Internet Operations Department in Etisalat put in a lot of time and effort on the quality of its process to be able to attain and achieve an established international IT management standard such as SunTone Recognition. The research shows the process of work developed in the department in order to attain the SunTone Certification and also to be aligned with ITIL international standard in three major obligations are: incident management, problem management and change management.
Introduction:
Quality became an important business issue because of the increase in competitiveness in world market segments. The full total quality management (TQM) approach unveiled by W. Edwards Deming employed by several organizations in the world to improve their businesses and the processes used in all functional regions of their organizations. The foundation of TQM is to reduce the errors produced through the creation or service process, increase customer satisfaction and improve product/service quality, productivity, and competitiveness by improving marketing communications with stakeholders (customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and population). The use of TQM may differ from business to business, even across the same industry.
Etisalat has a great effort to bring in quality and get several quality qualifications for the majority of its operational procedures. Internet Operations Team worked on the last few years to build up its quality based on the appropriate quality expectations and received the ISO9001 qualification as well as the SunTone qualifications, which I will focus on in this research.
Etisalat is the only service provider in the Middle East to accomplish Sun Microsystems' elite SunTone qualification for Internet Businesses which offers internal & external hosting and data centre solutions. Regarding to Mr. Ali AlSharhan (EVP/IT - Etisalat) "The SunTone qualification certifies our service delivery in areas such as structures, execution and management from service delivery environment. Through this, we can assure our customers that the Service Level Promises we offer are on the list of world's best and backed by Sun's unbiased auditing. " (Etisalat enhances customer and internal service levels through SunTone recognition, 2007)From left to right: Ali Al Sharhan - Professional Vice Leader, IT, Etisalat; Tareq Alkharji - Vice Chief executive Network Businesses, Etisalat; and Marc Heger, Gulf Area Manager for Sunshine Microsystems Midsection East and North Africa (MENA).
Marc Heger, Gulf Region Manager for Sunshine Microsystems - MENA said "Within its SunTone accreditation, Etisalat is the only real regional been able hosting service provider that can optimize its IT efficiency, benchmark and quantify the successful provision of services externally and internally, and file the much better quality of service that it's now providing, " (Etisalat boosts customer and inside service levels through SunTone recognition, 2007)
SUN Build CRTF. jpg
In this research I will talk about the SunTone certification description, process, strategies, quality examination and recommendation on best utilization of quality qualification in Internet Procedures department.
Objectives:
The objectives of this research are:
To learn about quality qualifications applied on IT environment.
To develop and increase the current quality procedure for the internet businesses.
To set advice on how to use quality on IT environment and keep growing it.
To examine the internet operations quality practices internally through interview with quality manager in Etisalat.
Significance:
There are a number of important points that I will gain through this research such as:
To understand the current practice of Internet Operations.
To improve and develop the current quality process and take up the guidelines.
To develop my current TQM Fundamentals course knowledge and compare it with the existing quality practice of internet functions department.
Hypothesis:
The more quality applied on internet procedures processes, the more positive and satisfied result will lead to Etisalat internet products.
Setting Service Level Arrangement (SLA) and operational level agreement (OLA) between areas will have an optimistic impact on customers' satisfaction.
Literature Review:
In fact no-one composed in this subject before, however an audit survey was done to Sunlight Microsystems to highlight the quality areas of Internet Operations Team in Etisalat.
Chapter 2:
SunTone Initiative
In May 1999, the SunTone effort lunched as a qualification and branding program for service providers' services to audit and certify web supplied software applications. Via a combination than it management defined best practices, specifications and services, the SunTone Effort permits organizations to cut time and cost to deploy high quality web allowed services. The SunTone Initiative also helps corporations to gain high quality service products &applications from external PROVIDERS and deploy them confidently.
The SunTone Effort helps the practice of hosting and managing a selection of web enabled services by having a combination of interior & exterior IT resources. Customers may take good thing about SunTone Initiative if they intend to build top notch services internally or to get high quality SunTone qualified applications from IT providers and software vendors. (About the SunTone Initiative)
SunTone Benefits:
The SunTone Initiative helps enterprises deal with their IT services efficiently and cost effectively, to be able to increase Quality of Service (QoS). The procedure of certifying services under the SunTone Effort helps companies to:
Meet Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with top quality of service delivery
Manage flexible, high quality IT services.
Build and keep maintaining IT staffing competencies.
Better utilize existing IT resources.
Adopt the sourcing strategy that produce most economic, specialized and business sense with full confidence.
SunTone Documentation process:
There are three steps to receive the SunTone qualification are:
SunTone Specifications
The SunTone Service Delivery Specification is a guide to controlling web-enabled services to the best Quality of Service levels. The requirements provide recommendations and contain a checklist to permit enterprises to judge their current operations resistant to the best IT techniques.
SunTone Enablers.
SunTone Enablers are offerings and tools to help customers to meet the SunTone standards for higher quality network service delivery. Sunshine Services for the SunTone Effort provide expert consulting, versatile learning alternatives, and mission critical support focused on assisting customers and lovers meet the SunTone requirements for network service delivery.
The SunTone recognition audit performed by Sun or third functions validates the implementation and gives the corporation an industry acknowledged 'seal of endorsement' because of their web-based services.
What is Quality of Service (QoS)?
Quality of Service is a way of measuring of how well something or solution complies with Service Level Contracts (SLAs). These metrics includes, however, not limited by:
Availability
Reliability
Support
Response Times
Security
Disaster Restoration Processes
Criteria of SunTone Certification:
There are two different SunTone technical specs, one for venture customers and service providers, and the other is for software creators. Each specs has its own requirements covering areas such as infrastructure, functional techniques, hardware, software, and overall service delivery procedures. Certifications of Organization customer alternatives and service provider solutions must be restored on a yearly basis, and must conform to the specifications of the current specification level.
(FAQS)
Chapter 3:
Profile of the business:
Emirates Telecommunication Firm (Etisalat) is one of the telecommunication providers in the UAE since 1976. It is now a well known Telecommunication provider in almost 18 countries in both Asia and Africa continents with an increase of than 100 million clients. It has generated up today's telecom infrastructure and set up itself as an ground breaking and reliable operator. 60% of Etisalat income gained from mobile services as the remaining is from other services such as landlines, internet, interconnect, etc. Predicated on that, Etisalat is recognized as the 13th greatest mobile network operator on earth. Financial Times placed Etisalat as the 140th in the Top 500 corporations on the globe in terms of market capitalization.
Mission Statement:
Etisalat has set a mission declaration in order to derive its business towards customers' satisfaction. Its mission has a great aftereffect of creativity and development of new products and services to be provided to customers whenever needed. It includes set the next mission statement, eye-sight, ideals and future that will provide a clear guide to its business.
Mission : "To increase people's reach. "
Vision: "A global where people's reach is not limited by matter or distance. "
Values: "Energy", "Openness", "Enablement"
Future: "A world in which technology stretches our reach. "
Etisalat is an international telecom service provider covering 18 countries on the globe based on investment, joint endeavors and stack positioning. Its business and administration is well defined and monitored under the umbrella of "Etisalat Group". Etisalat Telecommunication Firm is one of the telecom providers in the UAE. Etisalat UAE is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and includes three local office buildings - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and North Emirates. It's been split into that in order to focus on it specialization.
The headquarter or that which we contact Etisalat "HQ" is specialised in planning, producing, marketing and managing all activities centrally. The local office responsibility is to care for normal operational work such as sales, money, regional anatomist and administrational work related to the region that was delegated to them by the top office.
(Etisalat Website)
Internet Procedures:
Internet Businesses is the team that is in charge of functioning the internet services provided to general public such as internet access, emails, web host services, data centre services, Internet repayment gateway, eSecurity services as well as access to the internet to other companies internally in the UAE or externally in other local countries. It had been founded in 1995 to provide online sites through dialup and then expanded to operate other services with high quality reliable service.
The office has several portions that look into different internet services provided to customers:
Network Functions: This section is dependable of the network infrastructure of the internet service provided by Etisalat. They are simply in charge of the backbone of the internet that is linked to the international lines and carriers. Moreover, they are simply responsible of internet access services such as ADSL, leased lines, cable tv modems, etc.
Service Operations: This section is accountable of the internet services provided by Etisalat such as email, web hosting service, data source, etc.
Security Functions: This section is sensible of the preserving the security areas of the internet and are a gourd for all the internet service provided by Etisalat.
Internet Network Operations Center: This section is in charge of monitoring of the internet network and services all the time and ensuring high availability of the infrastructure.
Internet Procedure Hierarchy:
Chapter 4:
Research Technique:
This research is done predicated on an interview conducted with some employees who participated in growing the quality of Internet Operation section processes. I have done an interview With Mr. Asef Termizi, Sr. Manager/IT Governance & Architecture Guarantee and Mr. Anwar Bawab, Sr. Specialist/IT Governance & Structures Assurance, who had been customers in SunTone Qualification process.
Scope:
The scope of this research is to acquire data about quality execution in Internet Procedures office in Etisalat in order to understand the current process and beat its restrictions and mistakes.
Limitation:
I confronted some problems while collecting data are:
The SunTone Certification is limited to some eHosting services that are managed by several parts in Internet Businesses department.
Most of the sections in Internet Operations are applying operations that was described in the past or changed sometime earlier without discussing quality assurance. So that it was difficult to interview those sections and ask them about their quality options of the existing process.
The SunTone Official certification is a brandname quality certification presented by Sunshine Microsystems, and actions quality of the firms uses their hardware. It came up to my attention that it is no more a certified certification. That's the reason there is not a lot of information about SunTone on the internet.
Data Collection:
This research is mainly based on an interview with IT Governance & Architecture Assurance Sr. Director & IT Governance & Architecture Confidence Sr. Specialist in Etisalat participated in prep of the SunTone official certification. Also some of the info provided is based on SunTone Documentation Audit Record provided by them.
Data Research:
Etisalat started in 2005 to expose the SunTone recognition online Operations division in co-operation with Sunshine Microsystems. This work extended up-to June 2007 to gain this documentation after several audit, revision and initiatives put on achieve the SunTone "seal of approval". "Internet Businesses went through the most strict service stability requirements and examination to ensure the efficiency of its People, Techniques, Products (Technology & Tools) and Companions (Suppliers, Distributors)" (Termizi, 2010).
The task was led by Internet Businesses in coordination with Corporate Quality Division in consultation with Sunshine Microsystems. The SunTone audit and documentation program incorporates principles from multiple industry criteria, including ITIL and ISO. The program is built on the guidelines of "IT Service Management excellence" which included 15 analysis areas under the types of "Service Delivery", "Service Support" and Management, such as:-
Service-Level Management.
Service Architecture.
Availability Management.
Capacity Management.
Data Center Management.
Configuration Management.
Change Management.
Service Table Management.
Incident Management.
Problem Management.
Release Management.
Etisalat received their SunTone Qualifications in mere three assessment areas are:
Incident Management: to restore normal service operation as fast as possible and lessen the adverse effect on business procedures,
Problem Management: to resolve the root causes of incidents and so to reduce the unfavorable impact of situations and problems on business that are triggered by mistakes within the IT infrastructure, and to prevent recurrence of happenings related to these problems.
Change Management: to ensure that standardized methods and procedures are being used for reliable handling of all changes,
"The SunTone certification signifies Etisalat capacity to meet the highest quality expectations on the market, instilling process quality in Etisalat's IT Service Management strategy" (Termizi, 2010).
The process that Sunshine Microsystems auditors follow to recommend the accreditation to Internet Functions in their previous assessment meeting in 2007 is:
Review the previous improvement plan and analyze the tangible facts.
Hold a short meeting with the Etisalat Internet Functions, Co-location and e-Hosting Management Team to detail the Audit process.
Verify that Etisalat has complied with the advice of the prior evaluation within the scope of Co-location and e-Hosting Services.
One-to-one interviews with key management and employees require case by case examples of changes and happenings with particular focus on consumption of ITIL disciplines, functions and related records.
Review of specified documents.
Collaborate with Etisalat, in terms of the execution of ITIL disciplines and best practice.
Preparation of the Auditor's Statement.
(Bawab, 2010)
The ITIL has a great type to develop the procedure on Internet Businesses Department predicated on the best practices of IT steps. "THE INFO Technology Infrastructure Catalogue (ITIL) is a couple of concepts and practices for IT Services Management, Information Technology (IT) development and IT functions" (Wikipedia, 2010).
During the latest audit of sunlight Microsystems auditors, they highlighted some of the issues that Etisalat must manage in order to reach the highest quality specifications such as Service Level Agreements. Etisalat should focus on their SLAs with both customers and vendors in concern of Risk Management. The SLAs with vendors and customers should take the same service levels, fines, reporting techniques, escalation techniques, etc.
Hypothesis: Establishing Service Level Contract (SLA) and functional level arrangement (OLA) between sections will have a confident effect on customers' satisfaction.
Audit results:
The audit results reported by Sunlight Microsystems auditors predicated on their latest analysis are:
Etisalat should finalise and improve the implementation of three key ITIL obligations and related techniques: Occurrence Management, Problem Management and Change Management.
There has been a major drive to execute these aspects, specifically the Event and Change with less importance at the moment being placed on Problem Management.
Etisalat should rework their SLAs (both customer and supplier).
The Auditor inspected the SLA documents and is also satisfied that SLA is accessible for all parties.
Functional and Organisational Conformity of ITIL Management routines with specific regard to Occurrence Management, Problem Management and Change Management.
There is a huge amount of effort and refinement put into applying these disciplines.
Appropriate inner costing of services and service components.
The actual cost per square metre of the info centre environment, various levels of manpower had a need to use a service, electricity, set up costs of each service available to customers are available. Using the programmed workflow and work order system installed, Etisalat have limited control over the quantity of time each create component.
Use of an understanding basic of Known Happenings.
The Auditor mentioned that the majority of calls were resolved at the original point of contact.
Gain further maturity in ITIL disciplines.
150 Etisalat personnel have been trained formally on ITIL.
Automate processes where appropriate.
The use of the Horsepower suite of Event, Problem and Change Management tools has satisfied the Auditor that the amount of automation is great and widely used.
(Bawab, 2010)
Transition to ISO20000:
The auditor has mentioned some advanced issues relevant to focus the work the change to ISO20000. There are a great number of likewise between SunTone and the ISO2000 criteria, almost to the idea one might say they are equivalent. The key motorists are Service Level Agreements (SLA's) and Operational Level Agreements (OLA's). The requirements use: If you can't evaluate it you can't take care of it. (Termizi, 2010)
ISO20000 is the first international standard for IT Service Management developed in 2005 by the BSI Group. It "promotes the adoption of a process approach to effectively deliver handled services to meet the business and customer requirements" (Wikipedia, 2010)
In the diagram we can see the associations between all the entities suggested to have a stable and high value Service Management system. In the middle we can see the plan, do, check & action model. The model looks at the relationship between the input area (on the departed); Business Requirements and the end result area (on the right) Business results. Those manipulated activities convert suggestions to result in a trusted manner. These measures are alien with customer satisfaction surveys. The linkages of the benchmarks elements to the program, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) activities are:
PLAN - Plan Service Management
DO - Implement Service Management and provide service
CHECK - Monitor, solution and review
ACT - Improvement.
(Bawab, 2010)
Hypothesis: The greater quality applied on internet procedures processes, the greater positive and satisfied end result will result to Etisalat internet products.
(Veyeren, 2007)
Chapter 5:
Conclusion:
Quality has become an important way that organizations are taking care of while growing their process of work and managing their resources. Internet Procedures Section in Etisalat put in lots of time and effort on the quality of its process to be able to reach and achieve a recognized international IT management standard such as SunTone Qualification. The procedure of work developed in the section to be aligned with ITIL international standard in three major parts are: event management, problem management and change management.
Recommendation:
There are several items that I could recommend in order to increase the quality of Internet Functions process to be able to accomplish customer's satisfaction.
Adopt something level contract (SLA) with the customers in order to supply the best service to customers.
Develop the process of coordination and incident management between Internet Functions sections using an operation level agreement (OLA) to be able to achieve the SLA.
Adopt more ITIL management duties such as:
Service Level Management.
Capacity Management.
Data Center Management.
Configuration Management.
Service Office Management.
Work hard to get ISO20000 Qualifications.
