DS3  Manage Performance and Capacity
Control over the IT process of ...
managing performance and capacity
    with the business goal
    to ensure that the adequate capacity is available and that best and optimal use is made of it to meet required performance needs
     
      is enabled by
      • data collection, analysis and reporting on resource performance, application sizing and workload demanddata collection, analysis and reporting on resource performance, application sizing and workload demand

        and takes consideration

        • Critical Success Factors that leverage
        • specific IT Resources and is measured by
        • Key Performance Indicators

Record of Assessment
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  Control Objective:

Define and manage service levels. 
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Selected Status
Description
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The performance and capacity implications of IT service requirements for all critical business processes are clearly understood
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Performance requirements are included in all IT development and maintenance projects
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Capacity and performance issues are dealt with at all appropriate stages in the system acquisition and deployment methodology
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The technology infrastructure is regularly reviewed to take advantage of cost/performance ratios and enable the acquisition of resources providing maximum performance capability at the lowest price
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Skills and tools are available to analyse current and forecasted capacity
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Current and projected capacity and usage information is made available to users and IT management in an understandable and usable form
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KEY GOAL INDICATORS
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Number of end-business processes suffering interruptions or outages caused by inadequate IT capacity and performance
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Number of critical business processes not covered by a defined service availability plan
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Percent of critical IT resources with adequate capacity and performance capability, taking account of peak loads
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KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
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Number of down-time incidents caused by insufficient capacity or processing performance
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Percent of capacity remaining at normal and peak loads
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Time taken to resolve capacity problems
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Percent of unplanned upgrades compared with total number of upgrades
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Frequency of capacity adjustments to meet changing demands
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  Conclusions:
* Non-existent 
Management has not recognised that key business processes may require high levels of performance from IT or that the overall business need for IT services may exceed capacity. There is no capacity planning process in place. .
* Optimised 
The performance and capacity plans are fully synchronised with the business forecasts and the operational plans and objectives. The IT infrastructure is subject to regular reviews to ensure that optimum capacity is achieved at the lowest possible cost. Advances in technology are closely monitored to take advantage of improved product performance. The metrics for measuring IT performance have been fine-tuned to focus on key areas and are translated into KGIs, KPIs and CFSs for all critical business processes. Tools for monitoring critical IT resources have been standardised, wherever possible, across platforms and linked to a single organisation-wide incident management system. Monitoring tools increasingly can detect and automatically correct performance problems, e.g., allocating increased storage space or re-routing network traffic. Trends are detected showing imminent performance problems caused by increased business volumes, enabling planning and avoidance of unexpected incidents. Users expect 24x7x365 availability.
* Managed and Measurable 
Processes and tools are available to measure system usage and compare it to defined service levels. Up-to-date information is available, giving standardised performance statistics and alerting incidents such as insufficient capacity or throughput. Incidents caused by capacity and performance failures are dealt with according to defined and standardised procedures. Automated tools are used to monitor specific resources such as disk storage, network servers and network gateways. There is some attempt to report performance statistics in business process terms, so that end users can understand IT service levels. Users feel generally satisfied with current service capability and are demanding new and improved availability levels.
* Defined Process 
Performance and capacity requirements are defined as steps to be addressed at all stages of the systems acquisition and deployment methodology. There are defined service level requirements and metrics that can be used to measure operational performance. It is possible to model and forecast future performance requirements. Reports can be produced giving performance statistics. Problems are still likely to occur and be time consuming to correct. Despite published service levels, end users will occasionally feel sceptical about the service capability.
* Repeatable but Intuitive 
Business management is aware of the impact of not managing performance and capacity. For critical areas, performance needs are generally catered for, based on assessment of individual systems and the knowledge of support and project teams. Some individual tools may be used to diagnose performance and capacity problems, but the consistency of results is dependent on the expertise of key individuals. There is no overall assessment of the IT infrastructure's performance capability or consideration of peak and worst-case loading situations. Availability problems are likely to occur in an unexpected and random fashion and take considerable time to diagnose and correct. 
* Initial / Adhoc 
Performance and capacity management is reactive and sporadic. Users often have to devise work-arounds for performance and capacity constraints. There is very little appreciation of the IT service needs by the owners of the business processes. IT management is aware of the need for performance and capacity management, but the action taken is usually reactive or incomplete. The planning process is informal.
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