.

Question 27

What are incident models, and how are they used in IT service environments?

Answer 27

Incident models provide a standard response to potential and expected problems, such as a user forgetting their password. They are used to address issues that occasionally go wrong, known as ‘known errors’ in ITIL.

Question 28

What is the role of Service Operation in ITIL?

Answer 28

Service Operation’s role is to keep services running and manage events, incidents, problems, and user requests, delivering value to customers through outcomes.

Question 29

How can an incident be triggered in Incident Management?

Answer 29

An incident can be triggered by an event detected by a monitoring system (event management) or by a user reporting an issue, typically through the service desk.

Question 30

Are service requests in Request Fulfillment typically high-risk or challenging tasks?

Answer 30

Service requests in Request Fulfillment occur regularly and usually involve little risk or challenges. However, some requests may have financial costs, like purchasing software licenses or new hardware.

Question 31

What is “hierarchical escalation,” and when is it particularly appropriate in handling incidents?

Answer 31

Hierarchical escalation involves passing the incident up a management hierarchy. It is particularly appropriate for severe incidents that may cripple many services of a company simultaneously, allowing senior management to allocate resources swiftly.

This is in contrast to “functional escelation” that relies on the function to escelate and take action

Question 32

Why is communication considered crucial in effective service operation?

Answer 32

Communication is vital in service operation because it ensures that required information is properly conveyed in a timely and effective manner, especially in the early stages of processes and functions, such as logging and escalating events, incidents, problems, or requests.

Question 33

What are the five processes defined in ITIL’s Service Operation? and give brief description of each

Answer 33

• Event Management: This process is about understanding routine and unexpected events, filtering them, and triggering actions based on their significance.
• Incident Management: This process deals with handling issues affecting the service, such as interruptions or degradation.
• **Problem Management: **It focuses on addressing the causes of incidents, not just “big incidents.”
• Request Fulfillment: This process handles user requests for additional services, such as password resets or hardware/software requests.
• Access Management: It manages user access, ensuring the right users get proper authorization.

Question 34

What is the primary role of the service desk in ITIL?

Answer 34

The service desk serves as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) that assists users with:
* services they wish to receive
* incidents
* service requests
* access requests

Question 35

In ITIL, what distinguishes a problem from an incident?

Answer 35

A problem, in ITIL terms, is the underlying cause or root cause of one or more incidents. It’s not just a supersized incident.

Question 36

What does “handling” refer to in the context of the service desk in ITIL?

Answer 36

“Handling” in the service desk context refers to the process of properly managing and addressing notifications, including incidents, service requests, and access requests, using standard models, prioritization, and potential escalation to ensure satisfactory outcomes.

Question 37

When an incident involves replacing parts of the system that provide the service, what other stages of the service lifecycle may need to be invoked?

Answer 37

When replacing parts of the system, the complete service lifecycle, including service design, transition, and operation, may need to be invoked before the incident is fully closed.

Question 38

What do event management, incident management, and problem management primarily focus on in ITIL service operation?

Answer 38

These processes primarily focus on managing ‘things that happen.which in turn ensures the continuity of the service

Question 39

What are the two fundamental roles of service operation?

Answer 39

1. Ensure routine operations are performed successfully.
2. Ensure that unexpected events are handled appropriately.

Question 40

What is the primary focus of Incident Management in ITIL?

Answer 40

Incident Management in ITIL focuses on what needs to be done once an incident occurs, be it a service or component failure.

Question 41

What is the primary focus of theTechnical Management function in ITIL’s Service Operation?

Answer 41

Technical Management in ITIL’s Service Operation is primarily responsible for providing the resources needed for IT service management.

Question 42

What are the two main options for handling incidents in Incident Management?

Answer 42

Incidents should be worked on until they are either closed (resolved) or escalated for further investigation or additional support.

Question 43

what is configuration item, in ITIL terms

Answer 43

this is a component of a service that is contributing towards the delivery of the service

Question 44

How does ITIL define “known errors” in the context of Incident Management?

Answer 44

In ITIL, “known errors” refer to the failure of one or more services that has occurred before or is anticipated. They provide procedures for handling these known or expected errors. often stored in a Known Error Database (KEDB)

Question 45

Why must a service balance stagnation and change?

Answer 45

Services must balance stagnation and change because they need to be stable to be reliable, but they must also change to adapt and compete.

Question 46

What happens if an incident cannot be resolved through normal means in Incident Management?

Answer 46

If an incident cannot be resolved through normal means, it may be escalated to the Problem Management process to identify the root cause and find a solution or workaround.

Question 47

In Incident Management, what is the primary goal when an incident occurs?

Answer 47

The primary goal when an incident occurs is to restore the service or, at the very least, mitigate the impact on the service.

Question 48

What is the core activity within the Event Management process in ITIL?

Answer 48

The core activity within the Event Management process is the monitoring and control cycle.

Monitoring is crucial because without it, we cannot assess how well systems are operating in service operations.

Question 49

How does the Application Management function in ITIL’s Service Operation differ from application development?

Answer 49

Application Management in ITIL’s Service Operation is a “cradle to grave” function that persists as long as the application is in use, not just during its development phase

application managemnt ensures usability, performance can be improved and any future costs can be managed