Introduction to NonStop Operations Management

Introduction to NonStop Operations Management–125507
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Operations Documentation
Overview
Operations documentation can help your operations organization perform efficiently and
effectively. This section lists and describes the types of documentation often used in an
operations environment. A documentation check list is provided at the end of this
section to help you select the appropriate operations documentation for your
environment.
What Is Operations Documentation?
Operations documentation is online or hard-copy information the staff needs to run the
systems, including manuals, contracts, standards, procedures, service-level agreements,
online help files, system configuration diagrams, schedules, and recovery plans. By
taking the time to determine your organization’s documentation needs and ensuring that
documentation is available when needed, you can help your staff to function efficiently.
Not only is it important to have the documentation, it also is important to:
•
Update the documentation regularly.
•
Store the documentation in locations easily accessible for use and updating. (Online
files accessible by a text editor can make it easier for the staff to keep documentation
current.)
•
Inform the staff when updates are made or when the location of documentation has
changed.
Having out-of-date, incomplete, or inaccessible documentation causes frustration and
mistakes. By providing a complete set of current documentation, you can:
•
Reduce the risk of operator errors
•
Train new employees
•
Ensure that problems are solved quickly
•
Provide for an efficient and effective operations organization
Policies, Standards, and Procedures
All operations policies, standards, and procedures should be fully documented,
including:
•
Service-level agreements that establish the goals and objectives of the operations
organization, against which the organization’s performance is measured.
•
The company’s security policy and the procedures the operations staff should follow
to maintain security.
•
Your organization’s problem-escalation policy and the procedures to follow to
report, track, and solve problems.