client only applications and application services

[HMJ]

Hi all,

we are trying to find a solution to use application services as a key elemen in several ITSM processes. It is easy for server based applications as there are several methods to find out the currently used infrastructure (traffic based, tag based, ...) but it is difficult as soon as client components are involved or we face a client only application.
While dynamic CI group looks like a viable option, this approach has a boundary of 10.000 items. On the other side using SAM an SCCM we have the information, which software is installed on which client anyway via the related software product model anywaý that would be related to an application service.
We are therefore looking for a solution, that allows us to use client only application (services) in our processes the same way as we could use server based ones, as we can relate application services to business service offerings in CSDM.
If the intent is unclear, I'm happ to provide more context, but I would be very interested, how others solved this or might be able to provide me a more elegant solution  😉

[SteveMacWWT]

@HMJ  In what way are you looking to use this similar to server based application services? I understand that you want to be able to tie them to Bus Svcs, but what is the outcome you are trying to achieve? 

[HMJ]

Basically in most cases yes similar to server based applications, to define and find out responsibilities for these applications for incidents, problems and changes

[SteveMacWWT]

HMJ - the way I've approached this is by using Business Service Offerings. 

For an Incident set the Configuration Item to be the user's PC. Then set the Business Service / Offering to indicate what the issue affects. 

Using Microsoft Office 365 as an example you could have a Bus Svc of Productivity Tools, and Svc Offerings of Teams, SharePoint, Email, and Office Desktop Apps. Each of those would have the appropriate groups assigned (Support Group, Change Group, etc.)  

When an Incident comes in for a user having an issue with Word, set the Service to Productivity Tools, and Offering to Office Desktop Apps. This tells you the appropriate group for the Incident. 

(I don't recall out of the box fields for Incident form; you may have to add Service and Offering fields to the form, but they do already exist in the table.)

An argument can be made for setting the CI to your Microsoft O365 Application Service, but in the case of desktop installed software, I prefer to use the Desktop as the CI to be able to watch for broader trends on issues for a user's desktop to understand if it needs to be fixed / replaced. In addition tying a Desktop installed app that has no dependency on a server based backend to an Application Service doesn't make sense (to me at least). 

For an issue with Teams or SharePoint, since they server / web based backend I would use those App Service for the CI instead. 

[HMJ]

Business Service Offerings is basically the approach we are currently using, but we wanted to be consistent in taking the next level of detail based on CSDM, which for server based application is the application service. Unfortunatly there is nothing that works for client only application. This is basically the gap we are trying to fill to be consistent in te approach. So I'm still lokking for an idea that works and does not deviates (to much) from the CSDM 😉