Systemforvaltning

Systemforvaltning, often translated as systems management or system governance, denotes the ongoing management, stewardship, and improvement of an IT system or service across its life cycle. It encompasses operations, maintenance, and evolution to align with business goals while managing risk, cost, and security. It covers both the technical backbone (infrastructure, platforms, and software) and the delivered services (support, continuity, and user experience).

Key activities include requirement management for evolutions, configuration and asset management, incident and problem management, and change and release management, as well as routine maintenance such as patching and backups. Monitoring and capacity planning ensure performance and availability. Security assurance, compliance, data protection, disaster recovery, and business continuity are integral. Supplier and license management may also be part.

Governance and standards: Systemforvaltning is often organized around IT service management frameworks such as ITIL or ISO/IEC 20000, with defined service levels, governance structures, and comprehensive documentation. Roles typically include system owner, systemforvalter (system steward/administrator), operators, and support teams. The work interfaces with development teams for new features and with business units for value delivery.

Lifecycle perspective: From initial deployment and onboarding through ongoing operation, upgrades, and eventual retirement, systemforvaltning aims to maintain value, reliability, and compliance. It requires budgeting, risk management, and continuous improvement to adapt to changing requirements, technologies, and threats.