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Configuration
Management Tools
Configuration
Management Tools come in all types - even paper based. However this
really is impractical for large, complex infrastructures.
Configuration
Management will operate more effectively when supported by a
software tool that is capable of maintaining the CMDB.
The CMDB contains
details about the attributes and the history of each CI and details
of the important relationships between CIs.
Configuration
Management Tools – basic needs
The Configuration
Management system should prevent Changes from being made to an IT
infrastructure without valid authorization via Change Management.
The authorization record should automatically 'drive' the Change.
All Changes should be
recorded on the CMDB at least by the time that the Change is
implemented. The status of each CI affected by a Change should be
updated automatically if possible.
Configuration
Management Tools – additional needs
I have selected the
eight most critical things that I think the configuration management
tool must do. The Configuration Management system should
provide:
- support for CIs of
varying complexity e.g. entire systems, Releases, single hardware
items, software modules, or hierarchic and networked relationships
between CIs; by holding information on the relationships between
CIs, Configuration Management tools facilitate the impact
assessment of RFC’s.
- Easy addition of new
CIs and deletion of old CIs.
- Automatic
establishment of all relationships that can be automatically
established, when new CIs are added.
- Automatic
identification of other affected CIs when any CI is the subject of
an Incident report/record, Problem record, Known Error Record or
RFC.
- Integration of
Problem Management data within the CMDB, or at least an interface
from the Configuration Management system to any separate Problem
Management databases that may exist.
- maintenance of a
history of all CIs (both a historical record of the current
version - such as installation date, records of Changes, previous
locations, etc - and of previous versions).
- The ability to show
graphically the configuration or network maps of interconnected
CIs, and to input information about new CIs via such maps.
- The ability to show
the hierarchy of relationships between 'parent' CIs and 'child'
CIs.
THE ASSET MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT
Each
item included is of the highest quality, tailor made to cover a
different aspect and issue. It includes presentations,
questionnaires, guidelines, fact sheets.... and whole gamut of
material specifically put together to both introduce and take you
through Asset Management.
It comprises the
following components (click
here) | 
