TERM

DEFINITION

The defined purpose or aim of a Process, an Activity or an Organisation as a whole. Objectives are usually expressed as measurable targets. The term Objective is also informally used to mean a Requirement.

OGC own the copyright to the ITIL publications. They are a UK Government department that works with public sector Organisations to help them improve their Efficiency, gain better Value for Money from their commercial Activities, and deliver improved success from Programmes and Projects.

OPSI are the publishers of the ITIL publications. They are a UK Government department who provide online access to UK legislation, license the re-use of Crown copyright material, manage the Information Fair Trader Scheme, maintain the Government’s Information Asset Register and provide advice and guidance on official publishing and Crown copyright

To perform as expected. A Process or Configuration Item is said to Operate if it is delivering the Required outputs. Operate also means to perform one or more Operations. For example, to Operate a computer is to do the day-to-day Operations needed for it to perform as expected. See IT Operations, Business Operations.

A pre-defined Activity or Transaction. For example loading a magnetic tape, accepting money at a point of sale, or reading data from a disk drive. See Operate (Above) , IT Operations, Business Operations.

The lowest of three levels of Planning and delivery (Strategic, Tactical, Operational). Operational Activities include the day-to-day or short term Planning or delivery of a Business Process or IT Service Management Process. The term Operational is also used to refer to a Configuration Item or IT Service being ready for use.

(Release Management) Part of the Release Acceptance Activity, responsible for ensuring that everything needed for IT Operations is in place before the Release is deployed. Operational Acceptance often uses a checklist to ensure that all required documentation, IT Operations Processes, tools and training are in place.

(Financial Management) Cost resulting from running the IT Services. Often repeating payments. For example staff costs, hardware maintenance and electricity (also known as "current expenditure" or "revenue expenditure") See Capital Costs

Synonym for Operational Cost.

(Service Level Management) An Agreement between an IT Service Provider and another part of the same Business that provides Services to them. For example there could be an OLA with a facilities department to provide air conditioning or with the procurement department to obtain hardware in agreed times. An OLA may also be between two parts of the same IT Service Provider, for example between the Service Desk and a Support Group. See Service Level Agreement.

A company, legal entity or other institution. Examples of Organisations that are not companies include International Standards Organisation, itSMF. The term Organisation is sometimes used to refer to any entity which has People, Resources and Budgets. For example a Project or Business Unit.

Transferring the provision of IT Services from an Internal Service Provider to an External Service Provider. The term Outsourcing is used to mean making use of an External Service Provider to manage IT Services, or acting as an External Service Provider to manage IT Services. See Insource.