Microsoft Operations Framework -- MOF 4.0

Announcements

• Welcome to MOF 4.0 Online

  jasono1001MSFTMonday, April 28, 2008 3:56 PM

  On behalf of the MOF team and the moderator staff, I’d like to personally welcome you to the new MOF Community at Microsoft. Here you will find an open forum for the discussion of all topics related to service management, MOF, and related process-based frameworks throughout the IT lifecycle.  Now that you are part of this community, we hope to see you actively participating and sharing. MOF integrates community generated processes, governance, risk, and compliance activities, and other industry best practices to provide guidance across the IT service lifecycle.  For us to continue to evolve these best practices in the face of ever shifting technology paradigms, we need your continued input and support.

   

  Here at the MOF Community we invite you to post your questions, share your insights, tell us what you like, and by all means, what you disagree with.  If you have a service management problem you’re trying to resolve, share it and see if the community can help.  All we ask is that you remain respectful of everyone’s opinion and promote intelligent and responsible discussion. If you have any questions, problems, or concerns that don’t seem to be getting addressed by the board, feel free to e-mail us, the MOF team, or contact us via our Blog.

   

  Thank you again for joining us here and for taking a look at MOF 4.0.  We look forward to getting to know you.

  
  Welcome to the conversation!

  Jason Osborne
  MOF Frameworks PM

• Exin Announces new MOF 4.0 Foundations exam

  jasono1001MSFTMonday, September 08, 2008 7:20 PM
  EXIN introduces the new Microsoft Operations Framework Foundation exam
  In collaboration with Microsoft Corporation, EXIN will be releasing the new Microsoft Operations Framework Foundation (MOF) exam based on the new version 4.0 material developed by Microsoft. The new exam will be available to candidates as of October 1, 2008, online and paper-based. The exam will include principles outlined in the MOF 4.0 material which provide practical guidance for IT professionals who are seeking to improve the delivery of IT services.

  First Response
  Participants at the Microsoft TechReady 7 Meeting held in July in Seattle were the first candidates to take part in the new MOF 4.0 exam. Close to 100 IT professionals attended the training and pilot certification. In addition, 20 instructors attended a special EXIN Train-the-Trainer workshop in Boston in July, becoming the first group of trainers introduced to the new MOF 4.0 exam program. The feedback from participants was enthusiastic about the enhancements found in the new materials and principles.

  An Updated Structure
  MOF 4.0 now incorporates a new structure of service management functions (SMFs) in a single, complete IT lifecycle, consisting of three phases and one layer. The new version emphasizes outcomes, results and roles that are needed to synchronize IT with business goals and demands. Also the former Team Model has been modified as an SMF in the manage layer so that roles and accountabilities are taken into consideration throughout the lifecycle. The new MOF has been expanded to include issues of governance as well as an approach to service improvement which encourages community involvement.

  “The ongoing EXIN certification program becomes even more compelling with the introduction of Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0, MOF 4.0, materials,” said Clare Henry, Group Program Manager for MOF 4.0. “This world-wide program for delivery of training and certification provides organizations a model for learning and applying MOF 4.0 concepts,” Henry went on to say. “MOF 4.0 now encompasses a single, comprehensive IT service lifecycle, helping overburdened IT professionals establish and implement reliable, cost-effective IT services.

  EXIN provides a proven track record for independent assessment, measurement, and quality test design and Microsoft and the MOF team continue to be excited about the partnership and opportunity it provides to improve the capability of IT Pros and IT Managers,” Henry said. “The MOF certification provides IT professionals a model for ensuring and demonstrating further proof of Microsoft competence to their organizations while supporting their existing investments in other frameworks and technologies. ’’

  EXIN U.S. Regional Manager Michael McLaughlin said, “EXIN and Microsoft have worked closely to develop an infrastructure solution that complements other service management offerings for the IT Professional. The MOF 4.0 training and certification program will prove to be a valuable and cost-effective experience that delivers quick and long-lasting benefits for all involved parties.”

  MOF Explained
  Microsoft Operations Framework is a collection of best practices, principles, and models that offer guidance to IT organizations for managing their IT services. MOF, which supports such service management frameworks as ITIL, ISO/IEC 20000, and CoBiT, is built on the data and wisdom of Microsoft users, customers, partners, and internal IT and research groups. MOF organizes operational IT management in such a way that the businesses can rely on high service availability, based on the reliability and control of the IT systems.

  Background
  Microsoft and EXIN have been cooperating since 2005 to raise the professional standards of IT specialists who work with MOF. In 2007, Microsoft signed a contract with EXIN granting EXIN rights to develop a new Foundation exam for Microsoft Operations Framework. The new exam is an improved and updated version of MOF Foundation v.3 which was developed by EXIN in close cooperation with Microsoft and released in October 2007.

  The exam that will be released in October of this year is revised to include the new lifecycle approach which merges well with other best practice frameworks currently on the market. As with all other EXIN exams, the new certification is based on the competencies that employers require from IT professionals. A pilot version of the exam was tested by IT professionals in July and the results of that pilot will be incorporated in the final development stages of MOF 4.0 which is scheduled to be released in October 2008.

  Target Group
  The MOF Foundation exam is aimed at professionals who contribute to the operations of IT services and wish to expand their knowledge of IT Service Management with a more specific approach to operations management. A significant proportion of this target group consists of operational staff members who want to combine their technical knowledge of products with an understanding of IT Service Management. In addition, the MOF 4.0 Foundation Certificate is a logical choice for IT professionals who have already obtained the Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management based on ITIL.

  New Course Material
  A comprehensive selection of study and training materials has been developed, some using new media to present the updated principles. Interested professionals will also find that knowledge of MOF 4.0 is easily accessible and presented in various mediums. Microsoft has created more than 100 slides which illustrate the new principles, and an IT professional simulation for class exercises is also available. Not only has there been new core material developed by Microsoft, but they are also providing the MOF 4.0 content and study material to interested candidates free of charge via the Microsoft website. Alongside that core material, a handy MOF 4.0 Pocket Guide was published and will be made available at the itSMF USA Conference in San Francisco in September. All of the course material needed for trainings and EXIN accreditation are available at no cost through EXIN.

  Accreditation
  Microsoft has chosen EXIN to manage the accreditation of training providers based on EXIN’s history as an experienced and responsible examination institute. The new course material for MOF includes an extensive set of literature which has been developed for trainers and will be provided free of charge to trainers accredited by EXIN. In addition, the material for MOF differs from other qualification programs in that it encourages training organizations to improve upon the core course material. This can then become the property of the training provider. EXIN will accredit the training providers offering MOF to safeguard and guarantee the quality of the training providers and the training material. Accreditation of training providers is useful for potential students since it ensures that the training courses provide sufficient preparation for the exam.
  
  Industry Perspectives
  “As a training leader in the world of IT Service Management and its various frameworks, we understand the value of Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF). Whether implemented in whole or in part, MOF provides quality guidance to organizations in their service management maturation. The new MOF 4.0 certification further validates a person’s skills and knowledge of MOF and the Service Management lifecycle and is also a representation of achievement within the IT profession. This reason alone makes it worthwhile for New Horizons to include the MOF certification exam as part of its MOF training and overall framework education solutions.” Ron Hovland, New Horizons Minnesota, U.S.A.

  “Attending the MOF Train-the-Trainer session was very valuable. In addition to reviewing the content, it was an excellent opportunity to discuss and provide input into the strategic positioning of MOF as a service management best practice framework. I am very impressed with MOF 4.0. It is well-written, practical and applicable to all organizations, regardless of platform. It is a good complement to other best practice frameworks. ITSM Academy looks forward to offering MOF Foundation courses in the near future.”
  Jayne Groll, President, ITSM Academy

  “I believe that MOF will serve as a great complement to the other existing frameworks. It will provide a method to move forward with either a new or existing implementation by providing a set of collateral that an organization can use nearly immediately. Since MOF 4.0 parallels ITIL v3 in its fundamental approach it will not work against ITIL, rather serve to fill in the level of detail that may not be contained directly in the v3 library. Since MOF 4.0 is available to all by download, individuals and organizations can begin reading and using the materials today. Creating a service management implementation is about adopting and adapting best practices—those come in many forms, including both ITIL and MOF. Using them together will enhance an organization’s ability to achieve efficiency, effectiveness and economy and create value for the customer.’’
  Michael Cardinal, Board Member itSMF USA
   
  About Microsoft Corporation
  Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. For more information about Microsoft, please see the corporate Web site at www.micorsoft.com.

  About EXIN
  EXIN (Examination Institute for Information Science) is an independent, worldwide IT examination provider with more than 40 years of experience. EXIN is a not for profit organization, specialized in establishing qualification programs, educational requirements and in developing examinations for all major areas in IT. It is EXIN’s mission to improve the quality of the IT sector, the IT professionals and the IT users, by means of independent testing and certification. EXIN achieves this goal by supporting the worldwide dissemination of standards and best practices in IT. EXIN is well known worldwide for its certificates in IT Service Management. Currently, the EXIN exams in IT Service Management Foundation are available in 15 languages. With computerized and web-based examinations for standards and best practices such as ISO/IEC 20000, ITIL®, MOF, ASL, BiSL and TMap®, EXIN is an acknowledged global service-provider in the field of IT competencies, testing and certification. For more information: www.exin-exams.org

• MOF Job Aids Now Available

  Clare Henry Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:49 PM

   

  MOF “Job Aids” now available – 
  
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=B7FC1B86-8E3C-47DB-8121-03F41E7277AD&displaylang=en

  To ensure MOF 4.0 continues to “connect service management concepts to practical tasks and activities” we are providing job aids as additional material.  The job aids provide service management templates which organizations can customize and enhance for their scenarios.  Some of the job aids are generic and some are actual examples from specific IT scenarios, such as deployment.   

  Here is a list of what is available within this first package:

  ·         Manage

  o    Change Management Forward Schedule Template

  o    Request for Change Template

  o    Risk Template Tool

  ·         Plan

  o    Operating Level Agreement Template

  o    Operations Level Agreement

  o    Privacy Policy Sample

  o    Service Level Agreement Template

  o    SIP Service Catalog Sample

  ·         Deliver

  o    Functional Specification

  o    Migration Plan

  o    Site Deployment Project Plan

  o    Test Cases Workbook

  o    Test Plan

  o    Test Specification

  o    Training Plan

  o    Vision Scope

  ·         Operate

  o    Incident Management Ticket Template

  o    Operations and Services Description Template

  We will be adding more over time; and eventually will add the capability for community members to share their own best examples.    Check them out and let us know what you think.  
  
  
  

  Clare Henry 

  MOF Group Program Manager

  
   

• G2G3 Announces launch of New MOF 4.0 simulation

  jasono1001MSFTMonday, September 08, 2008 7:24 PM
   G2G3 launches new Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) 4.0 simulation

  G2G3 has announced the launch of McKinley IT Pro, an updated version of its popular McKinley Simulation.

   

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  Sep 03, 2008 – G2G3, the leading global provider of Simulations and Readiness Programs, has announced the launch of McKinley IT Pro, an updated version of its popular Microsoft Office Framework (MOF) based McKinley simulation, now based around the recently released MOF 4.0 guidance.
  
  MOF is a globally-accepted collection of best practices, principles, and models that offers practical guidance to organizations for effective management of their IT services. With the MOF 4.0 release, the content of the framework now reflects a single, comprehensive IT service lifecycle, helping IT professionals connect service management principles to everyday IT tasks and activities and ensures alignment between IT and the business.
  
  McKinley IT Pro is a high-impact, energetic simulation which uses gaming dynamics to  accelerate understanding and acceptance of best practice frameworks such as MOF 4.0, the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) and the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). Developed and distributed solely by G2G3, the McKinley IT Pro simulation enables MOF training providers to practically demonstrate the benefits of MOF 4.0 using a real-life enterprise IT scenario to which the IT professional can easily relate.  McKinley IT Pro is based around an exciting international traffic hub, requiring IT management of complex air, rail, road and sea links. This unique experiential learning approach creates breakthrough understanding of MOF 4.0 and transforms learning in an engaging, fun and highly memorable shared experience.
  
  The new McKinley IT Pro simulation will provide MOF training providers with the opportunity to differentiate whilst adding significant value to their MOF training courses. G2G3 will license the McKinley IT Pro simulation to MOF training providers via a simple pay per play model.
  
  The new version of McKinley IT Pro will be premiered by G2G3 at the itSMF Fusion 2008 exhibition and conference at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, September 7-10 2008.
  
  Mark Ross Sutherland, CEO of G2G3 commented: “ G2G3 are pleased to be able to offer the new and improved MOF 4.0 based McKinley IT Pro simulation to MOF training providers. Not only will this offer significant competitive advantage, but the simulation brings the new MOF 4.0 guidelines to life, providing practical reinforcement through an exhilarating new scenario”.
  
  For more information on G2G3, please contact Linda King: lk@g2g3.com or + 44 (0) 131 461 3333

  # # #

  G2G3 is the leading provider of gaming solutions for IT and business alignment. Our technology allows us to cut through the complexities traditionally associated with IT and the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) to provide clarity and understanding.

• MOF 4.0 FAQ

  jasono1001MSFTMonday, April 28, 2008 2:48 PM
   Microsoft Operations Framework - Frequently Asked Questions v1.0
  
  What is MOF 4.0?

  Microsoft® Operations Framework (MOF) 4.0 is a framework that provides practical guidance for managing IT practices and activities throughout the entire IT lifecycle. MOF helps IT professionals establish and implement reliable, cost-effective IT services by integrating

  ·         Tried-and-tested processes for planning, delivering, operating, and managing IT

  ·         Governance, risk, and compliance activities

  ·         Management reviews

  ·         Best practices from Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF)

  MOF helps IT professionals take advantage of everything Microsoft has to offer, including products and Solution Accelerators.

  What’s new in MOF 4.0?

  The guidance in MOF 4.0 moves beyond Operations to address the entire IT lifecycle. MOF 4.0 introduces a new structure for its service management functions (SMFs)—one that emphasizes outcomes, results, and roles in a format that's easy to reference. Because every group, team, and company is unique, the SMFs are anchored by questions the user must answer. Finally, the MOF community serves as a platform where IT professionals can exchange ideas, contribute their own timely, relevant guidance, and communicate directly with Microsoft about the continued evolution of the framework.

  Why did you develop a new version of MOF?

  MOF 4.0 has been expanded and enhanced to:

  ·         Reflect a single, comprehensive IT lifecycle

  ·         Connect service management theory to every-day tasks and activities

  ·         Align IT with business needs and goals

  ·         Address governance, risk, policy, and compliance

  ·         Support continuous improvement through community involvement
  

  How much effort will it take to implement MOF 4.0?

  Your goal should not be to implement MOF; it should be to solve problems and promote efficiency in your organization. You can use MOF to drive key decisions, create and manage key policies and risks, clearly define roles and accountabilities, and define and enact processes for your organization—all in an efficient and practical manner. Because the scope of the problem or opportunity you’re facing will determine the amount of effort required. MOF 4.0 has been designed to help overburdened IT professionals quickly access useful, relevant content. It contains practical guidance for everyday tasks and activities—not just theory —to efficiently and effectively address those problems. Its streamlined approach makes it possible for users to either implement the entire framework or simply use one component of the framework to solve a particular problem.

  Will MOF 4.0 work with the framework I’m currently using?

  MOF 4.0 is backward-compatible with all previous versions of MOF, and can easily integrate policies, tasks, or activities based on other frameworks. MOF 4.0 was designed to provide you with a clear picture of how the entire IT lifecycle is interrelated, what decisions are required and what outcomes are vital, yet leaves it up to the IT organization to determine the areas of focus. An organization or IT professional can use all of MOF 4.0 or just one component of the framework to solve a particular problem.

  Why are there so many tables in MOF 4.0?

  The SMFs are anchored by pertinent questions, inputs, outputs, and best practices for each activity, and the tables provide a format that’s concise and easy to follow. The questions help drive decisions that are relevant for your organization. They also help you determine where to focus—or not—which supports organizational maturation.

  How does MOF address governance, risk, and compliance?

  Governance, risk, and compliance are addressed in the Manage Layer, which is the foundation for the phases (Plan, Deliver, and Operate). Governance identifies the decision makers and stakeholders, determines accountability for actions and responsibilities for outcomes, and addresses how expected performance will be evaluated. Risk management occurs throughout the entire IT lifecycle as well; it addresses business decisions, policy adherence, application development, and operational procedures. Risk also determines what business controls need to be in place. Compliance guides behavior throughout the lifecycle to make sure that governance and risk management activities are addressed. The management reviews in each phase show how IT is performing against corporate governance, risk, and compliance objectives.

  How can I contribute to MOF 4.0?

  A central component of MOF 4.0 is its online community—a place where IT professionals can share service management knowledge and best practices, communicating both with each other and with Microsoft. MOF 4.0 provides a platform that integrates contribution sharing, blogs, forums, online training, and feedback to support the community and keep it ahead of ever-shifting IT trends. To visit MOF online, go to www.microsoft.com/MOF.

  
  

  How is MOF different from ITIL?

  There are many similarities between MOF and ITIL. Both help IT organizations achieve reliable and cost-effective IT services; each uses the entire IT service lifecycle as the context for work activities. ITIL v3 is a vast compendium of information that addresses the breadth of IT activities by providing considerable detail in a number of areas. ITIL content consists of more than 1300 pages of concepts and models that address how IT organizations can provide valued services.

   

  Similarly, MOF 4.0 contains core IT service management guidance, but takes a more streamlined approach to meet the needs of the overburdened IT professional. MOF 4.0 presents fundamental IT processes and their associated activities in an easy-to-grasp table format. And because busy IT professionals still have to implement, execute, follow or report IT policies and navigate risks every day, MOF 4.0 includes policy creation in the Plan Phase as well as support for IT governance, risk management, and compliance throughout the entire IT service lifecycle. Risk management and internal controls provide a coherent focus throughout the lifecycle and demonstrate the interconnectedness of all IT activities.

  How will MOF and Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) work together?

  MOF 4.0 integrates MSF core principles in the form of SMFs into the IT service lifecycle.  MSF is also available as an independent framework. The current MSF content, training, job aids, and templates—on which those SMFs are based—resides on http://www.microsoft.com/technet/solutionaccelerators/msf/default.mspx.   Enacted MSF guidance also ships in Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2005 and Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008. Customers have given feedback that they would like to see a coherent guidance strategy across development and operations. The two teams are in the process of aligning; the goal is to empower IT professionals and developers with a consistent and coherent set of processes and best practices.

• Microsoft Operations Framework -- MOF 4.0 has Launched!

  jasono1001MSFTMonday, April 28, 2008 2:31 PM

  Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0—Simplifying IT Service Management

  I am thrilled to announce the release of Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) 4.0. With this release, MOF provides guidance for planning, delivering, operating, and managing IT throughout the entire IT lifecycle. It delivers practical help for everyday IT practices and activities, and a platform where IT professionals can contribute their own timely, relevant guidance for implementing reliable, cost-effective IT services. It integrates community-generated processes as well as governance, risk, and compliance activities, management reviews, and best practices from Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF). In addition, MOF 4.0 supports the best practices of ITIL, CoBIT, and ISO20000.

   The new MOF graphic (below) illustrates the three lifecycle phases—Plan, Deliver, and Operate—and the foundational Manage layer, which incorporates functions that apply across all of the phases. The graphic also shows which service management functions (SMFs) belong to each area.
  
  
  MOF addresses several audiences: corporate information officers (CIOs), IT directors, IT managers, and IT professionals. Overview guides are directed toward CIOs and IT directors who need to see the big picture, and who are likely to find value in a common framework for the entire organization with identified outcomes and help with governance, risk, and compliance. IT managers who need to understand service strategies will benefit from both the overview guides and function-specific SMFs. Activities in the SMFs are meant for the IT professionals who have front-line responsibilities.

  In version 4.0, MOF introduces a new structure emphasizing outcomes, results, and roles in a format that is easy to reference. Because every group, team, and company is unique, the SMFs are anchored by questions that support the decision-making process within your organization. This new, streamlined approach makes it possible to use either the entire framework or one component of the framework to solve a particular problem.

  What You Should Do Next

  Download MOF 4.0 now at www.microsoft.com/mof. Then share your thoughts and questions around MOF 4.0 and service management here in the new MOF community. With MOF online today, you can participate in forums and blogs, provide feedback, and support other IT professionals. And we have many more features rolling out over the coming months. To learn more, go to www.microsoft.com/MOF.
  
  Jason Osborne
  MOF Framework PM