This guide focuses on Monitoring and Event Management, a fundamental part of ITIL’s service value system. The purpose of this process is to detect early disruptions in applications and hardware used in the business. In ITIL 4, Monitoring & Event Management is an important process for proactively monitoring the IT environment and identifying events that could develop into incidents or problems.
The guide combines the core of Event Management with practical advice on how Nilex digital signing, launched in NSP 12, can strengthen manual controls that are sometimes required when handling events. Monitoring and Event Management handles three types of events: informational, warning and exception events.
Types of events
Informative events indicate normal operation in the IT environment and can be used for decision-making, for example:
• Nightly backup completed
• Server online
• User logged in
Warning events indicate unexpected or abnormal conditions that may require follow-up, for example:
• File system 85% full
• Problems logging in
• Processor usage above 95% for 30 minutes
Exceptional events signal serious deviations that require immediate action, such as:
• Offline application
• Users who attempt to log in with the incorrect password too many times
• Unauthorised software installed
It is important to be able to distinguish between these in order to avoid information overload and focus on what is most critical. This is where AI plays a significant role, helping businesses summarise events and filter out what is important. In addition to AI, it is important for businesses to determine what is important for each event when configuring workflows and processes.
Steps for effective event management
1. Define purpose and objectives
Identify and respond quickly to events to reduce operational disruptions and increase automation.
2. Get support from management and stakeholders
Secure mandate, resources and budget for effective management.
Configure SLAs and the thresholds that should apply to each application and piece of hardware.
3. Establish a process for incident management
Document and train in steps such as detection, filtering, decision-making, action, escalation and reporting.
4. Automation and integration with Incident Management
Integrate systems to automatically convert critical events into incidents and initiate actions.
5. Monitoring and escalation
Define clear escalation paths and responsibilities for serious incidents.
6. Documentation and reporting
Log events and actions for analysis and quality assurance.
7. Continuous evaluation and improvement
Review processes regularly and adjust based on experience.
Nilex digital signing for manual checks
Certain events require manual action, such as log analysis or troubleshooting, where automation does not go all the way. In this regard, Nilex digital signing can contribute with:
• Traceability and evidential value of receipts and approvals
• Efficiency through fast and secure confirmation, even remotely
• Checks and documentation that reduce the risk of errors and manipulation
Examples of use include digital signing of actions in the event log, manager approval of incident reports, and signing of process updates. Connect Event Management and Incident Management systems to a digital signing solution to support and secure manual controls.
Practical tips and next steps
• Identify which aspects of event management are suitable for digital signing
• Train staff in when and how to use signing
With the right process and digital signing, you get balanced, secure and efficient event management that supports your business needs.
