SLA?

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a formal contract or agreement between a service provider and a
customer that defines the level of service expected during its term. It is commonly used in IT
services, cloud computing, and managed services.
Types:
P1
P2
P3
P4
SERVICE CATALOGUE?
In ServiceNow, a Service Catalogue is a centralized portal where users can browse, request, and
track IT and business services offered by an organization. It’s a key part of IT Service Management
(ITSM) and helps streamline service delivery.
Examples:

Hardware Requests Laptop, desktop, monitor, mobile device

Software Requests Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite, custom apps

Access Requests VPN, shared drive, Active Directory group access

Cloud Services Azure VM, storage account, NSG configuration

Support Services Password reset, incident reporting, troubleshooting

WHAT IS INCIDENT MANAGEMENT?

Incident Management is a core process in IT Service Management (ITSM) that focuses on restoring
normal service operations as quickly as possible after an unplanned interruption or reduction in
service quality.
Incident Management Lifecycle
Incident Identification Incident Logging Incident Categorization & Prioritization Incident
Assignment Investigation & Diagnosis Resolution & Recovery Incident Closure.
Incident Identification
Users report issues via portals, emails, or calls.
Monitoring tools may also auto-generate incidents.
Incident Logging
Details are recorded in a ticketing system (e.g., ServiceNow, Remedy).
Incident Categorization & Prioritization
Categorized by type (network, hardware, software).
Prioritized based on impact and urgency.
Incident Assignment
Routed to the appropriate support team (L1, L2, L3).
Investigation & Diagnosis
Root cause analysis and troubleshooting steps are performed.
Resolution & Recovery
Fixes are applied, and service is restored.
Incident Closure
Confirmed with the user and formally closed with documentation.
PROBLEM MANAGEMENT?
Problem Management is a key process in IT Service Management (ITSM) that focuses on identifying
and resolving the root causes of incidents to prevent them from recurring.
Purpose of Problem Management
• Reduce the number and impact of incidents.
• Identify and eliminate the root cause of recurring issues.
• Improve system stability and service quality over time.
Problem Management Lifecycle
1. Problem Detection
• Triggered by recurring incidents, major incidents, or trend analysis.
2. Problem Logging
• A problem record is created in the ITSM tool (e.g., ServiceNow).
3. Problem Categorization & Prioritization
• Helps in assigning the right resources and urgency.
4. Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Techniques like 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram, or Kepner-Tregoe are used.
5. Workaround Identification
• Temporary solutions to reduce impact until a permanent fix is available.
6. Known Error Record
• Documented problem with a known root cause and workaround.
7. Resolution & Closure
• Permanent fix is implemented and verified before closing the problem.

WHAT IS CHANGEMANAGEMENT?
Change Management is a structured process in IT Service Management (ITSM) used to ensure
that changes to IT systems and services are made in a controlled and coordinated manner,
minimizing risk and disruption to business operations.
Purpose of Change Management
• Ensure standardized procedures for handling all changes.
• Reduce the risk of service outages or disruptions.
• Improve communication and documentation around changes.
• Maintain compliance and audit readiness.
Change Management Lifecycle
1. Change Request (RFC – Request for Change)
• Initiated by users, support teams, or automation tools.
2. Change Logging
• Recorded in a system like ServiceNow, including details like reason, impact, and
rollback plan.
3. Change Assessment & Approval
• Reviewed by a Change Advisory Board (CAB) or automated workflows.
• Risk, impact, and urgency are evaluated.
4. Change Planning & Scheduling
• Scheduled during maintenance windows or low-impact periods.
5. Change Implementation
• Executed by the responsible team with monitoring in place.
6. Change Review & Closure
• Post-implementation review (PIR) to confirm success or identify issues.
• Closed with documentation and lessons learned.
Types of Changes
• Standard Change: Low-risk, pre-approved (e.g., password reset policy update).
• Normal Change: Requires assessment and approval (e.g., server patching).
• Emergency Change: Urgent, fast-tracked (e.g., fixing a critical outage).
CAB Process:
1. Change Details
• Is the Change Request (CR) clearly documented?
• Are the objectives and scope of the change defined?
2. Impact Assessment
• Has the business impact been assessed?
• Are affected services, users, or systems identified?
• Is there a risk assessment included?
3. Change Type & Priority
• Is the change correctly classified (Standard, Normal, Emergency)?
• Is the priority and urgency appropriate?
4. Implementation Plan
• Is there a step-by-step implementation plan?
• Are responsible teams or individuals assigned?
5. Testing & Validation
• Has the change been tested in a staging environment?
• Are validation steps defined post-implementation?
6. Communication Plan
• Are stakeholders informed?
• Is there a user communication plan (e.g., downtime notice)?
7. Backout/Rollback Plan
• Is there a clear rollback plan in case of failure?
• Are rollback steps tested or validated?
8. Schedule & Timing
• Is the change scheduled during a maintenance window?
• Are there any conflicts with other changes?
9. Approvals
• Has the change been approved by all required parties?
• Is CAB approval documented?
10. Post-Implementation Review (PIR)
• Is a PIR scheduled to evaluate the success of the change?
WHAT IS CMDB?
In ServiceNow, the CMDB (Configuration Management Database) is a centralized repository that
stores information about all the IT assets (Configuration Items or CIs) and their relationships within
an organization’s IT environment.
Purpose of CMDB in ServiceNow
• Provide a single source of truth for IT infrastructure.
• Track hardware, software, cloud resources, and services.
• Understand dependencies between systems for better impact analysis.
• Support Incident, Problem, Change, and Asset Management processes.
CMDB Contain:
Component Examples

Configuration Items (CIs) Servers, VMs, routers, applications, databases

Attributes Name, IP address, OS, version, owner, location

Relationships "Runs on", "Depends on", "Connected to"

Lifecycle Status Installed, In Use, Retired, Under Maintenance

How CMDB Supports ITSM

• Incident Management: Quickly identify affected systems.
• Change Management: Assess impact before implementing changes.
• Problem Management: Trace recurring issues to specific CIs.
• Asset Management: Track ownership, lifecycle, and compliance
WHAT IS KB ARTICLES IN SERVICE NOW?
In ServiceNow, KB Articles (Knowledge Base Articles) are structured documents used to capture,
store, and share knowledge within an organization. They are part of the Knowledge
Management process and help improve efficiency by providing quick answers to common questions
or issues.
KB Article Contain:
Section Description

Title Clear and concise summary of the article topic

Summary/Description Brief explanation of the issue or topic

Symptoms/Problem What the user might experience

Cause Root cause or background (if applicable)

Resolution/Workaround Step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue

Applies To Systems, applications, or user groups the article is relevant to

Attachments Screenshots, logs, or documents that support the article

Metadata Author, creation date, last updated, approval status, and visibility
settings
Generic issues to find KB
• "How to reset your Active Directory password"
• "Steps to request a new virtual machine in Azure"
• "Troubleshooting VPN connection issues"
• "Known issue: Outlook not syncing calendar events"