The scope of the CERN service catalog is relatively big compared to other current service management configurations in other sites. GS and IT covered ca 400 functional elements in 2011. The scope of the catalog was meant to extended rapidly to cover other services provided at CERN. In June 2013 we cover 489 active functions and close to 280 active user services.

Each functional element has a support structure defined (1st, 2nd, and 3rd and even 4rth level support groups; outside workhours support groups; etc..). (see service structure).

Identifying which support group is capable of fulfilling a request or resolving an incident using a 'manual assignment' (as was the case with the previous ticketing system) would be a recipe for 'ping pong' between support groups, slow and opaque workflow, and frustration.

The assignment to support groups in our architecture is highly automated and driven by the information in the service catalog. It is this automation that allows us to master the complexity and scope of the CERN service structure, and to optimize resolution and restoration times.