Configuration Management

IBM Global Services
ITIL Foundation Course V1.0

Introduction to the IT Infrastructure Library
Configuration Management
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© 2004 IBM Corporation

IBM Global Services
Unit 07
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
2 ITIL Foundation Course | Student material v1.0 © 2004 IBM Corporation

IBM Global Services
Integration into the IPW Model
Source: IPW Model is a trade mark of Quint Wellington and KPN Telecoms

IBM Global Services
Mission 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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Tasks
Configuration Management is responsible for:

 Specification of versions, configuration
status accounting of all current and
historical data concerned with each CI
throughout its lifecycle
IT
 Documentation of the relationship Infrastructu
between all CIs re
Planning
 Tracing records about any CI Identification
 Ensuring that only authorised changes & naming
on a Configuration Item have been
implemented
Status proof
 Reviews and audits that verify the
physical existence of CIs and check
that only authorised and identifiable Control CMDB
CIs are accepted and correctly
Verification
recorded in the Configuration and audit
Management system.

IBM Global Services
Definition: Configuration Item
All components that are part of the IT infrastructure are called Configuration
Items (CIs).
Configuration Items:
 Are required to provide services
 Should be clearly identifiable
 Are submitted for changes
 Have to be administered
CI
Configuration Items have: CI
 A category
 Relationships
 An attribute CI
CI CI
 A status

IBM Global Services
Definition: Configuration Item – Scope and Level of Detail
Documen-
Service Hardware Software Environment
L tation
e
v
e
Network
l printer
PC
Software
o bundle
f Local
printer USV
d
e
t DBMS W.P. e-mail
SLA
a HD Keyboard CPU
i
l
scope
IBM Global Services
Tasks
Configuration Configuration
identification Control
Configuratio
n
Managemen
t
Verification and
Status
Audit
Accounting

IBM Global Services
Configuration Management Database (CMDB) – Structure Overview
IT Infrastructure
Hardware Software Network Documentation

CI Categories
Suite 1 Suite 2
Superordinated CI
(Parent)
Program 1- 1 Program 1- 2 Program 1- 3
Subordinated CI
(Children)
Module 1- 2- 1 Module 1- 2- 2

IBM Global Services
CMDB – Status of CI
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tio
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Lifecycle of a CI
CMDB scope

IBM Global Services
Interfaces with all other processes
Start
Problem finding and solution process
Incident Strategic processes

Finance
Problem
Architectures
Known error
Configuration
RFC Management Other modules
Data Base
(CMDB) Service Level
Approved change Management
IT Continuity
Changed, tested, Management
implemented
Closure

IBM Global Services
Relationship with Release and Change Management
Change Release Configuration
Management Management Management
Configuration Management Database

Register RFC and Documentation and
assign ID configuration audit
Definitive Software Library

Reporting of
Impact analysis affected CIs, areas,
and people
Update
Approve change
documentation
Distribution of
Implementation software and
(includes pre-release hardware Update
testing for software) documentation documentation
Post-implementation
review
Store changed CIs
according to quality
Close RFC
required
Closure
Example: release of new software

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CIs and their relations to other processes
Incident Record Change Record
CI
Problem Record Known Error Record
Service / SLA

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Variant and Baseline
Variant
Configuration 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.

IBM Global Services
Licence 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.

IBM Global Services
Benefits
 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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Costs
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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Risks
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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Best 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."

IBM Global Services
Summary
 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

Configuration Management

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IBM Global Services

ITIL Foundation Course V1.0

© 2004 IBM Corporation

 Configuration Management – objective and overview

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

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

The goal of Configuration Management is to provide IT infrastructure control through the

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

Configuration Management is responsible for:

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

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

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

Hardware Software Network Documentation

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

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

Incident Strategic processes

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

Configuration Management Database

Definitive Software Library

Example: release of new software

Incident Record Change Record

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

Baseline (basis of comparison)

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

Responsibility for controlling and auditing software licences should be

 Company directors, senior managers, and others, are liable to face

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

 Improved Asset Management

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

Costs are outweighed by benefits, because Configuration Management allows

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

Potential problem areas:

 CIs with too much or too little detail

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

 Early establishment of configuration management

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

 Configuration Management provides a logical model of the infrastructure or a

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

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