# OPS07-BP03 - Use runbooks to perform procedures

Best practice: OPS07-BP03
Pillar: Operational Excellence
Source: https://wellarchitected.cloudvisor.eu/docs/operational-excellence/ops07-bp03.html

## Implementation Guidance

"Use runbooks to perform procedures" creates control points that keep operations aligned with business policy, risk, and compliance obligations. Treat ownership, exception handling, and review cadence as first-class operational mechanisms.

For the question "How do you know that you are ready to support a workload?", define measurable outcomes, assign owners, and review execution regularly. Integrate this practice into delivery and operations processes so improvements persist as workloads and requirements evolve.

### Key Steps

1. **Establish policy and control model**:
   - Define policies and standards that govern "Use runbooks to perform procedures"
   - Map control ownership and review cadence across teams
   - Set exception handling and approval workflows

2. **Implement controls in delivery and operations**:
   - Embed checks into deployment pipelines and operational processes
   - Use audit evidence and tracking to prove control effectiveness
   - Escalate policy violations through predefined response paths

3. **Review, audit, and improve**:
   - Measure compliance drift and operational outcomes regularly
   - Resolve control gaps with prioritized remediation actions
   - Update governance artifacts as architecture and risk change

## Risk / Impact

**Level of risk if not implemented**: High

**Impact**: If this best practice is missing, teams are more likely to experience preventable incidents, delayed recovery, and inconsistent change outcomes. Control gaps and weak visibility can increase customer impact during high-pressure events.

**Benefits of implementation**:
- Reduced operational risk through repeatable controls
- Faster detection and response during incidents
- Stronger auditability and decision traceability

## AWS Services to Consider

<div class="aws-service">
  <div class="aws-service-content">
    <h4>AWS Systems Manager</h4>
    <p>Provides automation, inventory, and operational runbooks for day-2 management.</p>
  </div>
</div>

<div class="aws-service">
  <div class="aws-service-content">
    <h4>AWS Systems Manager Incident Manager</h4>
    <p>Coordinates incident response with predefined plans, contacts, and timelines.</p>
  </div>
</div>

<div class="aws-service">
  <div class="aws-service-content">
    <h4>Amazon CloudWatch</h4>
    <p>Collects metrics, logs, and alarms that support operational insight and performance management.</p>
  </div>
</div>

<div class="aws-service">
  <div class="aws-service-content">
    <h4>AWS Config</h4>
    <p>Tracks configuration changes and compliance state to detect drift and enforce standards.</p>
  </div>
</div>

## Related Resources

<div class="related-resources">
  <h2>Related Resources</h2>
  <ul>
    <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/framework/ops-07.html">OPS07: How do you know that you are ready to support a workload?</a></li>
    <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/operational-excellence-pillar/welcome.html">AWS Well-Architected Framework - Operational Excellence Pillar</a></li>
    <li><a href="https://docs.aws.amazon.com/wellarchitected/latest/operational-excellence-pillar/design-principles.html">Operational Excellence Design Principles</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>