Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a cloud-based model that provides the option for IT organizations to bypass the hosting or managing of their own systems. Instead, they can rely on the cloud to help them execute important initiatives for customers.
IT operations (ITOps) is the general terms for processes, procedures, and services managed by an organization’s IT department. This includes tech management, incident management, facilities management, quality assurance, and more, all to support internal and external clients. IT operations management (ITOM) deals with ITOps administrative and infrastructural processes and support.
The definition of asset management can vary by industry, but in the IT realm, it refers to making sure that the valuable IT assets in an organization are being tracked and used. An IT asset can be physical hardware, intangible software, or valuable information. IT assets can’t be used indefinitely, so keeping track of these assets and where they’re at in their lifecycle is important for all organizations.
While risk management is all about minimizing threats to a business or organization, incident management is all about how to deal with the incidents once they occur. An incident is anything that immediately disrupts services, like an outage or broken feature, and needs to be dealt with by an IT professional.
Started in 1995, the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is an enterprise architecture framework based primarily on a US Department of Defense framework. The Open Group has around 600 members, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Nissan Motors. TOGAF typically describes the building blocks and tools needed for four main enterprise pillars: Business, Application, Data, and Technology.
The Business Process Framework (also known as eTOM) is a classification system of key processes required to run a service-focused business. The TM Forum initially created eTOM for telecommunication service providers in 1988. (The TOM stands for Telecom Operation Map). The modern version of eTOM was first published in 2001 and has been updated periodically through 2014.
Facilities management (FM) deals with the logistics and operations of a particular commercial space, such as a factory, apartment building, etc. Facilities managers are tasked with creating an environment that’s compliant, safe, and comfortable for those who use the facilities.
Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) was created in 2008 to help IT professionals achieve reliable, supportable, and cost-effective services from Microsoft products. It combines best practices, principles, and procedures for IT governance and management. MOF is open-sourced, so any organization can use it.
Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) is a widely recognized written framework for IT governance and management within businesses. First introduced by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) in 1996, COBIT was last updated in 2012 and has evolved from a roadmap for navigating the ever-changing IT landscape to a set of techniques and best practices for bridging the gap between risk, information, and technology management.
ITSM stands for Information Technology Service Management. It is the umbrella term for everything that an IT team does to organize the way it delivers its services to internal or external clients.
