| TERM |
DEFINITION |
| Call |
(Service Desk) (Incident Management) A telephone call to the Service Desk from a User. A Call could result in an Incident or a Service Request being logged. |
| Call Centre |
(Service Desk) An Organisation or Business Unit which handles large numbers of incoming and outgoing telephone calls. See Service Desk. |
| Call Type |
(Service Desk) A Category that is used to distinguish incoming requests to a Service Desk. Common call types are Incident, Service Request and Complaint. |
| Capacity |
(Capacity Management) The maximum Throughput that a Configuration Item or IT Service can deliver whilst meeting agreed Service Level Targets. For some types of CI, Capacity may be the size or volume, for example a disk drive. |
| Capacity Management |
(Capacity Management) The Process responsible for ensuring that the Capacity of IT Services and the IT Infrastructure is able to deliver agreed Service Level Targets in a Cost Effective and timely manner. Capacity Management considers all Resources required to deliver the IT Service, and plans for short, medium and long term Business Requirements. |
| Capacity Management Database (CDB) |
(Capacity Management) A Database containing all data needed to support Capacity Management. The Capacity Management Database is usually separate from the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) because it contains large amounts of rapidly changing data. |
| Capacity Plan |
(Capacity Management) A Capacity Plan is used to manage the Resources required to deliver IT Services. The Plan contains scenarios for different predictions of Business demand, and costed options to deliver the agreed Service Level Targets. |
| Capacity Planning |
(Capacity Management) The Activity within Capacity Management responsible for creating a Capacity Plan. |
| Capital Cost |
(Financial Management) The cost of purchasing something that will become a financial Asset, for example computer equipment and buildings. The value of the Asset is Depreciated over multiple Accounting Periods. See Operational Cost |
| Category |
A named group of things that have something in common. Categories are used to group similar things together. For example Cost Types are used to group similar types of Cost. Incident Categories are used to group similar types of Incident; CI Types are used to group similar types of Configuration Item. |
| Cause / Effect Diagram |
(Problem Management) A technique that helps a team to identify all the possible causes of an effect, such as a Problem. Originally devised by Kaoru Ishikawa and often called an Ishikawa Diagram, The output of this technique is a diagram that looks like a fishbone. |
| Certification |
Issuing a certificate to confirm Compliance to a Standard. Certification includes a formal Audit by an independent and Accredited body. The term Certification is also used to mean awarding a certificate to verify that a person has achieved a qualification. |
| Change |
(Change Management) The addition, modification or removal of anything that could have an effect on IT Services. The Scope should include all Configuration Items, Processes, Documentation etc. |
| Change Advisory Board (CAB) |
(Change Management) A group of people that assists the Change Manager in the assessment, prioritisation and scheduling of Changes. This board is usually made up of representatives from all areas within the IT Service Provider, representatives from the Business, and Third Parties such as Suppliers. |
Change Advisory Board /
Emergency Committee (CAB/EC) |
(Change Management) A sub-set of the Change Advisory Board who make decisions about Emergency Changes. Membership of the CAB/EC may be decided at the time a meeting is called, and depends on the nature of the Emergency Change. |
| Change History |
(Change Management) Information about all changes made to a Configuration Item during its life. Change History consists of all those Change Records that apply to the CI. |
| Change Management |
(Change Management) The Process responsible for controlling the Lifecycle of all Changes. The primary objective of Change Management is to enable beneficial Changes to be made, with minimum disruption to IT Services. |
| Change Model |
A repeatable way of dealing with a particular Category of Change. A Change Model defines specific pre-defined steps that will be followed for a change of this Category. Change Models may be very simple, with no requirement for approval (e.g. Password Reset) or may be very complex with many steps that require approval (e.g. major software release). See Standard Change. |
| Change Record |
(Change Management) A Record containing the details of a Change. Each Change Record documents the Lifecycle of a single Change. A Change Record is created for every Request for Change that is received, even those that are subsequently rejected. Change Records should reference the Configuration Items that are affected by the Change. Change Records are often stored in a Configuration Management Database. |
| Change Request |
Synonym for Request for Change. |
| Change Schedule |
(Change Management) A Document that lists all approved Changes and their planned implementation dates. A Change Schedule is sometimes called a Forward Schedule of Change. See Projected Service Availability (PSA). |
| Change Slot |
(Change Management) A regular, agreed time when Changes may be implemented with minimal impact on Services. Change Slots are usually documented in SLAs. See Planned Downtime. |
| Chargeable Item |
A Deliverable of an IT Service that is used in calculating Charges to Customers. For example, number of Transactions, number of desktop PCs. |
| Charging |
(Financial Management) Requiring payment for IT Services. Charging for IT Services is optional, and many Organisations choose to treat their IT Service Provider as a Cost Centre. See Charging Process, Charging Policy |
| Charging Policy |
(Financial Management) A Policy specifying the Objective of the Charging Process, and the way in which charges will be calculated. See Cost, Cost Plus, Going Rate, Market Rate. |
| Charging Process |
(Financial Management) The Process responsible for deciding how much Customers should pay (Pricing) and recovering money from them (Billing). |
| CI Type |
(Configuration Management) A Category that is used to Classify CIs. The CI Type identifies the required Attributes and Relationships for a Configuration Record. Common CI Types include: hardware, Document, User etc. |
| Classification |
The act of assigning a Category to something. Classification is used to ensure consistent management and reporting. CIs, Incidents, Problems, Changes etc. are usually classified. |
| Client |
A computer that is used directly by a User, for example a PC, Handheld Computer, or Workstation. The term Client is also used to mean the part of a Client-Server Application that the user directly interfaces with. For example an email Client. The term Client is also used to mean Customers or the Business in a general sense. For example Client Manager may be used as a synonym for Account Manager. |
| Client Access Licence |
A software license that permits one Client to make use of resources on a Server. |
| Closed |
The final Status in the Lifecycle of an Incident, Problem, Change etc. When the Status is Closed, no further action is taken. |
| Closure |
The act of changing the Status of an Incident, Problem, Change etc. to Closed. |
| Closure Code |
A Category that is assigned to an Incident or Problem before it is Closed. This code identifies the cause, and is intended for use in reporting and Trend Analysis. For example "Customer training required", "Documentation error", "Software bug". |
| Code of Practice (COP) |
A Guideline published by a public body or a Standards Organisation, such as ISO or BSI. Many Standards consist of a Code of Practice and a Specification. The Code of Practice describes recommended Best Practice. |
| Cold Standby |
Synonym for Gradual Recovery. |
| Command, control and communications |
The Processes and infrastructure that enable an Organisation to effectively pass instructions and information. This enables management control of Resources. This term is typically used in the management of Major Incidents, Business Continuity and IT Service Continuity. |
| Compliance |
Ensuring that a Standard or set of Guidelines is followed. See Audit. |
| Component |
A general term that is used to mean one part of something more complex. For example, a computer System may be a component of an IT Service; an Application may be a Component of a Release Unit. Components that need to be managed should be Configuration Items. |
| Component CI |
(Configuration Management) A Configuration Item that is part of an Assembly CI. For example, a CPU or Memory CI may be part of a Server CI. |
| Concurrency |
A measure of the number of Users engaged in the same Operation at the same time. Used in Capacity Management and License Management. |
| Configuration |
A generic term, used to describe a group of Configuration Items that work together to deliver an IT Service, or a recognisable part of an IT Service. Configuration is also used to describe the parameter settings for one or more CIs. |
| Configuration and Change Management (C&CM) |
An integrated approach to Planning, implementing and operating Configuration Management, Change Management and Release Management. |
| Configuration Control |
(Configuration Management) The Activity responsible for ensuring that adding, modifying or removing a CI is properly managed, for example by submitting a Request for Change or Service Request. |
| Configuration Identification |
(Configuration Management) The Activity responsible for collecting information about Configuration Items and their Relationships, and loading this information into the CMDB. Configuration Identification is also responsible for labelling the CIs themselves, so that the corresponding Configuration Records can be found. |
| Configuration Item (CI) |
(Configuration Management) Any Component that needs to be managed in order to deliver an IT Service. Information about each CI is recorded in a Configuration Record within the CMDB and is maintained throughout its Lifecycle by Configuration Management. CIs are under the control of Change Management. CIs typically include hardware, software, buildings, people, and formal documentation such as Process documentation and SLAs. |
| Configuration Management |
(Configuration Management) The Process responsible for maintaining information about Configuration Items required to deliver an IT Service, including their Relationships. This information is managed throughout the Lifecycle of the CI. The primary objective of Configuration Management is to underpin the delivery of IT Services by providing accurate data to all IT Service Management Processes when and where it is needed. |
| Configuration Management Database (CMDB) |
(Configuration Management) A Database used to manage Configuration Records throughout their Lifecycle. The CMDB records the Attributes of each CI, and Relationships with other CIs. A CMDB may also contain other information linked to CIs, for example Incident, Problem or Change Records. The CMDB is maintained by Configuration Management and is used by all IT Service Management Processes. |
| Configuration Record |
|
| Configuration Status Accounting |
(Configuration Management) The Activity responsible for recording and reporting the Lifecycle of each Configuration Item. |
| Configuration Structure |
(Configuration Management) The hierarchy and other Relationships between all the Configuration Items that comprise a Configuration. |
Configuration Verification
and Audit |
(Configuration Management) The Activities responsible for ensuring that information in the CMDB is accurate and that all Configuration Items have been identified and recorded in the CMDB. Configuration Verification includes routine checks that are part of other processes. For example, verifying the serial number of a desktop PC when a User logs an Incident. Configuration Audit is a periodic, formal check. |
| Continuous Improvement |
The Process responsible for managing improvements to IT Service Management Processes and IT Services. Continuous Improvement continually measures achievement and modifies Processes and the IT Infrastructure to improve Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Cost Effectiveness. See CSIP, SIP, Deming Cycle, Optimise. |
| Contract |
A legally binding Agreement between two or more parties. |
| Contract Manager |
(Supplier Management) A Role responsible for managing Contracts with one or more Suppliers. Contract Managers usually work closely with Service Level Managers to ensure that Supplier Contracts support agreed Service Level Targets for IT Services. |
| Control |
A means of managing a Risk, or ensuring that a Business Objective is achieved. Example Controls include Policies, Procedures, Roles, software configurations, passwords, RAID, fences, door-locks etc. A control is sometimes called a Countermeasure or safeguard. Control is also used as a generic term meaning to manage something. |
| Control Processes |
The ISO/IEC 20000 Process group that includes Change Management and Configuration Management. |
| Cost |
(Financial Management) The amount of money spent on a specific Activity, IT Service, or Business Unit. Costs consist of real cost (money), notional cost such as people's time, and Depreciation. Cost is also used as the name of a Charging Policy that recovers the exact cost of providing the service. |
| Cost Benefit Analysis |
An Activity that analyses and compares the costs and the benefits involved in one or more alternative courses of action. See Cost Effectiveness, Investment Appraisal. |
| Cost Effectiveness |
A measure of the balance between the Effectiveness and Cost of a Service, Process or activity, A Cost Effective Process is one which achieves its Objectives at minimum Cost. See KPI. |
| Cost Management |
(Financial Management) A general term that is used to refer to Budgeting and Accounting, sometimes used as a synonym for Financial Management for IT Services. |
| Cost Plus |
(Financial Management) A Charging Policy in which Charges are calculated by adding a percentage to the Cost of providing the IT Service. The additional money is often used for future investment. |
| Cost‑by‑Customer Cost Model |
(Financial Management) A type of Cost Model in which Costs are identified and allocated to Customers. |
| Cost‑by‑Service Cost Model |
(Financial Management) A type of Cost Model in which Costs are identified and allocated to IT Services. |
| Countermeasure |
A synonym for Control. The term Countermeasure can be used to refer to any type of Control, but it is most often used when referring to measures that increase Resilience, Fault Tolerance or Reliability of an IT Service. |
| CSIP |
Continuos Service Improvement Programme A formal Programme to implement and manage a Continuous Improvement Process. |
| Critical Success Factor (CSF) |
Something that must happen if a Process, Project, Plan, or IT Service is to succeed. KPIs are used to measure the achievement of each CSF. For example a CSF of "protect IT Services when making Changes" could be measured by KPIs such as "percentage reduction of unsuccessful Changes", "percentage reduction in Changes causing Incidents" etc. |
| Culture |
A set of values that is shared by a group of people, including expectations about how people should behave, ideas, beliefs, and practices. See Vision. |
| Customer |
Someone who buys goods or Services. The Customer of an IT Service Provider is the person or group who defines and agrees the Service Level Targets. The term Customers is also sometimes informally used to mean Users, for example "this is a Customer Focussed Organisation". |
| Customer Focus |
Understanding and meeting the real needs of Customers and Users. This is done to maximise Customer satisfaction and thus to obtain long term benefits for the IT Service Provider. Customer Focus can be displayed by the entire Organisation or by specific people or Processes. |
| Customer-Managed Us |
(Software Asset Management) The management of licenses by the Customer or IT Service Provider. Licenses may also be managed by the Supplier of the software (Vendor Managed Use). |
