Asset & Configuration - Manager


Click  Track Completion  when you are finished.


Welcome to the Asset & Configuration - Manager learning. Click each sequential tab below to find key learnings and information.

 

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              Introduction              ::

Configuration Management Database

Asset and Configuration Management relies on the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) information. The CMDB stores the asset and configuration data plus relationship data that represents a specific service's components. Information provides the Asset & Configuration Manager the knowledge and skills needed to manage their service's Configuration Items (CIs) while using the Integrated Service Management Platform (ISMP) tool to perform their role activities.

 

Understanding the information available in the Configuration Management Database is critical. The following highlights the CMDB's primary components with key terms defined. CMDB

 

Key Terms Description
Attribute
  • Information that describes the CI make, model, serial number, location, processor, IP address, etc.
Configuration Item (CI)
  • A component which, when combined with or related to other CI's, makes up a service.
  • A CI can be hardware, software, or logical.
Configuration Item Class
  • A type of Configuration Item, e.g., Network Gear vs Server vs Application.
  • Used as a container for a specific type or group of CIs.
Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
  • A database that stores information pertaining to a service.
Relationship
  • Method of connecting CI's together in a logical way.
  • Describes how a CI is used within a service.
  • Creates dependencies to other CI's.
Service-Now
  • The vendor that manufactures the core of the Service Management System application tool.

 

Service Management Process Relationships   {showhide title="See More ..." changetitle="Hide ..."}

The Asset & Configuration Management process is unique. It is the center of the Service Management framework. All ITIL processes rely on accurate configuration data. Below are several Service Management process examples with Configuration Items (core to Asset and Configuration service) used in their processes.

 

Change Management
  • Will show which CI's are involved in the change.
  • Users will be able to see upstream and downstream impact potential from changes going on in the environment with configured relationships.
  • Also, CMDB data will be exposed to Incident specialists who will be able to see if a change recently occurred which may be causing an Incident.

Event Management
  • A direct tie between automated system events and CI's. 
  • If a CI is missing a relationship to a Service or a Support Group events will not route to Service-Now.

Problem Management

New analytics are available such as cross conferencing Incidents to model numbers, amount of memory installed, installed software versions, or simply an individual CI. All new features are implemented with Service-Now CMDB.


Incident Management

A CI is selected, as mandatory field, in each incident. Additionally, the CMDB can be used to help troubleshoot Incidents by allowing views of recent changes and impact relationships which exist.

 CMDB

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Additional Resources

The following resources provide further learning opportunities and additional information:

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        Manager: Roles/Responsibilities        ::

Asset & Configuration Manager The Asset & Configuration Manager role includes the following job description and responsibilities. These are high level, summary items that provide a frameworks for the activities performed by the role.

 

Job Description     The Asset & Configuration Manager ...
  • Is accountable for the completeness and accuracy of their service's asset & configuration data in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and accounting systems.
  • Ensures that their service knows and complies with asset & configuration management policy and process requirements.
  • Ensures their service is staffed & trained to perform asset & configuration task activities.

Responsibilities     The Asset & Configuration Manager manages the needs to ...
  • Ensure the service is informed and complies with the asset & configuration management policy and processes.
  • Ensure the service has people assigned and trained for asset & configuration management roles.
  • Identify software or hardware items managed by the service and manages the association of the items to the support group and service.
  • Identify sources and methods for automatically collecting configuration data.

 

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        Manager: Tasks/Activities        ::

The tasks and activities that the Asset & Configuration Manager performs are mostly done using the Service-Now tool in the Integrated Service Management Platform (ISMP). Understanding general tool navigation and functionality helps you perform many standard tasks. Watch the below demonstration for further information about the Service-Now tool relative to your role.

Within the Service-Now tool, the Configuration Toolbox is the section where Asset & Configuration tasks are performed. The Configuration Toolbox is a set of applications where you can execute key tasks directly in the production environment. It includes live data with real-time information displayed.




Each service typically only has one Asset & Configuration Manager. The Configuration Toolbox is only visible to user's assigned the Asset & Configuration Manager role.

From the left-hand navigation channel in Service-Now, click to expand the Configuration Toolbox section. When expanded, note there are 4 primary task items to perform:

  1. Create New Service Application
  2. Wire Up Service Applications
  3. Manage Environments
  4. Request CMDB CI Change

 Configuration toolbox overview


Click to view a demonstration how to Use General Navigation / Functionality Features. Demo

 

Configuration Toolbox:   Create New Service Application   {showhide title="See More ..." changetitle="Hide ..."}

The Create New Service Application allows you to identify an application in IAP that your service owns. It also allows you to create the service application Configuration Item (CI), software product CI, and the necessary relationships between CIs to your service.

 

Create new service application

 

Click to view a demonstration how to Create a New Service Application. Demo

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Configuration Toolbox:   Wire Up Service Applications   {showhide title="See More ..." changetitle="Hide ..."}

The Wire Up Service Application allows you to create a relationship between your service application CIs and other CIs such as servers, database instances, or Web sites.

 

Wire up service applications

 

Click to view a demonstration how to Wire Up Service Applications. Demo

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Configuration Toolbox:   Manage Environments   {showhide title="See More ..." changetitle="Hide ..."}

The Manage Environments allows you to create a related list of CIs that are included in your service's environment such as your development, pre-production, and production environments.

 

Environment Manager

 

Click to view a demonstration how to Manage Environments. Demo

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Configuration Toolbox:   Request CMDB CI Change   {showhide title="See More ..." changetitle="Hide ..."}

The Request CMDB CI Change allows you to submit requests to:
  • Add a new or missing CI
  • Add an existing CI to a Service(s)
  • Change service relationships between multiple CIs

 

Request CMDB CI change

 

Click to view a demonstration how to Request CMDB CI Change(s). Demo

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 ||  Completion  || ::

When you have completed the learning in this content, click the below  Track Completion  button.

This allows the IT Service Management team to know that you have completed this learning and are prepared for relevant next steps.

 


Click  Track Completion  when you are finished.

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