twenty-four | how to...
Step 2 breaks the CI down into class and type; the ‘To-Be’ diagrams, ‘To-Be’ event-fl ow
When implementing Confi guration the rationale for the class and type will be diagrams should contain information on
Management it is necessary to perform specifi c to you organisation. how the project team want the CMDB to
an ‘as-is’ assessment which can either There are a myriad of documents be updated. For example – do you want
be a long-term or short-term project which the Project Team will need to Incidents recorded against the CI in the
depending on the size of the organisation compile including event fl ow and CMDB? How do you want changes to
and the IT structure. A number of process diagrams, use-case packages, CI(s) to be fed into the CMDB? Is there
organisations often recruit consultants a documented Domain Analysis which a Change Control procedure already in
for this stage of the project due to the shows current systems and applications place (‘as-is’ model)? If not, which Actor
size of the workload and the length of in use. (person responsible) within Change
time involved. Management will take ownership of the
Assessing how individual teams record Step 3 Change Control procedure?
data will give you a clear understanding It is worth mentioning that one of the
of what items and asset information you most important documents the Project One of the most
already have logged, and also any gaps. Team will need to put together will be important documents
It will give you an insight into how specifi c the Project Team will
groups within IT currently manage their need to put together
data i.e. the level of detail and type of will be the
attributes recorded. ‘To-Be’ diagrams
It is important that you speak to
everyone involved in managing systems Once the ‘To-Be’ and ‘As-Is’ have been
and databases, in some cases this may assessed Gap Analysis documentation will
even be outside of the IT Department. be put together. This documentation will
I once worked in an organisation where show the ‘As-Is’ state with the desirable
a number of legacy systems were relied ‘To-Be’ state. The Gap Analysis will clearly
upon for delivery of major services and show the difference between the current
IT had no idea that such huge databases state and the desired state in the form of
even existed. Make sure that you an Aspirational Model. This Model will be
speak to not only the Service Desk but
Do
also the Problem Management team,
's and Dont
invaluable when it comes to scoping the
’s
design and functionality of the CMDB.
the Change Management team, the
Release Management team, Database Do. Put together a core group of Inspirational Architecture
Management; everyone who potentially people who will be responsible for Implementing Confi guration
could have knowledge of systems outside identifying goals and objectives. Make Management is a huge undertaking and
of IT’s normal scope. sure these people are from a variety of should be seen as a long-term project.
areas and not just your own team. This article cannot comprehensively cover
Make sure you speak to
every area that need to be discussed
everyone who potentially
Do. Make sure that the Project prior to implementing CM; even the list
Manager speaks to everyone involved in of all policy and process documents
could have knowledge of
managing systems and databases, even would take up 10 pages. It is hoped
systems outside of IT’s those outside of IT’s normal remit. however, that some of the ideas within
normal scope
will inspire Service Desks to start looking
Do. Employ a Data Architect to put at Confi guration Management as a less
An ‘As-Is’ Process Assessment Form together all the scope and functionality daunting obstacle and something which
will help you consistently record documentation. can be achieved through careful planning
information about current processes i.e. and preparation. The one key piece of
is the acquisition process documented? Don't. Allow the ‘owner’ of the advice I can give is to employ a Data
Does the change process update the Confi guration Management process to Architect to assist you. Data Architects
CMDB? An Assessment Form should be be the person who project manages the are adept at creating policy and process
completed by each group that manages implementation. The Project Manager documents like those discussed and
CI(s). In addition to the ‘As-Is’ Process needs to have a third-party view of all this knowledge will be invaluable to the
Assessment Form there will also be an the separate processes feeding into the Project Group when it comes to deciding
‘As-Is’ Inventory Assessment Form which project. the type of database they require.
august.september | 2009 www.supportworld.co.uk
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