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Service Level Management processes provide the framework for the IT service provider and the customer to engage, define, and agree to Service Level Agreements (SLAs). This dialogue requires that business customers define their real needs and that IT know their capabilities, capacities, and costs.

An output of the dialogue between customer and provider is a Service Catalog documenting the services that IT provides to the business including their key features, components, and costs. This catalogue is a Configuration Item within the Configuration Management Database.

Most metrics will be defined in terms of meeting the various aspects of SLAs. Monitoring and reporting on actual and target service levels is a core component in service level management.

Overall, Service Level Management is responsible for:

• Monitoring and reporting on service delivery metrics against the SLAs
• Interfacing with Availability, Capacity, Incident, Problem and Financial management to assess and continually improve the delivery of services within financial constraints
• Generating and maintaining the IT Service Catalogue
• Assuring that not only are normal operational SLAs met but also that Service Continuity plans are in place and tested to support the business in the event of disasters or other interruption of normal operations.

Other Links

• Service Level Management
• Capacity Management
• Availability Management
• Service Continuity Management (business continuity and disaster recovery)
• Financial Management of IT Services