How to Troubleshoot an Incident Using a Service Map

 

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Service Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Service Manager, System Center 2012 - Service Manager

You can use the following procedures to troubleshoot an incident in System Center 2012 – Service Manager using a service map. A service map is a visual representation of a service from the perspective of the business and user that shows critical dependencies, settings, and areas of responsibility. Because a service map can show the relationship between incidents and configuration items, it is especially useful when you troubleshoot issues that might affect multiple incidents and configuration items. For example, if an incident affects one configuration item, other configuration items that are part of the service might also be affected. If necessary, you can add additional configuration items as items that are affected by the same open incident.

Additionally, when you use the Service Components tab to view the service map, you can easily determine whether there are active incidents or change requests open for a service component. When any incidents affect a service component, that component is marked with an orange icon resembling a square containing an exclamation point. When a change request affects a service component, the component is marked with a special blue icon resembling a square containing a right-pointing arrow.

To view incidents that affect service components

  1. In the Service Manager console, click Configuration Items.

  2. In the Configuration Items pane, expand Business Services, and then click All Business Services.

  3. In the All Business Services list, double-click a business service. For example, double-click Exchange Service.

  4. In the dialog box that opens, click the Service Components tab.

    Note that the list of service components includes configuration items. For example, the list might include computers running Microsoft Exchange Server. When a service component is marked with an icon, the icon indicates that an incident is associated with the service component.

  5. Select a configuration item that has a related work item. For example, select the Exchange01.woodgrove.com server.

  6. In the Related work items for the selected item list, select a work item to view, and then click Open.

  1. In the list of service components, select an item that has an active incident.

  2. Under Related work items for the selected item, select a work item, and then click Open to open the incident.

  3. Under Affected Items, click Add.

  4. In the Select objects dialog box, select the configuration item to add to the incident, click Add, and then click OK.

  5. Click OK to update the incident, and then return to the Service Components tab for the service.

  6. Repeat the previous steps to add other service components to the open incident.

  7. Click OK to close the service item.

To validate that the service components were added to an incident

  • Open the business service to which you added the incident, and then click the Related Items tab. Verify that the new incident appears under Work items affecting this configuration item.

See Also

Troubleshooting Incidents