SMB250: Stop Making Unforced Errors: Improve Management of your Configuration Items Alan Taylor Darren Masengill

2. SMB250: Stop Making Unforced Errors:
Improve Management of your Configuration Items
Alan Taylor, Ivanti & Darren Masengill, Trinity Industries

3. What is Configuration Management?What is Configuration Management?
 Manages the life of Configuration Items with processes
and tools that enable the fundamental elements of
identification, change management, status, and audit

4. What is a Configuration Item (CI)
More than just a
hardware asset
Structural unit of a
Configuration
Management System
CIs include:
individual requirements
documents, software,
models, and plans
Current Configuration,
Future Configurations,
Configuration History
What is a Configuration Item?

5. Why is Configuration Management Important?
Shows the impact to
the business
Shows the impact to
services
Shows the impact to
the end users
Why is Configuration Management Important?
Provides
Transparency

6. Terms to Know
CMDB – Configuration Management Database
CMS – Configuration Management System
(ITIL V3 term; CMS has become synonymous with CMDB)
CI – Configuration Item; an object in the database that has attributes defining its
current state, current configuration, and relationship to other objects (CI’s)
CI Type– CI’s can be any asset of value that needs to be managed. Software,
hardware, documentation (i.e. policies, DRP, org charts, etc…)

7. Terms to Know
Asset – An object that represents a purchased or built item of value. (i.e.
Software license agreement, serialized hardware, IP)
System – Logically grouping and relationship of assets to comprise a technology
outcome
Service Model – Logically relationship model of business processes to systems
VBF’s Vital Business Functions – Business processes that execute across
technlogy

8. IT Non-IT
Why is Configuration Management Important?
 Up Time
 Down Time
 Impact
 Resources
 Cost
 Risk
 Value
Why is Configuration Management Important?

9. CI Detail - Service

10. Relationships

11. CI Detail - Server

12. CI Detail – Server – Understand Baseline State

13. Tips for Success*
Understand connection between
Services & Infrastructure
- How do Configuration Items support strategic services
1
Build an accurate inventory
of asset information2
Build and maintain relationships
between CI’s and Services
- As well as other record types
3
Have a plan
- Make a Configuration Plan a required document4
*The Practical Guide to World-Class IT Service Management

14.  Change Management

15. What is Change Management?
*http://wiki.en.it-processmaps.com/index.php/Checklist_Request_for_Change_RFC
What is Change Management?
 The Request for Change (RFC) is formal request for the
implementation of a Change. The RFC is a precursor to the
'Change Record' and contains all information required to
approve a Change.
X

16. Risk Calculator

17. Change Windows & Lockouts

18. Tips for Change Management Success*
Build strong and cross-functional CAB
- Authority to hold business accountable1
Establish Change Windows
of asset information
- All Changes occur inside windows
2
Document Change Management
process3
Change is an evolutionary process.
Success takes time4
*The Practical Guide to World-Class IT Service Management

19.  Customer Presentation

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Trinity Industries is a diversified industrial company that owns
complementary, market-leading businesses providing products and
services to the energy, chemical, agriculture, transportation, and
construction sectors.
Our businesses play an important role in the overall economy by supplying
essential infrastructure-related products and services ranging from barges,
storage and distribution containers, construction aggregates, and highway
products, to wind towers, utility structures, railcars, railcar parts, and railcar
leasing, management, and maintenance services.
Trinity Industries, Inc.

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Our CMDB Story?
Neck
bone???
Is
connected
to the
The leg
bone

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How Trinity Uses Ivanti?
Service
Request
Incident
Self
Service
Service
Catalog
Change
Problem
Tasks
Knowledge
Base
CMDB

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23
Our CMDB Story?
• The Configuration Management Database
(CMDB) supports the delivery of services by
maintaining accurate and reliable information on
Applications and Infrastructure components.
• The CMDB manages assets (Configuration Items),
throughout their lifecycle.
CMDB

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Our CMDB Story?
CI Type Description
Computer All Laptops and Desktops
Server All Physical Servers
Mobile Devices Mobile Devices used
Virtual Server All Virtual Servers
Database All Databases used by Trinity Applications and Reporting.
Enterprise Applications All Applications used by Trinity Business and IT.
CI Locations All Plant Locations and Data Center where equipment is located.
Router All Routers
Switch All Switches
SAN All Storage devices.
Firewalls Firewall rules
Certificates Security Certificates
Contracts Support agreements and Maintenance Contracts.
OLA Operational Level agreements with Support Vendors
Access Points Wireless access points
Generator Power Generators
Phone All Phones connected to network
Cluster Database clusters
Document Change controlled documents

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Our CMDB Story?

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Our CMDB Story?
Every Change Request
requires at least one CI
to be linked

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Our CMDB Story?
$$$
Which
Improves
Service
Builds a trusted
CMDB
Good CI Information
What we learned

28. Thank you