Configuration Management

Configuration Management is at the center of ITSM. The Configuration Item (CI) is the common key linking all the ITSM processes and functions. A CI can be anything from a hardware device to a process document, but for the purposes of this example, the CI is a software application. In ITSM, we’re concerned with “servicing” this software application, not just programming the code, so we refer to it as a “service” not “software”.

1. The IT Infrastructure includes hardware, network, and services running on the hardware.
2. Configuration Management can be populated with CIs automatically by scanning tools that extract the IT infrastructure configuration data like software licenses and DNS records.
3. Service Level Management defines the CIs created during the Service Design stage, including the service itself, as well as components (like virtual server, cluster, database server, web server, etc.).
4. The Configuration Management System (CMS) can be a single or series of Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs).
5. The CMDB stores the CI data in a format that can be linked to all the Service Management processes and functions, allowing for awareness of key dependencies required for successful operation of the service:
   • Availability Management
   • Event Management
   • Service Desk
   • Incident Management
   • Problem Management
   • Knowledge Management
   • Change Management
   • Release Management