Layered Architecture of a Service Knowledge Management System

ITIL Version 3 presents a complex yet realistic vision for the integrated architecture of an Information System for Service Management. The sum of all data sources, processing functions and user interfaces is called SKMS by ITIL. Practitioners of Software Design, Data Warehousing or other architecture topics will be familiar with this layer structure which is neither new nor unique in ITIL.

Many components of an SKMS exist in every IT organization. Typically there is lack of integration, along with the lack of Information Architecture. The challenge in creating an SKMS therefore lies in (1) defining a common data model, then (2) integrating different data sources and tools.

Presentation layer (Portal)

Change and Release View

Schedules/plans, RfC Status, CAB agenda and minutes

Asset View

Financial Assets, Status Reports, Statements and Bills, License Management, Asset performance

Lifecycle View

Project configurations; Service Design Package; Configuration Baselines and Changes

Technical Configuration View

Service Applications, Application Environment, Test Environment, Infrastructure

Quality View

Policies, Processes, Procedures, forms, templates, checklists

Servicedesk View

User assets; CIs and related Incidents, Problems, Workarounds, Changes, Releases...

Knowledge Processing

Query and Analysis

Reporting

Performance Management

Forecasting, Planning, Budgeting

Modelling

Scorecards, Dashboards

Monitoring, Alerting

Information Integration (Integrated CMDB)

Service Model

Service Portfolio, Service Catalogue, Service Archive

Service Release

Service Change

Data Integration

Schema Mapping

Metadata Management

Data reconciliation

Data synchronization

Extract, Transform, Load

Mining

Data Sources

Structured Project Data

Project Documentation Filestore, Project Software

Definitive Media Library

Software Filestore 1, Software Filestore 2, Documentation Web

Physical CMDBs

CMDB 1, CMDB 2, CMDB 3...

Platform Configuration Tools

Storage, Database, Middleware, Network, Mainframe, Distributed Desktop

Software Configuration Management

Discovery, Asset Management and Audit

Enterprise Applications

Access Management, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Customer Relationship Management

History: ITIL 2 and the CMDB

In ITIL-2-terminology the same SKMS concept is published under the term of CMDB. Due to the strong influence of ITIL 2 and the CMDB hype which started a few years ago, many projects that define a data model and create new application features are called CMDB Implementation or CMDB Design.

SKMS Consulting

If you are seeking support for analysing your SKMS requirements, for modelling your Information Architecture or for any other SKMS topics then drop us a line or call: +49 (8151) 447717-11.

Bibliography

Source: OGC, ITIL Version 3, all 5 core publications; the same figure can be found with different headlines: sometimes referred to as Configuration Management System (CMS), sometimes as Service Knowledge Management System (SKMS); content and layout improved slightly on this page.

Further Reading: Architecture and Patterns for IT Service Management, Resource Planning, and Governance.

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