Hardware Configuration Management

Hardware Configuration Management is far closer to the process based practices that we are used to in the ITIL world than traditional Software Configuration management. Not that it is diametrically opposed or anything, just that Software Configuration management as an industry standard is far closer to the old ITIL software Control and distribution.

Hardware Configuration Management – best practice

Well as far as best practice is concerned, we really should be taking all Configuration Management into consideration. What this really means is that a process needs to be set up that focuses on the identification, recording, and reporting of IT components, including their versions, constituent components and relationships. Items that should be under the control of Configuration Management include hardware, software and associated documentation.

Hardware Configuration Management – and beyond!

Now including software as well as hardware and documentation is the first step but the ultimate strength comes from developing an understanding of the relationships that true Configuration Management gives should be the goal of any IT organization. Just to give you an idea of what the process does, here you go!

The basic activities of Configuration Management are as follows:

• Planning. Planning and defining the purpose, scope, objectives, policies and procedures, and the organizational and technical context, for Configuration Management.
• Identification. Selecting and identifying the configuration structures for all the infrastructure's CIs, including their 'owner', their interrelationships and configuration documentation. It includes allocating identifiers and version numbers for CIs, labeling each item, and entering it on the Configuration Management Database (CMDB).
• Control. Ensuring that only authorized and identifiable CIs are accepted and recorded, from receipt to disposal. It ensures that no CI is added, modified, replaced or removed without appropriate controlling documentation, e.g. an approved Change request, and an updated specification.
• Status accounting. The reporting of all current and historical data concerned with each CI throughout its life cycle. This enables Changes to CIs and their records to be traceable, e.g. tracking the status of a CI as it changes from one state to another for instance 'under development', 'being tested', 'live', or 'withdrawn'.
• Verification and audit. A series of reviews and audits that verify the physical existence of CIs and check that they are correctly recorded in the Configuration Management system.

Hardware Configuration Management – Other interfaces

Configuration Management interfaces directly with systems development, testing, Change Management and Release Management to incorporate new and updated product deliverables. Control should be passed from the project or supplier to the service provider at the scheduled time with accurate configuration records.