Configuration Management Process Training

8/14/2019 Configuration Management Process Training

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Configuration

Management

Process Training


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Mission Statement and Process Scope

Mission Statement

Provide a logical model of the infrastructure or a service byidentifying, controlling, maintaining and verifying the versions ofConfiguration Items (CIs) in existence.

Provide critical information about how those CIs are related, andin what manner they facilitate or impact the delivery of ITServices.

Scope The scope of this process includes hardware, software,documentation, and Configuration Items that support the identitymanagement services.


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Goals

Goals

Account for all IT assets and configurations within theorganization and ITS services

Provide accurate information on configurations and their

documentation to support all other Service Managementprocesses

Provide a sound basis for Incident Management, ProblemManagement, Change Management and Release Management

Verify the configuration records against the infrastructure andcorrect any exceptions


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Current Process State & What

Changed

Configuration data is currently contained in individual sourcesprior to a CMDB with limited accuracy and relationshipsbetween data sources.

Goal is to have a shared, accurate data source with defined CIrelationships.

RFCs are required to update the CMDB.

Audits and Verification are used to keep data current.


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Process Worker Roles &

Responsibilities

Process Worker is a role, adapted by any IT staff member,vendor or contractor whose (daily) activities involve the integrity

of Configuration Items (CI).

Comply with ITS Configuration Management policies, processesand procedures

Enter in the CMDB approved modifications to ConfigurationItems (CI) resulting from their activities within other ITSprocesses such as Change, Release, Incident, and ProblemManagement


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Process Worker Roles &

Responsibilities (continued) Use the CMDB to manage attribute and relationship data for CIs

through their lifecycle; inclusive of procurement, deployment,

repair, removal and disposal activities

Identify and report any deviation detected in the IT infrastructurefrom the status and/or configuration as registered in theConfiguration Management Database (CMDB)

Escalate process issues to Local Process Coordinator


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Local Configuration Coordinator

Roles and Responsibilities

Ensure that the ITS Configuration Management policies,processes, and procedures are followed within their department

through coaching of the Process Workers in the correct use ofthe process and tool

Act as a project resource to coordinate the initial identificationand population of Configuration Items (CI) into the CMDB fortheir department

Assist in the design and development of detailed implementationdata models within their functional areas

Ensure the process, procedures, work instructions, and tools areoptimal from a departmental/section point of view


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Roles and Responsibilities (continued)

Ensure Process Workers within the section have the knowledgeto execute their tasks; propagate the correct use of

Configuration Management procedures within the department;identify specific training needs within the department, and signalthese needs to the Process Manager

Escalate Configuration Management issues to the ProcessManager when required

Identify improvement opportunities within the department

Help define and maintain Configuration Item (CI) naming andnumbering conventions


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Roles and Responsibilities (continued)

Support compliance to Configuration Item (CI) registrationprocedures within their department

Within their department, assist with audit and verificationactivities against the Configuration Management Database(CMDB) to ensure changes are recorded and authorized


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Configuration Manager Roles and

Responsibilities

Provide senior management and other processes with guidinginformation about the capabilities and direction of the

Configuration Management Process within ITS

Ensure that the process operates effectively and efficientlywithin ITS

Ensure that employees filling Configuration Management Rolesare empowered to meet their process responsibilities

Monitor and control the process, using qualitative and

quantitative Key Performance Indicators


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Responsibilities (continued)

Produce management information reports relating to theConfiguration Management Process

Ensure the coordination and provisioning of ConfigurationManagement Process training

Identify opportunities and submit proposals for improvementwith respect to tools, staff, training, process, procedures andwork instructions for the Configuration Management Process

Periodically audit/review the process and provide feedback to

Configuration Management Process Owner. Ensure periodicaudit/review occurs with feedback to the ConfigurationManagement Process Owner


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Perform configuration audits to check that the physical ITinventory is consistent with the Configuration Management

Database (CMDB) and initiate any necessary corrective action

Lead efforts to design and develop detailed data models forpopulating the CMDB

Participate in the Change Advisory Board as required

Number, record, store and distribute Configuration Managementissues

Develop and manage Configuration Management standards,plans, registration procedures, access controls and privileges


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Coordinate the implementation of the process into theoperational environment

Communicate changes and improvements to the ConfigurationManagement Team

Perform all staffing activities for the Configuration ManagementTeam

Nominate Configuration Management staff eligible for training

when and where needed


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Process Owner Roles and

Responsibilities Define the Business Case for the Configuration Management

Process

Ensure the Configuration Management Process is fit-for-purpose

Review and approve scope of Configuration Management

Process, including items that are to be controlled andinformation that is to be recorded

Review and approve interfaces with other service supportprocesses (Change, Incident, Problem, etc.) and administrationfunctions

Approve the implementation of the process into the operationalenvironment


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Responsibilities (continued) Set the process Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Safeguard the integrity of the process

Review, prioritize and assess proposed changes to the process;initiate improvements in the tool, process, steering mechanismsand organization

Promote the Service Management vision to top-level/ seniormanagement

Assist Configuration Manager when recruiting Configuration

Management staff

Attend top-level management meetings to asses the impact oforganizational decisions on the Configuration ManagementProcess


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Communicate with the relevant Process Owners when there areconflicts between inter-related processes

Provide strategic direction

Develop and Manage the Continuous Improvement Plans for the

Configuration Management Process


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Tool Administrator Roles and

Responsibilities

Safeguard access to the CMDB and ensure the integrity of theConfiguration Management Database (CMDB)

Provide the functional design and support of the ConfigurationManagement Database (CMDB)

Assist in the identification of Configuration Items (CI)

Provide reports on the status of Configuration Items (CI)

Assist in conducting audits

Manage the CMDB data model and system architecture,including federated sources


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Tool Administrator Roles and


Participate in the development of detailed implementation datamodels as required

Perform regular maintenance on the Configuration ManagementDatabase (CMDB) i.e. backups, archiving, system tuning

Provide technical support to system end users


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Process Engineer Roles and

Responsibilities

Develop, coordinate and provide process and tool training

Identify opportunities and initiate proposals for correction andimprovement with respect to tools, staff, training, process,procedures and work instructions

Periodically audit/review the process and provide feedback toProcess Manager

Liaison with other Process Managers to refine process touchpoints

Develop processes to manage migration of local ConfigurationManagement data sources to CMDB


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Process Engineer Roles and


Document and maintain organization-wide ConfigurationManagement Process and procedures


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Policies Naming Convention Every CI registered in the CMDB requires a unique name.

The CI name given to a CI remains with it throughout itslifecycle.

The CI name reflects the type of CI it represents.

The CI Name is only one of many CI attributes that can besearched in the CMDB to assist in the execution of otherprocesses such as Incident, Change, and ProblemManagement.

Common names for components such as HOSTNAME, willnot be replaced by the CI Name, but will be registered as anattribute of the CI.


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Policies Naming Convention (continued)

Wherever possible, CIs will have their CI Names affixed to avisible label on the device or embedded in the firmware orsoftware.

e.g.; Server_[serial number] , Service_[ITS service name]


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Policies Attributes An Attribute is a characteristic of a CI.

Every CI Kind has defined required attributes.

Attributes can be added or changed at different points in the CIlifecycle.

Meaningful information from the CMDB is dependent on the

correct attributes and relationships recorded in the database.


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Policies Minimum Attributes

Contact within Organization that is responsiblefor CI

Owner Contact

Organization that is responsible for CIOwner Organization

Developed in-house, purchased, etc.Source

Status Effective Date (current status effectivedate)

Status Effective Date

Ordered, received, tested, in service, archived,etc.

Status

Production, test, development, spare inventoryEnvironment (not BMC definition)

Server, Virtual Server, Manual, COTS, Vendor,etc.

Type

Follows CI naming conventionCI Name

CI IDInstance ID

Free form detailsDescription

Hardware, Virtual Entities, Software, etc.Category

DescriptionMinimum Required Attributes

All Categories


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Policy-Relationships

Relationship is a type of Attribute.

Relationships connect two or more CIs together.

Relationships support Incident and Problem Managementimpact analysis activities.

They also support Change and Release Management riskassessment activities.


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Policies Attributes, Relationships

Bidirectional links to Change,Problem, Release, Incidenttickets

Process Interfaces

Relationship of CI or CI groupingto Customer(s)

Customer Association

Parent/Child, Upstream,Downstream, Peer to Peer, etc.

CMDB Relationships

DescriptionCI Relationship


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High Level Process Work Flow


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Interfaces To Other ITIL Processes

Configuration Management touches/supports other process

CIs have attributes & relationships that may be added ormodified by RFC, as approved by Change Management

Incident & Problem records may modify CI status

Reports accounting for CI status provided on routine basis oradhoc as required by all processes

Audits of the CMDB are generated from inputs from any process


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High Level Process Work Flow

It is important to recognize that this process is not alwaysexecuted in a linear fashion.

Depending on circumstances, the process may start at any ofthe four activities listed below and in the High Level Processwork flow.

CI IDENTIFICATION: Ensure CI correctly identified, labeled, recorded in CMDB

CI CONTROL: Ensure update of CI records in CMDB reflect authorized changes

CI STATUS ACCOUNTING: Reporting of all current / historical data of all CIs

CI VERIFICATION AND AUDIT: Verify / audit to estimate reliability of CMDB andto detect & correct errors and / or exceptions


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Procedure - 1.0 Identification


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Procedure - 1.0 Identification (continued)

The acceptance of Configuration Items (CI)

The categorization of Configuration Items (CI)

The labeling of Configuration Items (CI) (when needed)

The registration of Configuration Items (CI) in the ConfigurationManagement Database (CMDB)


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Procedure - 2.0 Configuration Control


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Procedure - 2.0 Configuration Control(continued)

The control activity of the Configuration Management process isto manage any modifications in Configuration Item (CI) statuses,

relationships and attributes driven by changes and/or incidents.


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Procedure - 3.0 Status Accounting


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Procedure - 3.0 Status Accounting(continued)

Track status of CIs through CI lifecycle

Generate standard reports based on templates in the tool

Generate Ad-hoc Status Report


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Procedure - 4.0 Verification and Audit


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Procedure - 4.0 Verification and Audit(continued)

Periodic audits of the IT infrastructure

Operational verification of Configuration Item (CI) records fromthe Configuration Management Database (CMDB) to the actualIT infrastructure

The improvement of the Configuration Management process onthe basis of detected major exceptions

The escalation of unauthorized changes

The reconciliation of the Configuration Management Database(CMDB) in cases of detected exceptions


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Interface With Other ITS Processes Configuration Management touches/supports other process

CIs have attributes & relationships that may be added ormodified by RFC, as approved by Change Management

Incident & Problem records modify CI status

Reports accounting for CI status provided on routine basis oradhoc as required by all processes

Audits of the CMDB are generated from inputs from any process


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Key Performance Indicators & Metrics Key Performance Indicators quantify Critical Success Factors to

measurable targets with a number of Key Performance

Indicators existing per Critical Success Factor

Performance Management KPIs are defined as KeyPerformance Indicators that pertain to the outcome of theprocess.

e.g.; Improved speed of component repair and recovery(decrease of MTTR)

Process Management KPIs are defined as Key PerformanceIndicators that provide an indication of the quality of the process.

e.g.; Reduction percentage in number of CI discrepanciesfound


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Data Model Development

Data Model is a diagram of a service and sub-services showing hardware and all relationships

Involves the creation of logical CI records thatdescribe the IT service or a decomposition of such

into various systems and sub-system records thatfeed up to the high level service

Local Process Coordinator provides input into the

creation of the data model for the service theysupport


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Data Model Development (continued)

Log

ical

CIT

ypes

Physical

CITypes

The Data Model follows the following high level model.


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Bring Services/Systems into CMDB Identify Service and Stakeholders

Identify Physical CIs and Logical CIs

Create Detailed Data Model

Create New CI Kinds

Identify Current Data Repositories

Provide Process and Tool Training

Populate CI Data and Construct Relationships


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Bring Services/Systems into CMDB(continued)

Populate CI Data and Construct Relationships

Establish Baseline for Service

Communicate Availability of Service within CMDB


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Process Issue Reporting & Management Contact Configuration Management Process Engineer (CMPE)

CMPE will validate process issue

CMPE will escalate to Configuration Manager if needed withrecommended changes

Configuration Manager will decide if process changes areneeded


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Benefits Increasing service availability

Increasing control of valuable CIs

Facilitating adherence to legal obligations

Improving Risk-Impact Analysis of Changes

Contributing to contingency planning

Improving security by controlling the versions of CIs in use


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Benefits (continued)

Enabling the organization to reduce the use of unauthorizedsoftware

Enabling Analysis of Costs

Streamlining Changes

Streamlining communications


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Challenges

Strict adherence to procedures to maintain accuracy

Providing sufficient audits to discover inaccuracies


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Question & Answers

Configuration Management Process Training

Documents

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