What is service level management and where does it fit in with business continuity?
Before we delve into where SLM and business continuity planning meet, it would be sensible to clarify what we mean by the term service level management. Put simply, SLM is the process of setting, measuring and maintaining service goals according to the needs of the business. SLM defines the metrics for measuring service success, a means for monitoring those metrics and a process for responding when a breech of the metrics is imminent or the targets are unlikely to be met. In many ways, SLM is akin to the quality management systems that prevail in other industries. Critically, SLM provides the verification that what is delivered conforms to user expectations and identifies the areas to be improved for a better service. In a similar fashion, effective business continuity plans draw on an accepted methodology to ensure the organization is able to react and respond to a disaster. The first step in developing a business continuity plan is a risk assessment and BIA (business impact analysis)
