CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

Network Configuration Management  http://www.cisco.com/en/US/technologies/tk869/tk769/technologies_white_paper0900aecd806c0d88.html

Best Practices for Configuration Management

• Maintain a master device list• Maintain correct credentials and

manageability at 100 percent

• Create relevance for users and management

• Achieve differentiated management; "not all devices are equal"

• Address people, processes, and technology, not just technology

• Develop processes to work for your company• Commit resources; this is not a project, it is a

system

Defining configuration management

From 2nd week :Configuration Management

The goal of configuratio

n managemen

t

to monitor network and system configuration information so that the effects on network operation of various versions of hardware and software elements can be tracked and managed.

Configuration Management

Each network device has a variety of version information associated with it.

An engineering workstation, for example, may be

configured as follows:

• Operating system, Version 3.2 • Ethernet interface, Version 5.4

• TCP/IP software, Version 2.0 • NetWare software, Version 4.1

• NFS software, Version 5.1 • Serial communications controller, Version

1.1 • X.25 software, Version 1.0 • SNMP software, Version 3.1

Configuration Management

DATABASE

Configuration management (as subsystems of Network Management System) store configuration information in a database for easy access.

DATA RETRIEV

E

When a problem occurs, this database can be searched for clues that may help solve the problem.

What Is Configuration Management?

Configuration management can be summarized as:• Device hardware and software inventory collection

• Device software management• Device configuration collection, backup, viewing, archiving, comparison

• Detection of changes to configuration, hardware, or software

• Configuration change implementation to support change management

Why Is Configuration Management Important?

Benefits :1. Reduced downtime through rapid change

impact identification

2. Productivity improvement for making configuration changes

3. Helps ensure compliance for device configuration, software versions, and hardware4. Quick impact determination of security alerts5. Improved visibility and accountability at all

levels

6. Improved process and approval implementation

Foundational and Fundamental

Configuration management is the cornerstone of the network management

system and of the network lifecycle

Configuration management knows what is in the network, and it provides control over network

elements and linkage between the phases of the lifecycle.

cornerstone

ASSOCIATION OF ROLES AND DEFINITION

NO ITEM OF DEFINITIONlinkage

between the

phases of the

lifecycle

control over

network elements

1 Device hardware and software inventory collection

2 Device software management

3 Device configuration collection, backup, viewing, archiving, comparison

4 Detection of changes to configuration, hardware, or software

5 Configuration change implementation to support change management

NETWORK LIFE CYCLE

Prepare Plan

Design Implement Operate Optimize

Phases in the network lifecycle :

the roles in network delivery and support (network services) :

Management1

Architecture2

Delivery3

Support4

Lifecyles and Roles for Delivering and Supporting Network Services

Prepare

Plan Design Implement

Operate

Optimize

Management

X X

Architecture

X X

Delivery

X X

Support

X X

the flow of work through a network team and the demarcation in responsibilities between roles.

• Configuration management provides the implementation point for

demarcation;

• from this, processes can be developed that supports the network lifecycle

and the necessary roles.

The requirements for configuration management are:

3. Collect device configurations

2. Report on collected network inventory

1. Collect network inventory, including chassis and modules as well as serial numbers

4. Keep multiple versions of device configurations

5. Allow comparison between the multiple versions of device configurations

6. Detect changes in device configurations (event or polling based)

7. Determine which user made changes to device configurations

8. Report on configuration changes

Th

e r

equ

irem

en

ts f

or

con

fig

ura

tion

m

an

agem

en

t are

:

11. Keep a repository of device software versions

10. Report on existing software versions deployed on devices

9. Allow configuration changes to be batched and scheduled

12. Support upgrading of device software

13. Audit configuration to help ensure compliance

14. Search device configurations, software, and hardware

15. Store or link to static documentation and diagrams

16. Support the approval processes and workflows

Th

e r

equ

irem

en

ts f

or

con

fig

ura

tion

m

an

agem

en

t are

:

Asset Management• Purchase

date

If the configuration management system needs to support asset management, then the additional requirements needed to support business accounting processes, such as depreciation, are:

• Purchase price

• Asset number

• Purchasing details

Carrier Service Management•Service number

If the configuration management system needs to support carrier service management, then additional requirements that support carrier service management and contract renewal are needed. Some of these requirements are:

•Carrier (telco)

•Contract start date

•Contract period

• • • • • •

•Currency

•Cost per month

Change Impact Policy

Change Type Change Impact

Software upgrade major, for example, 12.3(4) to 12.4(5).

High

Configuration change to packet forwarding capabilities

High

Software upgrade maintenance release, for example, 12.4(1) to 12.4(2)

Medium

New feature deployment Medium

New hardware deployment Medium

Configuration change to nonpacket forwarding capabilities

Low

Change ImpactThe change impact is the possible impact the change can have on the production environment