Configuration Management by Anticlue

Ever have the instant memory drill for what did we just break now? I’m referring to the ever pleasant experience of having a file server down. Suddenly having to get everyone in a room to determine what on the server, what departments did we just affect? What business processes are down? It is even a more pleasant experience if you have new management in the room.

Configuration management is a way to resolve this problem by providing a way for IT to keep track of the processes, equipment, applications and procedures that run an organization.

Configuration management is like asset management in accounting due to the fact that both processes create a record of assets or configuration items, CI, both assign unique identifiers to items, require periodic inventories and provide a way to calculate the value of all configuration items

As with everything even though there are similarities, there are also differences. Configuration management records the relationships among the configuration items so understanding can occur how each CI affects or depends on the other. Another difference between configuration management and asset management is that configuration management keeps a record of the status of each item and its usage history. Every item in an organization is standardized and recorded as an authorized configuration item.

The configuration management database centralizes all the information about the configuration items. The database contains information about each configuration item and its relationships. So theoretically configuration management takes asset management to the next level capturing the financial costs and the interrelationships and standardization of the CIs.

Obviously with this level of detail a decision needs to be made as to what constitutes an individual component.
There are three categories of configuration items.

• Hardware - Hardware CIs are the physical components of an IT infrastructure, including servers, personal computers, printers, monitors, network equipment, and telecommunications equipment. Inexpensive or disposable supplies are considered consumables, not CIs.
• Software - Software CIs include all computer-readable instructions, both internally developed and purchased from outside sources. Licenses to install a single copy of a software program on many processors are also considered software CIs.
• Documentation - Documentation includes written and electronic copies of instructions, procedures, and reference manuals. Documentation CIs include instructions for users, operators, and managers of an IT infrastructure.

The leaders of the IT department should collectively decided which attributes of a configuration items are necessary for distinguishing between configuration items. This process is normally completed using three types of attributes.

• Technical attributes - Technical attributes are data that describe a CI's function or capabilities. Examples of technical attributes include version numbers, storage capacities, model numbers, data transfer speed, and manufacturer's specifications. Just keep in mind that version numbers or model descriptions are usually a shorthand way of referring to a collection of specific characteristics.
• Ownership attributes - Ownership attributes record the asset history. The purchase date, warranty information, where a CI is installed, and who is responsible for it are all ownership attributes. Two ownership attributes define CIs. Identification numbers give each CI a unique identity. Type describes the kind of CI: hardware, software, or documentation.
• Relationship attributes - Some CIs just naturally belong together. Relationship attributes describe the dependency of one CI on another. A configuration manager describes relationship attributes in the CMDB when he lists the connection between parent CIs and child CIs. Relationship attributes are also used to list CIs that must be installed together.

By paying attention to small matters, configuration managers can help improve IT services.

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