Configuration Management Best Practice

Configuration Management best practice is contained in the Service Support book published by the Office of Government Commerce in the UK.

Most organisations planning to implement ITIL will already have a good deal of the activities that could be regarded as part of the individual processes in place.

ITIL is a best-practice framework, so a totally “Greenfield” situation will hardly ever be found. Some other frameworks and methodologies force you to discard your own best practices; my opinion is that those elements that are working for you should not be discarded unless they will not be able to fit within your vision for the future.

The following four subjects are deliberately of a high level to give you a broad insight into what needs to be looked at for Service Managers controlling the overall implementation of this process.

Configuration Management best practice - Procedures

• establish the procedure framework
• implement reactive procedures
• implement proactive procedures
• implement supporting tools
• establish a managed documentation system
• establish control over procedures used.

Configuration Management best practice - Dependencies

• establish a dependency and relationship framework
• describe inter dependencies with all other processes within the model, both operational and tactical
• establish process interfaces with the IT directorate - these interfaces will be crucial at the outset of process implementations, although the role of the IT directorate relative to tactical matters should diminish over time as tactical processes are put in place
• include vendor relationships
• establish a Customer liaison function on an operational level to organize publicity campaigns.

Configuration Management best practice - People

• implement the staff training plan and make this an ongoing activity-focus on both social and technical skills
• assign roles within the ITIL model to people, and make this part of their function description
• delegate tasks and authorizations as low as possible in the organisation.

Configuration Management best practice - Timing

• control the project timescale because other stages or projects may depend on it
• consider the timing of 'going live', including the timing and communication of the 'go live' event, as well as any special considerations for the 'go live' day and the period of days or weeks immediately after the 'going live'.