Core Service & Non-Core Service -Discussion-

[Arab_ITIL]

Hi All

I had a argument with my Manager about Core IT Service & Non-Core IT Service<< he was saying the core IT Service is the main service of the organization that built on the IT -Our IT is Business Enabler- I was saying NO ,, the Core IT Service is the service that only IT can provide e.g. E-mail.

From ITIL point of view what do you think is IT core service & IT Non-core service,, and give me an example if possible.

Thanx

[asrilrm]

Hi Arab_ITIL,

ITIL concerns of providing good IT Service and therefore it's aim is good IT governance. It's target is service, all the same, regardless to core or non-core.
It is you or your boss who decides what is/are core and non-core IT for your company

Cheers,
Asril

[ITMaturity]

Hi Arab_ITIL,

In contrary to the previous post of Asril, it is not up to the IT Service provider to determine what is the core service (or even good service) but it is the customer e.g. the business that will have to decide. Why don't you ask them what is the core service?
According to ITIL an IT Service will have to provide business value and more value than the running of the service will cost. Therefor the easiest way to determine if a service is core is to ask the business if it is possible to do without that service. What happens if the e-mail (or messaging service) is no longer operational? What effect on business will that have?
The hard part is to figure out what the scope of the service is. For instance, a LAN service doesn't provide any business functionality, but without a Lan many other services won't work (like the messaging/communication service).

Regards,
Paul

[asrilrm]

Hi,

I could agree with you, Paul
I've read some articles that wrote the same as yours.
But since there is no exact definition of what is core and non-core, everybody can have their own understanding.
My company has a lot of customers with various type of services, like we provide airline applications (ticketing, res, DCS, etc.). We also provide SAP BP consulting (FI/CO, MM, HR) for other customers. We also provide Data Center services (housing and co-location) for other customers.
Are you going to maintain multiple core for a situation like that?
We didn't. We saw that most of the money came from the airlines, so we decided that the airline applications is our ultimate core service. The others are core as well, but the former will come first in priority.

On the other hand, airlines as our customers, also have their terms of core and non-core.
- The reservations system chain (from ticketing to DCS) is the core to their perspective.
- There are also some value added systems such as RMS and Frequent Flyer. These are non-core according to their perspective.
Don't question because I only quote their definition.

Oh, I'm blabbering again, sorry

Asril

[ITMaturity]

Hi Asril,

I understand your perspective. Since you are an external (probably commercial) service provider you have a situation in which you have to determine which service (and which customer) is the most valuable to yourself. You have to determine on which service you make the most money or might lose customers on. In that case you are right that you determine what is core to you yourself.
Most IT departments do not have this situation where they can determine themselves which service is the most important to them. They do not have paying customers or do no not have the luxury to turn a customer away. In those cases it is the business that will determine what is core. As you demonstrated yourself by noting that customers also differentiate between core and non-core services for themselves.

Bottomline though is that in your case as well the customer will determine what is the core service your company provides. That is the service they are willing to pay more money for, special to improve reliability and availability of that service. If the customer is not interested in the service then it will not be a core service anymore for you.

[asrilrm]

Hi Paul,

You are totally correct. I forgot that I was once from an IT Department, but it was a long time ago.

So, in order to answer Arab_ITIL's question, and not to make him confused, I agree with Paul.


Regards,
Asril

[Arab_ITIL]

Paul & Asrilm

Thanx alot,, it was very nice & helpful discussion

[UKVIKING]

To follow up

ITIL does not define core, non core etc about the service

If something has been identified with the following aspects, it is a service

1 - users/ consumers / customers
2 - IT deliverable
3 - IT provider

beyond that, it is up to the business concerned to define whether a service is core or not
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter