Service Manager 2012
Reducing Complexity with a Focused Implementation
David Norling-Christensen
Senior Systems Architect
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 So what is Service Manager?
 A help desk and change management tool.
 “Service Manager provides an integrated platform for automating and
adapting your organization’s IT service management best practices,
such as those found in Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) and
Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). It provides builtin processes for incident and problem resolution, change control, and
asset lifecycle management.” (From Microsoft TechNet)
 Central CMDB (Configuration Management Database) for all System
Center Products with a Data Warehouse for historical information.
 A Framework for you to build on.
 Very different from the other System Center Microsoft products.
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 Primary Functionality
 Activity Management – Process for tracking activities with a goal to
ensure activates are followed and tracked.
 Change Management – Process for tracking all changes to any
component in an IT environment with a goal of minimizing business
disruption.
 Incident Management – Process for tracking all issues with a goal of
restoring normal service as quickly as possible.
 Problem Management – Process for identifying the root cause for one
or more incidents with a goal of preventing the problem from
occurring again.
 Release Management – Process for tracking all software/hardware
releases with a goal of minimizing business disruption.
 Service Request Fulfillment – Process for tracking all non IT failures
with a goal of providing a service.
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 Primary Functionality
 Service Level Agreement (SLA) Tracking
 Self Service Portal Website
 Knowledge Article Repository
 Reporting
 Workflow engine
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 Built-in Connectors
 AD Connector gathers user and computer information
 System Center Configuration Manager gathers more detailed user and
computer information
 System Center Operation Manager connector gathers configuration
items and alerts
 System Center Orchestrator connector gathers run books
 System Center Virtual Machine Manager gathers Virtual Machine
Templates, Service Templates, and Fabric information
 Data is immediately useful and actionable
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 What Can it Do
 Almost anything (One Microsoft product engineering team adapted
Service Manager to be their test automation platform. The workflow
engine executes the tests and the database and user interface was
extended to store and display the test results. The data warehouse
showed test results over time.)
 Example of Connector Use
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SCOM Alert
Service Manager Ticket
Orchestrator run book to fix
Service Manager Close Ticket
A Brief Introduction to Service Manager
 What Service Manager Isn’t
 An out of box solution - does nothing useful out of the box without
customization.
 A one size fits most solution
Service Manager Implementation
 Necessary knowledge
 Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) – Widely
accepted standard of best practices for operation management.
 Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) – Microsoft created
framework to extend ITIL, specifically geared toward managing
Microsoft technologies providing both descriptive (what to do, when,
and why) and prescriptive (how) guidance.
 Business Acumen – Deep understanding of the business
Service Manager Implementation
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Define the project scope and requirements (Envision)
Evaluate the current environment (Assessment)
Design the Management Groups
Design the Service Manager Management server infrastructure
Design the Data Warehouse Management server infrastructure
Service Manager Envisioning
 What Benefits are you looking to gain?
 Faster incident and problem resolution?
 Higher customer satisfaction?
 Better compliance?
 Less change failure?
 Lower costs?
 Something else?
Service Manager Envisioning
 Scoping
 What are the Business Requirements?
 Who will be using Service Manager?
 Who will maintain Service Manager?
 Are there any ITIL processes currently implemented?
 Are there any regulations that must be followed?
 Does it have to be highly available?
 Disaster recovery plan?
Service Manager Envisioning
 Key Stake Holders to agree on Envision
 IT Managers
 Chief Technology Officers
 Chief Information Officers
 Technical decision makers
Service Manager Assessment
 Assessment
 What current technologies are used?
 Number of computers?
 Expected usage?
 Number of end users accessing Service Manager Portal?
 Number of analysts in each location?
 What connectors will be used?
 Replacing an existing service desk solution?
 What current technologies are used?
 Replicate current workflows or start new?
 Migrate existing service desk data?
Service Manager Assessment
 Connectors (Supporting Technologies)
 Active Directory
 System Center Configuration Manager
 System Center Operation Manager
 System Center Orchestrator
 System Center Virtual Machine Manager
 Look at implementing these first so you can utilize them with Service
Manager
 Ensure the health/function of these technologies to ensure you don’t
bring garbage into Service Manager
Service Manager Design Principles
 Keep it simple
 Keep it scalable
 Keep it available
Service Manager Design
 Determine the Number of Service Manager Management Groups
 Service Manager management groups are used to define an
administrative boundary for managed devices
 Determine the Number of Data Warehouse Management Groups
 The data warehouse components are optional and may be
implemented to provide reporting, storage of data, and/or to assist
with performance issues
 Align the Service Manager Management Groups to the Data Warehouse
Management Groups
 Complete this task if it was decided that data warehouse management
groups were required
Service Manager Design
 Determine the Placement of Each Component
 The Service Manager management servers and databases should be
well connected via LAN or very high-speed WAN (50 milliseconds or
less latency)
 Determine the Number of Servers Required for Scaling
 The constraints of the software will be applied to determine the
number of Service Manager management servers and Service
Manager Portals required for scaling
 Add additional management servers for every 80-100 consoles
 Determine Fault-Tolerance Requirements
 Use fault tolerance for all services that have an impact on
user-facing or business-essential scenarios
 Use load balancing for fault tolerance of management server console
connections
 Use clustering, log shipping, or mirroring for SQL Server database
 Use load balancing for Service Manager Portal
Service Manager Design
 Determine the Hardware Configuration
 Virtualization supported
 Product group minimums:
 Service Manager management server:
 Dual quad-core 2.66-GHz CPU
 8 GB of RAM for up to 20,000 users, 16 GB of RAM for up to 50,000 users
 10 GB of available disk space
 Service Manager database server:
 Dual quad-core 2.66-GHz CPU
 8 GB of RAM for 20,000 users, 32 GB of RAM for 50,000 users
 80 GB of available disk space
 Service Manager Portal servers:
 Dual quad-core 2.66-GHz CPU
 8 GB of RAM for up to 20,000 users, 16 GB of RAM for up to 50,000 users
 10 GB of available disk space
Service Manager Data Warehouse Design
 Determine the Placement of Each Component
 The data warehouse management server and database should be
well-connected via LAN or very high-speed WAN (50 milliseconds or
less latency)
 Can co-locate data warehouse database with Service Manager
database
 Be aware of incompatible fault-tolerance options if co-locating roles
 Apply Fault-Tolerance Requirements for SQL Server Databases
 Clustering, log shipping, and mirroring are the only supported SQL
Server fault-tolerance options
 No fault tolerance for data warehouse management server itself
Service Manager Data Warehouse Design
 Determine the Hardware Configuration
 Product group minimums:
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Dual quad-core 2.66-GHz CPU
8 GB of RAM
10 GB of available disk space for data warehouse management server
400 GB of available disk space for data warehouse database
Service Manager Implementation
 Complexity is in the design, not the technology
 Reduce variables
 Limit initial scope
 Determine workflows
 Determine process
 Learn MOF / ITIL
Service Manager 2012
“Reducing Complexity with a Focused Implementation”
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Contact Us:
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Phone: (419)515-9217
David Norling-Christensen – Senior Consultant
dnorling-christensen@bennettadelson.com
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