Implementation plan for Configuration Management can be very daunting to start with. What I intend to do here is broadly identify the things that must be done in the planning and Implementation stages. This is not a full plan but rather an outline of broad categories for an implementation plan for Configuration Management!

Implementation plan for Configuration Management - Analyze existing systems

An important activity is to identify and analyze the following:

• Owners of high-level CIs.
• Current scope and resources (people and tools).
• Current Change Management and Configuration Management practices, processes and procedures.
• High-level configuration data held in current inventories, hard copy, local spreadsheets or databases.
• Roles, responsibilities and capabilities of staff involved in Configuration Management.

Implementation plan for Configuration Management - Developing Configuration Management plans and systems design

For some technologies and platforms, Configuration Management may be distributed across the organization e.g. mainframe, physical networks and desktops. Some organizations devolve control to support groups that have expertise in a particular technology or platform, because it may not be cost-effective to train central staff in specialist areas. Lower-level plans should align with, and refer up to, the higher-level plans so as to avoid duplication.

The Configuration Management plans define the scope of Configuration Management, which is valuable input into system design and the next planning stage.

Implementation plan for Configuration Management - Detailed planning for implementation

Once the fundamental decisions on the scope of Configuration Management are made and the planning activities are completed, it is time to devise a plan for implementing Configuration Management.

Key activities are as follows:

• Analyze relevant existing Configuration Management practices in more detail and their interfaces to the Service Management processes, procurement and development.
• Analyze the capability of existing functions and staff involved in Configuration, Change and Release Management.
• Review configuration data held in hard-copy form, in local spreadsheets or in databases, and develop a conversion/loading strategy.
• Gather, refine, and gain agreement on requirements and functional requirements specifications.
• develop vendor selection criteria for Configuration Management automation
• Evaluate and select the CMDB and Configuration Management automation tools.
• Purchase and install the CMDB and other Configuration Management tools.
• Design the Configuration Management system in detail, including interfaces to Change Management, Release Management, other Service Management processes, procurement and development.
• Set up CI types, attributes, types of relationships, high-level CIs.
• Develop Configuration Management business processes and procedures that are integrated with the Configuration Management tools.
• Test the CMDB and other support tool(s) allowing sufficient time to rectify any problems even though Problems that are minor and will not affect the successful operation of the system need not be fixed before Configuration Management is implemented.
• plan and provide secure storage areas to manage CIs (e.g. cabinets, controlled libraries and directories) in conjunction with Release Management
• Develop and obtain agreement on roles, responsibilities and training plans.
• Communicate and train staff in both the importance and use of Change Management and Configuration Management.