Operating and Support Processes

Validation of the infrastructure includes ensuring that processes are in place to control the operation and maintenance of infrastructure. These processes are implemented by formally approved and controlled procedures. The following sections describe the key areas that should be specified and tested. 

Service support activities include the following elements  

It is good practice for an IT department to adopt standard ways of working and to employ generic procedures wherever possible. However, the greater the diversity of hardware platforms, communications and desktop builds, the greater the number of procedures required by the IT department. 

The necessary organization for supporting processes, such as the help desk and change control coordinators, must be in place before the procedures can be tested. These tests should be documented in an operational acceptance test protocol. 

A useful technique in testing is to walk specified events through the procedures with the actual operations staff who will be performing the defined roles. This testing is particularly useful for service support and delivery processes. Physical testing should also take place for the computer operation processes defined above. 

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