Technical Reports
HPL-2004-138R1
Click here for full text:
Open Analytics
Taylor, Richard; Tofts, Chris; Yearworth, Mike
HP Laboratories
HPL-2004-138R1
Keyword(s): business objectives; service level objectives; service level agreements; modelling
Abstract: Business critical functions are increasingly being outsourced. Service level agreements (SLAs) are used to establish an interface between the customer and service vendor that can be used to determine service remuneration levels during the lifetime of the contract. On their own, SLAs are often a poor means of driving service and information systems infrastructure and design. Failing to capture the dynamics of the organisation, both now and in the future, a largely SLA driven requirements specification and design process can result in systems that over the lifetime of the contract can either fail to support customer requirements (whilst adhering to the agreements), or represent poor value for money as they support unnecessary performance, availability and agility requirements. HP Open Analytics provide all of the stakeholders in managed service analysis, design and management with mathematically based models, analytic tools and processes that enable repeatable, shareable and auditable analysis of business objectives and systems design based upon meaningful performance, availability and agility requirements. During the design phase of a system, they enable the impact of design decisions on a 'virtual' business to be explored. Over the lifetime of the managed service, they enable the impact of changing requirements and business evolution, as well as new technologies to be monitored and assessed - at one level on the business objectives and at the other, on the supporting service and information system infrastructure. The service is being extensively tested within the EMEA region with financial, government and industrial partners. The research and development methodology has relied on a close partnership between HP Services, HP Laboratories and the customers with whom the tools and workshop processes have been trialled. This report describes the role of Open Analytics and the HP Service Explorer framework that unifies tools and processes.
8 Pages
Additional Publication Information: To be published at INFORMS 2008, Washington
External Posting Date: October 21, 2008 [Fulltext]. Approved for External Publication
Internal Posting Date: October 21, 2008 [Fulltext]