ITIL Configuration Management

What is it?

Configuration Management (CfM) is one of the components in the ITIL Service Support area. The primary focus of CfM is to identify, maintain and verify information on IT assets and configurations in the enterprise.

CfM stores up-to-date information about Configuration Items (CIs), which are simply IT infrastructure components as you define them such as hardware, software, documentation, or even personnel. CIs are stored in a Configuration Management Database, or CMDB. The CMDB contains a variety of information on CIs such as version and location, as well as relationships between CIs.

Configuration Management activities include:

• Defining the scope - the depth and breadth - of the CMDB
• Identifying CIs and entering them into the CMDB
• Collecting, recording and maintaining accurate information about CIs

Why should I implement Configuration Management?

Benefits of implementing Configuration Management processes include:

• Establishing a reliable repository of accurate information regarding IT components
• Understanding relationships between CIs and what components impact which services

Configuration Management processes are closely integrated with Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management and Release Management.

TeamQuest Addresses ITIL Configuration Management

TeamQuest provides basic levels of CMDB support. TeamQuest data collectors gather server configuration information as part of its normal operations. The data is employed to support analysis and modeling activities. In organizations where CMDBs do not exist, TeamQuest IT Service Analyzer can provide basic CMDB services for servers, providing online viewing of configuration information and both scheduled and ad hoc reporting.

Where a CMDB already exists, data can be easily extracted from TeamQuest databases and imported into the CMDB. Since TeamQuest automatically detects changes and stores them in the database, you can automate the export/import process to ensure the CMDB always has the latest information. The extract can also be used as an audit trail to assist the Configuration Management and Audit teams in validating that all changes to server configuration were authorized.

Configuration Management teams can work with Capacity Management teams to employ TeamQuest Model to predict the impacts of configuration changes on the IT infrastructure before they are actually implemented. Doing so permits the teams to ensure changes will not negatively impact production services.