MOF Overview
Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) 4.0 delivers practical guidance for everyday IT practices and activities, helping users establish and implement reliable, cost-effective IT services. MOF is used to help maintain activities, workflow and processes throughout conception, development, operation and maintenance of the IT service lifecycle.
It encompasses the entire IT lifecycle by integrating:
- Community-generated processes for planning, delivering, operating, and managing
- IT Governance, risk, and compliance activities
- Management reviews
- Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) best practices
An Updated Structure
MOF 4.0 now utilizes a structure of Service Management Functions (SMFs), which are made up of the processes, activities, roles, and tools required to manage IT services. People are also a critical element of the structure, performing many of the activities and roles within the SMFs. Thus, the focus needs to be on people, process and technology:
- People need to be aware of and work within the guidelines of policies and processes. They also need to be trained to be able to execute the processes effectively and utilize the technology that has been implemented. New MOF emphasizes outcomes, results and roles that are needed to synchronize IT with business goals and demands.
- Processes need to meet the requirements of the business. The processes also need to ensure that compliance, security, and reliability requirements have been met.MOF has been expanded to include issues of governance as well as an approach to service improvement which encourages community involvement.
- Technology needs to be in place to support the processes and underpin the business processes. Team Model has been modified as an SMF in the manage layer so that roles and accountabilities are taken into consideration throughout the lifecycle.
Each SMF is anchored within a lifecycle phase and contains a unique set of goals and outcomes supporting the objectives of that phase. The SMFs can be used as stand-alone sets of processes, but it is when SMFs are used together that they are most effective in ensuring service delivery at the desired quality and risk levels.
What is MOF All About?
- Managing the operations and support of IT systems
- Making adjustments due to changing business needs easier
- Optimizing processes for greater efficiency
MOF fits well into all sized companies and industries to integrate IT and the business. It supports the following service management frameworks: ITIL, ISO/IEC 20000 and CoBiT.
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Plan Phase
The Plan Phase provides guidance on how to continually plan for and optimize the IT service strategy. It helps to deliver services that are valuable and compelling for the overall business, predictable and reliable, compliant with policies, cost-effective, and adaptable to the changing needs of the business.
Deliver Phase
The Deliver Phase gives IT professionals the tools to more effectively deliver IT services, infrastructure projects, or packaged product deployments. It aslo helps to ensure that the following steps are in line with business requirements and the customer’s specifications.
Operate Phase
The Operate Phase helps IT professionals efficiently operate, monitor, and support deployed services in line with existing service level agreement (SLA) targets.
Manage Layer
The Manage Layer establishes an integrated approach to IT service management activities. This area of MOF helps IT professionals coordinate processes described in the lifecycle phase SMFs, and provides guidance about:
- Establishing decision-making processes
- Employing risk management and controls as part of all processes
- Promoting change and configuration processes that are appropriately controlled
- Dividing work so that accountabilities for results are clear and do not conflict
Source: Microsoft.com