ITSM in Supercomputing: Improving service delivery, reliability, and user satisfaction

BSTRACTSupercomputing in small academic centers has traditionally been driven by informal “get it done” practices. As environments grow more complex and user needs become more diverse, Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) practices are a valuable tool for formalizing processes. Implementing ITSM practices allows centers to better manage risk, increase stability, and better record data about changes and support needs to further the science mission of the clients more effectively. Additionally, the maturity of ITSM practices within University IT (Information Technology) has advanced the expectation that supercomputer centers work this way. In this paper we will describe the ongoing ITSM implementations at the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) and explain the challenges and benefits we have seen.