Configuration Management

IBM Global Services

© 2004 IBM Corporation

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ITIL Foundation Course V1.0Introduction to the IT Infrastructure Library

Configuration Management

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ITIL Foundation Course | Student material v1.0 © 2004 IBM Corporation

Unit 07Configuration Management

Content:

Configuration Management – objective and overview

Some definitions

Responsibilities and obligations

Important aspects:

– Configuration Management Database (CMDB)– Interfaces to other SM processes– Variant and baseline– License management

Benefits, costs, risks

Best practices

Summary

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Configuration ManagementIntegration into the IPW Model

Source: IPW Model is a trade mark of Quint Wellington and KPN Telecoms

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Configuration ManagementMission Statement

Configuration Management provides a logical model for the infrastructure or a service by identifying, controlling, maintaining, and verifying the versions of Configuration Items (CIs) in existence.

Configuration Management covers 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.

The goal of Configuration Management is to provide IT infrastructure control through the identification, registration, monitoring, and management of:

All the Configuration Items of the IT infrastructure in scope

All configurations, versions, and their documentation

All changes, errors, service level agreements, and history of the components in general

Relationships between the different components

Exceptions between configuration records and the real infrastructure

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Configuration ManagementTasks

Specification of versions, configuration status accounting of all current and historical data concerned with each CI throughout its lifecycle

Documentation of the relationship between all CIs

Tracing records about any CI

Ensuring that only authorised changes on a Configuration Item have been implemented

Reviews and audits that verify the physical existence of CIs and check that only authorised and identifiable CIs are accepted and correctly recorded in the Configuration Management system.

CMDB

IT Infrastructu

re

IT Infrastructu

re

Control

Status proof

Verificationand audit

PlanningIdentification & naming

Configuration Management is responsible for:

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Configuration ManagementDefinition: Configuration Item

Configuration Items: Are required to provide services

Should be clearly identifiable

Are submitted for changes

Have to be administered

Configuration Items have: A category

Relationships

An attribute

A statusCI

CI

CI

CICI

All components that are part of the IT infrastructure are called Configuration Items (CIs).

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Configuration ManagementDefinition: Configuration Item – Scope and Level of Detail

ServiceService HardwareHardware SoftwareSoftware Documen-tation

Documen-tation EnvironmentEnvironment

Level of detail

Level of detail

Networkprinter

Localprinter

PC

HD Keyboard SLA

USV

Softwarebundle

DBMS W.P. e-mail

scopescope

CPU

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Configuration ManagementTasks

Configuration

Management

Configuration

Management

Verification and Audit

Status Accounting

Configuration Control

Configuration identification

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Configuration ManagementConfiguration Management Database (CMDB) – Structure Overview

IT InfrastructureIT Infrastructure

HardwareHardware SoftwareSoftware NetworkNetwork DocumentationDocumentation

Suite 1Suite 1 Suite 2Suite 2

Program 1- 1Program 1- 1



Module 1- 2- 1Module 1- 2- 1

Module 1- 2- 2Module 1- 2- 2

CI Categories

Superordinated CI(Parent)

Subordinated CI(Children)

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Configuration ManagementCMDB – Status of CI

Lifecycle of a CI

plan

ned

orde

red

in d

evel

opm

ent

In te

st

in sto

ckLive

(in

prod

uctio

n)

in m

aint

enan

cewith

draw

n

CMDB scope

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Configuration ManagementInterfaces with all other processes

Start

Closure

Incident

Problem

Known error

RFC

Approved change

Changed, tested,implemented


Data Base (CMDB)

Pro

blem

find

ing

and

solu

tion

proc

ess

Finance

Architectures

Strategic processes

Other modules

Service Level Management

IT Continuity Management

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Configuration ManagementRelationship with Release and Change Management



Change Management

Change Management

Release Management

Release Management C

on

figu

ration

Man

agem

ent D

atabase

Defin

itive So

ftware L

ibrary

Register RFC and assign ID

Impact analysis

Approve change

Implementation (includes pre-release testing for software)

Post-implementation review

Distribution of software and hardware documentation

Update documentation

Update documentation

Reporting of affected CIs, areas, and people

Documentation and configuration audit

Close RFC

Store changed CIs according to quality required

Closure

Example: release of new software

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Configuration ManagementCIs and their relations to other processes

CICI

Incident RecordIncident Record

Problem RecordProblem Record

Service / SLAService / SLA

Known Error RecordKnown Error Record

Change RecordChange Record

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Configuration ManagementVariant and Baseline

VariantConfiguration items with same base functionality, but with minor differences (for example, a printer with additional RAM is a variant of a printer).

Baseline (basis of comparison)A configuration baseline is the configuration of a product or system established at a specific point in time, which captures both the structure and details of a configuration. It serves as a reference for further activities. An application or software baseline provides the ability to change or to rebuild a specific version at a later date.A configuration baseline is also a snapshot, or a position, that is recorded. Although the position may be updated later, the configuration baseline remains fixed as the original state and is thus available to be compared with the current position. A configuration baseline is used to assemble all relevant components in readiness for a change or release, and to provide the basis for a configuration audit and regression, for example after a change. The Configuration Management system should be able to save, protect, and report on a configuration baseline, its contents, and documentation.

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Configuration ManagementLicence Management

Responsibility for controlling and auditing software licences should be unambiguous and involves purchasing and Asset or Configuration Management.

Company directors, senior managers, and others, are liable to face imprisonment and fines if illegal software is found to be in use within their enterprise.

Purchase of unnecessary licences wastes resources.

Configuration Management enables an enterprise to monitor and control software licences, from purchase to disposal.

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Configuration ManagementBenefits

Improved Asset Management

Helps to minimize risks of changes

Provides accurate information on CIs and their documentation

Improves security by controlling the versions of CIs in use

Facilitates adherence to legal obligations

Helps in financial and expenditure planning

Supports Release Management and Service Level Management

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Configuration ManagementCosts

Costs are outweighed by benefits, because Configuration Management allows handling of a large volume of changes, thus keeping quality. Configuration Management control reduces risks of viruses, wrong software, fraud, theft, and so on. Staff costs for developing and running procedures

Hardware and software configuration identification

Hardware and software for the CMDB & DSL

Customization of Configuration Management tool

Integration with other Service Management tools

Training and education

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Configuration ManagementRisks

Potential problem areas:

CIs with too much or too little detail

Interfaces to other systems in which CI information is stored

Keep the information in the CMDB accurate

Roles and responsibilities

Lack of configuration control

Overambitious schedules and unrealistic expectations

No commitment from management

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Configuration ManagementBest Practices

Early establishment of configuration management

Show the extraordinary significance of the database thus created

Enforce the compliance of change management processes

Meticulous selection and design of support tools

Inventory should be tool supported and automated

"You can only control what you know or what is documented."

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Configuration ManagementSummary

Configuration Management provides a logical model of the infrastructure or a service by identifying, controlling, maintaining, and verifying the versions of Configuration Items (CIs) in existence.

Activities: planning, identification and registration, status accounting, control, verification and audit, reporting, role for the evaluation of change effects.

Configuration Items: categories, attribute, relationships, status, unique reference number

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

Scope and level of detail of CMDB (value of information)

Variant and Baselines

Licence Management

Configuration Management process supports all other service management processes

Documents

Configuration Management