IT services are based on the use of information technology and support business processes in the company. They are defined by a combination of people, processes and technologies and should be clearly defined using Service Level Agreements (SLAs). In this way, they define all hardware and software, cloud and infrastructure components in the company - from the telephone system to the ERP system according to a specified IT service catalog. The IT services form the basis for comprehensive IT service management (ITSM), ie for all methods and measures that have to be taken in order to provide the best possible support for business processes by IT.

With the overview of all IT services used in the company, the structure of the entire IT is mapped. Similar to the trades, for example in the construction industry, all IT services usually available in the company are recorded as a standard. The IT service list was created on the basis of many years of experience as an IT service provider in cooperation with small and medium-sized companies. Additional industry-specific IT services can be integrated at any time without great effort.

A standard for IT structuring is particularly useful for small and medium-sized companies. With a uniform IT service list - adapted to industry-specific features - hardware, software, cloud components and infrastructure can be recorded and evaluated in a structured manner without much effort. With a standard catalog, no IT service is forgotten and the interdependencies of the IT services become clear.

The current state of the IT services serves as the basis for evaluating your own IT and identifying possible measures for further development. Most companies have many more IT services than they think. In the event of a crisis, for example after a cyber attack, documentation of the IT construction plan can help the systems to be put back into operation quickly and in a regulated manner.

Identifiers such as location, user or manufacturer should be recorded for every IT service. In addition, the required resources - for example storage space, number of servers or appliances as well as information about the operating system. A sensible recording also includes IT key figures such as acquisition and operating costs. The analysis also takes into account the interdependencies of the IT services and their interactions. Just like the use of internal and external employees and their responsibilities for IT services.

The importance of an individual IT service for the company plays a decisive role in the evaluation of the IT services. The requirements for the availability of IT services, including the guaranteed recovery times, should be documented. In addition, the financial consequences and effects on customer relationships in the event of a failure.

A comparison of IT performance - both within and across industries - is possible on the basis of standardized IT key figures, e.g. a comparison of IT costs. In addition, regular successive assessments can be used to track how the company's IT has developed. Such an IT benchmarking shows on the one hand how far a company is with digitization and how it has developed. On the other hand, how it compares to other companies.