IBM Tivoli Unified Process (ITUP)

IBM Tivoli Unified Process (ITUP) is a knowledge base of widely accepted industry best practices and the accumulated experience from IBM's client engagements. The knowledge base is comprised of detailed, industry-wide IT service management processes, and is an integral part of the IBM Service Management solution family. [ [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/tivoli/governance/servicemanagement/welcome/itsm-glossary.html IBM Service Management] ] The knowledge base is structured on the IBM Process Reference Model for IT [ [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/tivoli/governance/servicemanagement/welcome/process_reference.html IBM Process Reference Model] ] (PRM-IT). PRM-IT [ [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/tivoli/products/unified-process-composer/ Tivoli Unified Proecess Composer] ] describes the processes for exploiting IT in support of a business or enterprise.

ITUP is a free offering from IBM [ [http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/21357.wss IBM Press release: 12 April 2007] ] . Its purpose is to make the benefits of service management best practice frameworks, like Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), more attainable for organizations through integrated process modeling. Thus ITUP is closely aligned with ITIL (a series of books outlining a set of concepts for managing IT) and provides the guidance on how to implement IT service management using proven, predefined solutions. Detailed process diagrams and descriptions provide further explanations of IT processes, the relationships between processes, and the roles and tools involved in an efficient process implementation. ITUP is also mapped to other leading process models. [ [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/tivoli/products/unified-process-composer/ ISM/ITUP] ]

Context

"IT service management represents an evolution from managing IT as a technology to managing IT as a business". [ [http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/463/keel.html IBM Systems Journal] ] As businesses move toward on-demand environments, IT organizations are faced with the challenge of increasing the quality of services provided to business, while simultaneously addressing faster rates of change, rising technical complexity, cost pressures, and compliance issues. With traditional resource and system management approaches, providing effective support for business and efficient use of IT resources is proving impossible. IT service management provides for the effective and efficient delivery of IT services in support of changing business needs.

Implementing IT service management requires the optimal intersection of people, process, information and technology. When all of these components come together, they can make IT more efficient and effective.

Tivoli Unified Process tooling

IBM Tivoli Unified Process (ITUP) "Composer" is the tool used to create tailored method libraries* using the ITUP knowledge base content. [ [ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/tivoli/datasheets/ds-tiv-unified-composer.pdf Leveraging process tooling] ] Customization includes creating or modifying process definitions to extend and publish content to document an organization’s operational processes. The Composer tool provides the option to select and deploy a comprehensive project, or only the process components needed for each stage of a project, so that those processes are consistently applied by all IT staff. (See ITUP Composer for development, this article.)

**A method library is a container for method plug-ins and method configuration definitions. A method library has one or more method configurations that filter the library and provide smaller working sets of library content. All method elements are stored in a method library.

Structure of the ITUP content knowledge database

The knowledge base includes descriptions of and relationships between five significant elements:

#Process descriptions – detailed process diagrams and explicates to better understand processes and their relationships, making ITIL best-practice recommendations easier to implement. This category also maps processes to other leading process models, such as Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) and the enhanced Telecom Operations Map (eTOM).
#Work products – artifacts produced as outputs or required as inputs by processes. Includes information such as definitions for key terms and concepts.
#Roles – as associated with the execution of specific tasks by IT staff typically responsible for one or more roles. Roles and job responsibilities are described in detail and cross-referenced to guidance on how staff can use tools to perform their roles more efficiently and effectively.
#Tools – in the form of tool mentors. This category identifies products and solutions from IBM that can be used to automate or complete specific process activities.
#Scenarios, or real-life examples – are provided as catalysts to make process content more comprehendible. A scenario can relate to specific issues, such as deploying a new server or responding to an outage. Scenarios describe, in a step-by-step format, the process workflow, roles, work products and tools involved in solving a specific problem.

The ITUP framework of process categories

Governance and Management SystemThe Governance and Management System process category ensures that a framework is in place to integrate processes, technologies, people, and data in a manner consistent with the IT goals. This category also monitors the framework against the broader enterprise goals and quality metrics. When specific goals and quality metrics are consistently unmet, decisions are made regarding the overall framework: whether it will be modified or restructured to ensure future success.

Governance considers and sets the fundamental direction for the management framework. Governance is a decision rights and accountability framework for directing, controlling, and executing IT endeavors in order to determine and achieve desired behaviors and results. Governance involves defining the management model and creating the governing or guiding principles.:Processes::*IT Governance and Management System Framework:*IT Governance and Management System Capabilities:*IT Governance and Management Operation:*IT Governance and Management Evaluation

Customer RelationshipsThe Customer Relationships process category gives IT service providers a mechanism to understand, monitor, perform and compete effectively in the marketplace they serve. Through active communication and interaction with customers, this process category provides the IT enterprise with valuable, current information concerning customer wants, needs, and requirements. Once these requirements are captured and understood, the process category ensures that an effective market plan is created to bring the various IT services and capabilities to the marketplace.

Further, customer satisfaction data is gathered and reported in order to find areas of the IT services that require improvement. Overall, this process provides a means for the IT enterprise to understand customer requirements, market IT services to customers, ensure and monitor the quality of the delivered IT services, and contribute to the maximization of business value from technology usage.:Processes::*Stakeholder Requirements Management:*Service Marketing and Sales:*Service Catalog Management:*Service Level Management:*Demand Management:*IT Customer Transformation Management:*Customer Satisfaction Management

DirectionThe Direction process category provides guidance on the external technology marketplace, aligns the IT outcomes to support the business strategy, minimizes risk exposures, and manages the IT Architecture and IT Portfolio. Using the business strategy, related business requirements, and overall technology trends as key inputs, this process category creates an IT Strategy within the manageable constraints of the existing architecture and portfolio. In addition to the IT strategy, the IT Portfolio and IT Architecture are planned, created, implemented, monitored, and continuously improved within this process category. Items put forward for inclusion in the IT Portfolio are managed throughout their life cycle using product management approaches well established in many industries.:Processes::*IT Strategy:*IT Research and Innovation:*Architecture Management:*Risk Management:*Product Management:*Portfolio Management:*Program and Project Management

RealizationIn the Realization process category solutions are created to satisfy the requirements of IT customers and stakeholders, including both the development of new solutions and the enhancements or maintenance of existing ones. Development includes options to build or buy the components of solutions, and the integration of them for functional capability.

This process category encompasses the engineering and manufacturing of information technology products and services, and includes the making or buying of solutions, systems, integration, and extensions to existing solutions. Maintenance and end-of-life shutdown activities (requiring solution adjustment) are also addressed in this category.:Processes::*Solution Requirements:*Solution Analysis and Design:*Solution Development and Integration:*Solution Test:*Solution Acceptance

TransitionThe Transition category of processes supports any aspect related to a life cycle status change in solutions and services. The processes provide defined and repeatable approaches to planning, effecting and recording these transitions, and can be applied to all stages of the life cycle. They also serve to maintain control over the information technology (IT) resources that are subject to such status changes. Further, the processes in this category provide vital enabling information to other process areas related to the management of IT. Using these processes, developments in IT capabilities supporting the stake holding businesses and customers achieve their desired operational status from which value can be derived.:Processes::*Change Management:*Release Management:*Deployment Management:*Configuration Management:*Asset Management

OperationsThe Operations category comprises all activities and measures necessary to enable and maintain the intended and committed use of the infrastructure, applications, and services. The processes in this category require close integration to function effectively. Operational plans and workload balancing are augmented by constant operational monitoring throughout service delivery. This operational data is used by many processes to identify, analyze, and quickly resolve any anomalies. The Operations category is also the focal point for receiving and responding to a wide variety of user service requests. This process category is vital to operating organizational constructs such as a Service Desk, an Operations Bridge, or an Operations Center. Problem Management is included in this category because of its dependence on incident management information.:Processes::*Request Fulfillment:*Service Execution:*Data Management:*Event Management:*Incident Management:*Problem Management:*Identity and Access Management

ResilienceThe Resilience process category describes the analysis and proactive planning required to enable resilient infrastructure, applications, and services. The definition of Resilience is the ability to absorb conditions or faults without service failure and the ability to quickly return to a previous good condition. Each process covers a range of activities from handling everyday adjustments as required by service operations through anticipating the potential future demands upon its specific domain.

In order to accomplish their collective mission, all processes require input from a wide range of other processes, including such items as architectural information, problem and known error information, solution designs, scheduled projects and changes, as well as operational monitoring data. Resilience processes use this input to establish ongoing resilience capabilities, ensuring service level attainment and customer satisfaction while controlling costs.:Processes::*Compliance Management:*Security Management:*Availability Management:*Capacity Management:*Facilities Management:*IT Service Continuity Management

AdministrationThe Administration process category brings together the processes that look after many of the non-technical resources: people, finances, and contracts, among others that support IT service delivery. It builds a sound foundation for the IT business, which other processes can deliver the IT services for the parent business.

The processes in this category help build and manage the necessary infrastructure for controlling IT resources (such as hardware, software, and people). These processes are a necessary part of any endeavor's management system and contain the fundamental management building blocks of any organizational entity: people management, financial and administrative management, pricing and contract management, and skills management. Failure in any of these areas of management could lead to the failure of the IT entity of the business. Without these processes, there would be no ability to accomplish the information technology mission of the business, regardless of the technology available.:Processes::*Financial Management:*Supplier Management:*Service Pricing and Contract Administration:*Workforce Management:*Knowledge Management

ITUP "Composer" for development

ITUP "Composer" includes IBM Rational® Method Composer (RMC), an Eclipse-based process documentation and customization tool, which is also used by IBM Rational Unified Process® (RUP). Using RMC, the ITUP content can be customized and published.

Using form-based or graphical editing features, customization allows:
*Extending existing content by adding new descriptions
*Creating completely new content
*Modifying content, such as by changing the sequence of steps in a process to match the way it is performed by an organization
*Publishing content as a Web site or in PDF or Microsoft Word formats to document processes as a reference for staff or auditors

ITUP "Composer" jump starts understanding in all areas related to IT service management. ITUP "Composer" graphically illustrates how the relationships between the five significant elements (processes, work products, roles, tools, and scenarios) work closely together to capture the full value of best practices. The end result enables compliance with new regulations, adherence to IT industry standards, and can institute appropriate governance. As a result, delivery of highly effective and efficient IT services to support busi¬ness objectives is accelerated.

In an enterprise, anyone who plays a role in implementing and delivering IT service management can use ITUP Composer to understand the details of specific process flows. For example, to direct the Incident Management process, an IT service manager can use the knowledge base to:

*Learn about relationships between incident management and other processes, such as each of the tasks involved in managing incidents, the sequence of steps required, who is responsible for each step and all of the work products that flow between steps.
*Draw on the knowledge base to learn how to use tools to automate specific tasks; enabling the organization to work more intelligently.

See also

* [http://www.best-management-practice.com/bookstore.asp?FO=1230360 ITSM Best Practices] (ITIL)
*Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF)

References

Further reading

* [http://www.research.ibm.com/autonomic/overview/ Overview of Autonomic Computing]
* [http://www.-03.ibm.com/autonomic/ Autonomic Computing]
* Definition of autonomic computing

External links

* [http://www.isaca.org/Template.cfm?Section=COBIT_Online&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=15633 COBIT]
* [http://www.soxlaw.com/ Sarbanes-Oxley]
* [http://www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi/ CMMI]
* [http://itsqc.cmu.edu/ eSCM]
* [http://www.tmforum.org/browse.aspx eTOM]
* [http://www.iso.org/iso/support/faqs/faqs_widely_used_standards/widely_used_standards_other/information_security.htm ISO/IEC 17799]
* [http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=33908 ISO/IEC 19770]
* [http://www.isoiec20000certification.com/about/whatis.asp ISO/IEC 20000]
* [http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=42103ISO/IEC 27001]
* [http://www-306.ibm.com/software/awdtools/rup/ RUP]
* [http://www.isixsigma.com/sixsigma/six_sigma.asp Six Sigma]