ITIL®, or Information Technology Infrastructure Library, which has been applied since 1989, is a model of good practices for more effective management of IT services. Its history started in Great Britain, when the British government ordered works to develop uniform standards and processes which could be adapted in the world of IT business. Then, the prepared publications were disclosed for general use. At present, in connection with the improvements and the adaptation of processes to the current business conditions we are working on the third edition of good practices.
Versatility
The most important feature of ITIL® is its versatility. The size of the company implementing ITIL® or the kind of services it provides does not matter. In addition, there are no limitations to creative use of ITIL® solutions in the current processes applied at the company. By definition, ITIL® is a set of practices we apply to streamline the functioning of the organization. An important thing is that ITIL® is not a standard which requires specific actions on the part of the organization, and therefore there are no certifications that a company can boast directly. ITIL® puts an emphasis on people’s experience, and that is why the only certification which pertains to the knowledge of good practices may be obtained by specific practitioners. However, implementation of ITIL® is a good start towards meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 20000, as since 2005 it has been based on the model delivered by ITIL®.
Library
The ITIL® library introduces a number of definitions and concepts and also indicates specific responsibilities for carrying out the operations. This is undoubtedly necessary for the proper performance of the service by the provider and also for the business to understand his activities. All processes at the Application Service Support in Hicron are based on best practices of IT services management. This Department, which provides support services for SAP applications and system administration and cooperates closely with the customer, has all its processes defined according to ITIL® standards.
Both the Application Service and the SAP Systems Administration are based on providing solutions to the requests submitted by the customer.
Procedure
The most important document of the Application Service Support, the “Service Procedure”, describes in detail the handling of requests of all types, and also clearly defines the roles and responsibilities on the part of Hicron and the customer. As a result, both interested parties can understand each other very well, and what is more, the common language allows the customer to adapt easily the handling of requests by Hicron to his internal processes.
Within its framework, ITIL® ensures Continual Service Improvement, and that is why we are sure that all processes are continually changing and adapting to the current trends and conditions prevailing on the market. Therefore, ITIL® which was implemented in an organization once, is not a good marketing gimmick, but helps in optimizing cooperation, improves communication with business on the principle of partnership synergy, and as a result allows to decrease the costs of the delivered service.
