Could someone help out with a question I have on SLM. I work for Kraft Foods and we are establishing a Service Level Management office. As we work to convey a shared understanding of Service Level Management within the organization I am trying to fully understand what Rick Strum is defining as the disciplined proactive methodologies and procedures. He mentions the disciplined proactive methodologies and procedures in his definition of Service Level Management but what are they.

Let me know if you can point me in the right direction.

-- Dennis Martin (dcmartin@kraft.com), April 15, 2003

Answers

The key word is "proactive". SLM is really a discipline of best practices to manage the level of services you are providing. There are so many views and ideas on SLM, however the one I like to use is that the SLM processes really involve the alignment of your customer requirements against your IT service capabilities. The methods and procedures are the means to that end and typically include the creation of SLA's, monitoring and reporting on services provided, design of a service quality plan, develop of underpinning contracts, etc. etc.

Hope this helps. - SROD

-- SROD (kontajis@yahoo.com), July 09, 2003.