Single Point of Failure
(Service Design) Any Configuration Item that can cause an Incident when it fails, and for which a Countermeasure has not been implemented. A SPoF may be a person, or a step in a Process or Activity, as well as a Component of the IT Infrastructure. See also Failure.
SMART
(Service Design) (Continual Service Improvement) An acronym for helping to remember that targets in Service Level Agreements and Project Plans should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely.
Specification
A formal definition of Requirements. A Specification may be used to define technical or Operational Requirements, and may be internal or external. Many public Standards consist of a Code of Practice and a Specification. The Specification defines the Standard against which an Organization can be Audited.
Stakeholder
All people who have an interest in an Organization, Project, IT Service, etc. Stakeholders may be interested in the Activities, targets, Resources, or Deliverables. Stakeholders may include Customers, Partners, employees, shareholders, owners, etc. See also RACI.
Standard
A mandatory Requirement. Examples include ISO/IEC 20000 (an international Standard), an internal security standard for Unix configuration, or a government standard for how financial Records should be maintained. The term Standard is also used to refer to a Code of Practice or Specification published by a Standards Organization such as ISO or BSI. See also Guideline.
Standby
(Service Design) Used to refer to Resources that are not required to deliver the Live IT Services, but are available to support IT Service Continuity Plans. For example a Standby data centre may be maintained to support Hot Standby, Warm Standby or Cold Standby arrangements.
Statement of requirements
(Service Design) A Document containing all Requirements for a product purchase, or a new or changed IT Service. See also
Status
The name of a required field in many types of Record. It shows the current stage in the Lifecycle of the associated Configuration Item, Incident, Problem, etc.
Strategic
(Service Strategy) The highest of three levels of Planning and delivery (Strategic, Tactical, Operational). Strategic Activities include Objective setting and long-term Planning to achieve the overall Vision.
Strategy
(Service Strategy) A Strategic Plan designed to achieve defined Objectives.
Supplier
(Service Strategy) (Service Design) A Third party responsible for supplying goods or Services that are required to deliver IT services. Examples of suppliers include commodity hardware and software vendors, network and telecom providers, and outsourcing Organizations. See also
Supplier and Contract Database
(Service Design) A database or structured Document used to manage Supplier Contracts throughout their Lifecycle. The SCD contains key Attributes of all Contracts with Suppliers, and should be part of the Service Knowledge Management System.
Supplier Management
(Service Design) The Process responsible for ensuring that all Contracts with Suppliers support the needs of the Business, and that all Suppliers meet their contractual commitments.
Supply chain
(Service Strategy) The Activities in a Value Chain carried out by Suppliers. A Supply chain typically involves multiple Suppliers, each adding value to the product or Service. See also
Support group
(Service Operation) A group of people with technical skills. Support groups provide the Technical support needed by all of the IT Service Management Processes. See also
Support hours
(Service Design) (Service Operation) The times or hours when support is available to the Users. Typically these are the hours when the Service Desk is available. Support hours should be defined in a Service Level Agreement, and may be different from Service hours. For example, Service hours may be 24 hours a day, but the Support hours may be 07:00 to 19:00.
Supporting service
(Service Strategy) A Service that enables or enhances a Core Service. For example, a Directory Service or a Backup Service.
SWOT analysis
(Continual Service Improvement) A technique that reviews and analyses the internal strengths and weaknesses of an Organization and the external opportunities and threats that it faces SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
System
A number of related things that work together to achieve an overall Objective. For example:
A computer System including hardware, software and Applications
A management System, including multiple Processes that are planned and managed together. For example, a Quality Management System
A Database Management System or Operating System that includes many software modules that are designed to perform a set of related Functions.
System Management
The part of IT Service Management that focuses on the management of IT Infrastructure rather than Process.
Tactical
The middle of three levels of Planning and delivery (Strategic, Tactical, Operational). Tactical Activities include the medium-term Plans required to achieve specific Objectives, typically over a period of weeks to months.
Technical management
(Service Operation) The Function responsible for providing technical skills in support of IT Services and management of the IT Infrastructure. Technical management defines the Roles of Support groups, as well as the tools, Processes and Procedures required.
Technical service
See Infrastructure Service.