Application Service - 'Lehman's Definition' Needed

[kchapman87]

Hello all!

I have scoured ServiceNow documents, this community, and Google searches. I am seeking to obtain an easily digestible or 'Lehman's' definition for an Application Service CI. I have what is provided from ServiceNow and other various searches, but I am needing something to provide to end-users to understand more clearly what it is. We have end-users who are technical that understand the formal definition, but we also have end-users that are more clinical or non-technical. I am struggling to create this definition. Below is what I currently have, but I need a less technical definition to clearly define what an Application Service is and isn't to assist in communicating/defining when one should be created. 

"An Application Service is a logical representation of a deployed application stack.  It is a set of interconnected applications and hosts (internal or external) which are configured to offer a service to the organization to optimize, deploy, and manage applications. It can be a unique instance of an application and may be created by Environment (PROD, DEV, QA, etc.). An Application Service CI is often used for Incidents, Changes, Problems, etc. within ServiceNow. Examples for [company] include eRecord, 3Mensio, Agility, Aria, etc."

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

[SteveMacWWT]

I usually use this type of description: An Application Service is a running instance of an application. Production Application X is an Application Service that is separate from Test Application X, is separate from Dev Application X. This allows you to differentiate between deployments to, or issues with, Production vs Test vs Dev. 

There is a lot more to it than that, but it gets the point across on why we have multiple objects that might appear to represent the same application. 

[kchapman87]

This is helpful, thank you!

[LOUDNOISES]

Yes that is the answer to go with. 

Think of a "Business Application" as a high level conceptualization of your app. Let's call "Salesforce" a "Business Application." Your "Application Services" of "Salesforce" will be broken into various environments, such as DEV/QA/UAT/PROD, ie "Salesforce DEV." You can also separate your application services by region, so if you have one hosting environment for Salesforce that serves the Western United States and another for the Eastern, you could have "Salesforce West" or something along those lines.

Frankly, "Application Service" is a terrible term to use, much like most of the other CSDM terms they use duplicative, imprecise language that causes a lot of confusion.

[kchapman87]

Thank you! I agree as well about the terms, it seems to be very confusing for end users to understand which makes it difficult for me to translate back to them.

[Peter Kindbom]

I agree that "Application Service" is a terrible term to use. Part of my job is to explain what a service is and "Application Service" is a terrible term (I have used other words than terrible).
Application instance is a better term.