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Normal, Standard and Emergency Changes at SNWR

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • The three change types
  • When to use each one
  • How Mei chose for three SNWR changes
  • Common mistakes

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Change Architecture: Tables and State Model. You learned the change tables and the normal change states.

1 “Does a reboot need CAB?”

In the first Change workshop, the questions come fast.

  • “Restarting the mail service is safe. Does it really need CAB?”
  • “Email is down right now. We can’t wait a week for CAB!”
  • “The certificate change is risky. Who checks it?”

🎯 The problem: One process for every change is either too slow for safe changes, or too loose for risky ones.

👉 The fix: use three change types, each with the right amount of control.

2 The three types

The three change types. Standard: low risk, done often, pre-approved from a template, for example Restart SNWR mail service. Normal: needs a risk check and approval, planned ahead, for example CHG0030045 Replace VPN gateway certificate. Emergency: must happen now to fix or prevent a major incident, shorter approval by the emergency CAB, for example CHG0030046 Fail over SNWR Email to snwr-mail-02.
Figure 1. The right amount of control for each kind of change.

3 How Mei decides

  1. Is it on the standard change list? If yes, it’s standard.
  2. Must it happen right now to fix or stop a major incident? If yes, it’s emergency.
  3. Otherwise, it’s normal.
Change Type Why
Restart SNWR mail service Standard Done many times, low risk, has a template
Replace VPN gateway certificate Normal Risky, can be planned for Sunday
Fail over SNWR Email to snwr-mail-02 Emergency Email is down now, for a whole office

4 Common mistakes

  • Using emergency just to skip CAB. Mei watches the emergency change count every month.
  • Making risky work “standard” to save time.
  • Doing a change with no record at all.

⚠️ Golden rule: An emergency change is for fixing or preventing a major incident, not for being late with planning.

⭐ Remember: Standard if it’s on the list. Emergency if it can’t wait. Normal for the rest.

5 Quick recap

  • Standard: low risk, pre-approved from a template
  • Normal: planned, with risk check and approvals
  • Emergency: can’t wait; fixes or prevents a major incident
  • Decide: on the list? can’t wait? otherwise normal
  • Don’t use emergency to skip planning

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Restarting the mail service has a template. Which type? Show answer

Standard.

2 Email is down for a whole office and needs a failover now. Which type? Show answer

Emergency.

3 The certificate replacement can be planned for Sunday. Which type? Show answer

Normal.

4 Is “we’re late” a good reason for an emergency change? Show answer

No. Emergency is for fixing or preventing a major incident.

Nice work! You can pick the right change type. 🎉
Next up: Change Models

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