ITIL Questions on the Service Delivery Module

[snatchmonkey]

I have just completed the Service Delivery examination today and I would like to share with you some of my thoughts in relation to one of the questions posed.

I do not wish to give too much away about the exam but this one has really got my goat.

The question (in question) wa relating to ITSCM. and it went a little like this :

In the context of the case study, prepare a section of a report detailing the business impact of the following applications becomeing unavailable for an extended period of time.

Now, as far as I am aware and in any organisation I have worked at the Impact analysis of the Business applications has been done by the business as part of their Businnes Continuity plans and that information is then provided to the IT functions by way of the Service Manager in the SLA. In what world would the IT SC Manager make assumptions as to the impact of unavailability of Business critical applications. Surely this is the remit of the business.

I was well miffed when I saw this question as it seemed to me to be assesing you awareness of Business processes not ITIL Processes.

This was a 12 pointer so it was not insignificant in any way.

If I have this completely wrong then I am willing to be corrected.

Opinions anyone???

[snatchmonkey]

I have just looked at the ITIL Red book and found the following:

7.1.6 Business Continuity Management and ITSCM

ITSCM must be a part of the overall BCM process and is dependent upon information derived through this process. ITSCM is focused on the Continuity of IT Services to the business. BCM is concerned with the management of Business Continuity that incorporates all services upon which the business depends, one of which is IT.

Can anyone from OGC, ITSMf, or anyone else comment on this. I am so annoyed I am considering aking this to the OGC...

[UKJOHN]

I thought it was a fair question myself and very relevant, true ITSCM does not recover the business just the IT, but I thought the meaning was clear. I don't think I answered it vary well inspite of that !

[snatchmonkey]

John, I agree that the meaning is clear and the answer probably ran along the lines of 'Loss of market share etc etc.' My point is that this is more a generic Management question rather than a question relating to the mechanics of ITSCM. Which was after all what the question was all about.

I know that ISEB are not only assesing your ability not only on the subject matter but on your suitability to be a manager (another point that I would like to dispute along the lines of who do they think they are......) But I was expecting to be examined on the subject matter that I had learned on my course. Not some wooly tripe concerning the (assumed) business impace of a none existent company.

I make my point again. If a business application were to be unavailable for an extended period of time it would be THE BUSINESS that provides this information. Not the IT SC manager...

And you state as much in your reply 'true ITSCM does not recover the business'. does this not make my point? that you would be recovering the VBF's in line with the BUSINESS requirements.

[MarkJ]

I also sat that exam paper last week, and thought it was quiet a generous question, in that there were some easy marks to get in comparison to some of the other crazy questions. I think it was trying to get you to demonstrate how to do a BIA and for you to demonstrate some extra "Managers" knowledge of the financial industry. There was quite a bit of information in the case study to help you prioritise the order for recovery.