Microsoft Operations Framework
MOF Service Management Lifecycle
About MOF
Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) consists of integrated best practices, principles, and activities that provide comprehensive
guidelines for achieving reliability for IT solutions and services. MOF provides question-based guidance that helps you determine the
outcomes and activities necessary to keep your IT organization functioning effectively.
MOF encompasses key activities and processes involved in managing an IT service: from conception to development to operations,
maintenance, and, ultimately, its retirement. Collectively, these represent the complete lifecycle of an IT service.
Fundamental Components
MOFs fundamental components are described in the following table.
MOF Component What you need to know
Service Management
Functions (SMFs)
The processes, people, and measurable outcomes required to align IT services to business
requirements.
Phases Depict the overall service lifecycle and group together SMFs and management reviews.
Manage Layer Establishes an integrated approach to IT service management activities, which helps coordinate the
work of the SMFs in the three lifecycle phases.
Management Reviews The internal controls that assess and validate achievement of goals, readiness to move forward in the
service lifecycle, and attainment of business value.
Accountabilities The Team SMF defines Accountabilities, which represent a way of organizing IT work that ensures
the right work gets done by assigning someone who is held accountable for whether it gets done.
Phase and Layer Snapshots
These snapshots list the SMFs within each phase and layer, describing their overall objective and deliverables.
Plan Phase SMFs
The Plan Phase is where the business and IT partner to determine how IT can most effectively deliver services which enable the
overall organization to succeed.
SMF Business/IT Alignment Reliability Policy Financial Management
What it does Delivers the right
services to the
business.
Ensures service capacity,
availability, continuity, and
data integrity are aligned to
the business needs in a
cost-effective manner.
Defines and
manages IT policies
to make IT effective
and support
business priorities.
Accurately predicts, accounts
for, and optimizes service costs
and maximizes investments.
What it delivers IT service strategy IT standards IT policies IT financial plans and metrics
Deliver Phase SMFs
The Deliver Phase takes a service solution from vision through deployment, ensuring a stable solution in line with business
requirements and customer specifications.
SMF Envision Project Planning Build Stabilize Deploy
What it does Clearly
communicates
the projects
vision, scope,
and risk.
Builds a project
plan that all
stakeholders agree
is feasible and
meets customer
needs.
Builds a solution that
meets the customers
expectations and
specifications as defined in
the functional
specification.
Resolves all issues
and releases a
high-quality
solution that
meets the
customers
expectations and
specifications.
Deploys a stable
solution that satisfies
the customer, and
successfully transfers
it from the project
team to the
Operations and
Support teams.
What it delivers Vision
document
Project plan
document
Developed solution Tested, stable
solution
Operational service
Operate Phase SMFs
The Operate phase ensures that deployed IT services are operated, monitored, and supported in line with SLA targets.
SMF Operations Service Monitoring and
Control
Customer Service Problem Management
What it does Defines, documents,
and executes the work
necessary to efficiently
and successfully
operate IT services.
Observes IT service health
and initiates remedial
actions to minimize the
impact of service incidents
and system events.
Provides users with a
positive experience and
addresses complaints or
issues.
Determines the root
causes of problems and
predicts future problems.
What it
delivers
Operations Guide IT health data Effective user service Effective problem
resolution
Manage Layer
The Manage Layer promotes consistency and accountability in planning and delivering IT services and provides the basis for
developing and operating a resilient IT environment.
SMF Governance, Risk, and Compliance Change and Configuration Team
What it does Supports, sustains, and grows the
organization while managing risks
and constraints.
Ensures changes are minimized and
planned IT services are robust.
Organizes agile, flexible, and
scalable teams doing required work.
What it
delivers
IT objectives achieved; change and
risk managed and documented.
Known configurations and
predictable adaptations.
Clear accountabilities, roles, and
work assignments.
Management Review Snapshots
These snapshots outline the focus of the management reviews associated with each phase and layer.
Plan Phase
Review Service Alignment Portfolio
Focus Understanding the state of supply and
demand for IT services and directing
investments to make sure that the business
value of IT is realized.
Understanding the concepts and requirements of proposed IT
service changes, and deciding whether to invest further in the
development of those concepts.
Deliver Phase
Review Project Plan Approved Release Readiness
Focus Approving the projects functional
specification, master plan, and master
schedule so the solution can move to
development.
Confirming the readiness of solution operability and
supportability, the production environment, the customer and
users, and the overall release package.
Operate Phase
Review Operational Health
Focus Regular and structured assessment of internal operating processes and service health to ensure efficiency and
consistent achievement of target performance.
Manage Layer
Review Policy & Control
Focus Regularly evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the policies and controls in place across the IT service
lifecycle.
