Configuration Management Template

Configuration Management Templates are reasonably popular on the internet  - the only problem is that these are typically Software Configuration management Plan templates and not the full Configuration Management templates that most people are anticipating.

Configuration Management Templates – The truth is!

The reason that there aren’t any around is that each organization is different. What’s new you may ask? I’ve even been known to say those words in the past. So don’t be too disillusioned if you don’t find any configuration Management templates ready for you to fill in the detail.

So the moral of the story is that you are going to have to do a little work or identify some professionals to help you out. What you will find is some guidance on what some of the considerations that you should be thinking of now… before you put pen to paper.

Configuration Management Templates – Scope first!

In some of my other columns I’ve given advice on a number of facets of Configuration Management. In this article I want you to be aware of the scope of Configuration Management particularly!

The purpose, objectives, scope and priorities for Configuration Management should be agreed with the Services Manager and other managers and be aligned to the business requirements. There should be an agreement on whether it is to be incorporated into a central function that includes Change Management and Release Management.

The purpose and scope might be:

To implement consistent Configuration Management, Change Management and Release Management processes for operational environments, package applications and business systems.

The objective might be:

To bring all IT services and infrastructure components, with their associated documentation, under control, and to provide an information service to facilitate the effective and efficient planning, release and implementation of Changes to the IT services.

Configuration Management Templates – Detailed Objectives!

Detailed objectives for Configuration Management should include:

• providing everyone working in Service Management and support with correct and accurate information on the present configurations with their physical and functional specifications
• defining and documenting the procedures and working practices to be followed
• identifying, labeling and recording the names and versions of the CIs that make up the IT services, infrastructure and their relationships
• controlling and storing definitive, authorized and trusted copies of specifications, documentation and software
• reporting the current status and history of all items on the IT infrastructure
• ensuring that all Changes to CIs are recorded as soon as practicable
• tracking and reconciling the actual state of the IT infrastructure against the authorized configuration records and data
• educating and training the organisation in the control processes
• reporting metrics on CIs, Changes and Releases
• auditing and reporting exceptions to infrastructure standards and Configuration Management procedures.