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| Term |
Description |
| Identity |
(Service Operation) A unique name that is used to identify a User, person or Role. The Identity is used to grant Rights to that User, person, or Role. Example identities might be the username SmithJ or the Role "Change manager". |
| Immediate Recovery |
(Service Design) A Recovery Option which is also known as Hot Standby. Provision is made to Recover the IT Service with no loss of Service. Immediate Recovery typically uses mirroring, load balancing and split site technologies. |
| Impact |
(Service Operation) (Service Transition) A measure of the effect of an Incident, Problem or Change on Business Processes. Impact is often based on how Service Levels will be affected. Impact and Urgency are used to assign Priority. |
| Incident |
Service Operation) An unplanned interruption to an IT Service or a reduction in the Quality of an IT Service. Failure of a Configuration Item that has not yet impacted Service is also an Incident. For example Failure of one disk from a mirror set. |
| Incident Management |
(Service Operation) The Process responsible for managing the Lifecycle of all Incidents. The primary Objective of Incident Management is to return the IT Service to Users as quickly as possible. |
| Incident Record |
(Service Operation) Record containing the details of an Incident. Each Incident record documents the Lifecycle of a single Incident |
| Indirect Cost |
(Service Strategy) A Cost of providing an IT Service which cannot be allocated in full to a specific Customer. For example Cost of providing shared Servers or software licenses. Also known as Overhead. See Direct Cost. |
| Information Security Management |
(Service Design) The Process that ensures the Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of an Organisation's Assets, information, data and IT Services. Information Security Management usually forms part of an Organisational approach to Security Management which has a wider scope than the IT Service Provider, and includes handling of paper, building access, phone calls etc., for the entire Organisation. |
| Information Security Management System |
(Service Design) The framework of Policy, Processes, Standards, Guidelines and tools that ensures an Organisation can achieve its Information Security Management Objectives. |
| Information Security Policy |
(Service Design) The Policy that governs the Organisation’s approach to Information Security Management. |
| Information Technology |
The use of technology for the storage, communication or processing of information. The technology typically includes computers, telecommunications, Applications and other software. The information may include Business data, voice, images, video, etc. Information Technology is often used to support Business Processes through IT Services. |
| Infrastructure Service |
IT Service that is not directly used by the Business, but is required by the IT Service Provider so they can provide other IT Services. For example Directory Services, naming services, or communication services. |
| Insourcing |
Synonym for Internal Sourcing |
| Integrity |
(Service Design) A security principle that ensures data and Configuration Items are only modified by authorised personnel and Activities. Integrity considers all possible causes of modification, including software and hardware Failure, environmental Events, and human intervention. |
| Interactive Voice Response |
(Service Operation) A form of Automatic Call Distribution that accepts User input, such as key presses and spoken commands, to identify the correct destination for incoming Calls. |
| Intermediate Recovery |
(Service Design) A Recovery Option which is also known as Warm Standby. Provision is made to Recover the IT Service in a period of time between 24 and 72 hours. Intermediate Recovery typically uses a shared Portable or Fixed Facility that has computer Systems and network Components. The hardware and software will need to be configured, and data will need to be restored, as part of the IT Service Continuity Plan. |
| Internal Customer |
A Customer who works for the same Business as the IT Service Provider.
See Internal Service Provider, External Customer. |
| Internal Metric |
A Metric that is used within the IT Service Provider to Monitor the Efficiency, Effectiveness or Cost Effectiveness of the IT Service Provider's internal Processes. Internal Metrics are not normally reported to the Customer of the IT Service. See External Metric. |
| Internal Rate of Return |
(Service Strategy) A technique used to help make decisions about Capital Expenditure. IRR calculates a figure that allows two or more alternative investments to be compared. A larger IRR indicates a better investment.
See Net Present Value, Return on Investment. |
| Internal Service Provider |
(Service Strategy) An IT Service Provider which is part of the same Organisation as their Customer. An IT Service Provider may have both Internal Customers and External Customers.
See Type I Service Provider, Type II Service Provider, Insource. |
| Internal Sourcing |
(Service Strategy) Using an Internal Service Provider to manage IT Services. See Service Sourcing, Type I Service Provider, Type II Service Provider. |
| International Organization for Standardization |
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer of Standards. ISO is a non-governmental organization which is a network of the national standards institutes of 156 countries.
Further information about ISO is available from http://www.iso.org/ |
| International Standards Organisation |
See International Organization for Standardization (ISO) |
| Internet Service Provider |
An External Service Provider that provides access to the Internet. Most ISPs also provide other IT Services such as web hosting. |
| Invocation |
(Service Design) Initiation of the steps defined in a plan. For example initiating the IT Service Continuity Plan for one or more IT Services. |
| Ishikawa Diagram |
(Service Operation) (Continual Service Improvement) A technique that helps a team to identify all the possible causes of a Problem. Originally devised by Kaoru Ishikawa, the output of this technique is a diagram that looks like a fishbone. |
| ISO 9000 |
A generic term that refers to a number of international Standards and Guidelines for Quality Management Systems.
See http://www.iso.org/ for more information. |
| ISO 9001 |
An international Standard for Quality Management Systems. |
| ISO/IEC 17799 |
(Continual Service Improvement) ISO Code of Practice for Information Security Management. |
| ISO/IEC 20000 |
ISO Specification and Code of Practice for IT Service Management. ISO/IEC 20000 is aligned with ITIL Best Practice. |
| ISO/IEC 27001 |
(Service Design) (Continual Service Improvement) ISO Specification for Information Security Management. The corresponding Code of Practice is ISO/IEC 17799. |
| IT Directorate |
(Continual Service Improvement) Senior Management within a Service Provider, charged with developing and delivering IT services. Most commonly used in UK Government departments. |
| IT Infrastructure |
All of the hardware, software, networks, facilities etc. that are required to Develop, Test, deliver, Monitor, Control or support IT Services. The term IT Infrastructure includes all of the Information Technology but not the associated people, Processes and documentation. |
| IT Operations |
(Service Operation) Activities carried out by IT Operations Control, including Console Management, Job Scheduling, Backup and Restore, and Print and Output Management.
IT Operations is also used as a synonym for Service Operation. |
| IT Operations Control |
(Service Operation) The Function responsible for Monitoring and Control of the IT Services and IT Infrastructure.
See Operations Bridge. |
| IT Operations Management |
(Service Operation) The Function within an IT Service Provider which performs the daily Activities needed to manage IT Services and the supporting IT Infrastructure. IT Operations Management includes IT Operations Control and Facilities Management. |
| IT Service |
A Service provided to one or more Customers by an IT Service Provider. An IT Service is based on the use of Information Technology and supports the Customer's Business Processes. An IT Service is made up from a combination of people, Processes and technology and should be defined in a Service Level Agreement. |
| IT Service Continuity Management |
(Service Design) The Process responsible for managing Risks that could seriously impact IT Services. ITSCM ensures that the IT Service Provider can always provide minimum agreed Service Levels, by reducing the Risk to an acceptable level and Planning for the Recovery of IT Services. ITSCM should be designed to support Business Continuity Management. |
| IT Service Continuity Plan |
(Service Design) A Plan defining the steps required to Recover one or more IT Services. The Plan will also identify the triggers for Invocation, people to be involved, communications etc. The IT Service Continuity Plan should be part of a Business Continuity Plan. |
| IT Service Management |
The implementation and management of Quality IT Services that meet the needs of the Business. IT Service Management is performed by IT Service Providers through an appropriate mix of people, Process and Information Technology. |
| IT Service Management Forum |
The IT Service Management Forum is an independent Organisation dedicated to promoting a professional approach to IT Service Management. The itSMF is a not-for-profit membership Organisation with representation in many countries around the world (itSMF Chapters). The itSMF and its membership contribute to the development of ITIL and associated IT Service Management Standards. See http://www.itsmf.com/ for more information. |
| IT Service Provider |
(Service Strategy) A Service Provider that provides IT Services to Internal Customers or External Customers. |
| IT Steering Group |
A formal group that is responsible for ensuring that Business and IT Service Provider Strategies and Plans are closely aligned. An IT Steering Group includes senior representatives from the Business and the IT Service Provider. |
| ITIL |
A set of Best Practice guidance for IT Service Management. ITIL is owned by the OGC and consists of a series of publications giving guidance on the provision of Quality IT Services, and on the Processes and facilities needed to support them. |
