Configuration management

The challenge

• Configuration management is like the Kilimanjaro mountain. It is vast and can look overwhelming and, frankly, just not worth the trouble. That is the road to "heroes." (And it is not a good thing.)
• But without a configuration management Database (CMDB), it is impossible to implement client-facing operational activities successfully.
• Most organizations, including yours, recognize the value of having a CMDB yet are wary of the costs and efforts involved in building one.
• Most organizations also assume they must account for every single asset in a CMDB.
• Avoid the trap of jumping into a solution decision before you know what the business case is for building or purchasing a CMDB.

Our advice

Insight

• Without a right-sized configuration management database, you cannot manage your services optimally.
• ITIL's config management version may be too elaborate and too expensive or time-consuming to implement for your company.
• It would help if you looked at your organization and decided what you need to track to ensure that you have a right-sized CMDB that supports your processes.
• Your config management database is an enabler. Know what you want to achieve, and then buy or build your CMDB.
• Stakeholders in your IT department are essential to this exercise! 
• Do the above steps, and your staff will help you get this process integrated because it will help them.

Impact and results 

• Ensure that you know your stakeholders' requirements to be able to define your configuration management objectives accurately.
• Then define the IT processes that need to be changed to accomplish their goals.
• The complexity of your environment drives the ultimate solution and choice of tooling. Pick the appropriate solution for your company. It can be a spreadsheet or a sourced solution.
• Balance the costs of redesigning the processes that you identified in the requirements step.
• Complete your exercise and then present a roadmap to all stakeholders so that you can obtain their buy-in. Then select the CMDB solution and the formal config management process.

The roadmap

Besides the small introduction, subscribers and consulting clients within this management domain have access to:

Start with a right-sized configuration management roadmap.

• Harness Configuration Management Superpowers Executive-Brief (ppt)

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Launch the project or epic

• Configuration Management Roadmap Project Charter Template (doc)

Define your end state based on the requirements of your company

Build your team and define the management objectives

• Configuration Management Roadmap Project Charter Template (doc)

With this input, select your technology target and build the roadmap.

Decide on what kind of configuration management you need. Then prioritize the initiatives based on business value, and build the implementation roadmap.

Sell the roadmap 

Determine how you will decide that the CMDB implementation is successful. that means to decide on the metrics and get your roadmap approved.

• Configuration Management Roadmap Stakeholder Presentation (ppt)
• Configuration Management Project Roadmap Tool (xls)