Introduction to CMDB
Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is a centralized repository that stores information about significant entities within an IT environment. It serves as the backbone of IT Service Management (ITSM).
Configuration Items (CIs) are critical resources for an organization, consisting of assets, users, hardware, software applications, documents, and business services.
Not all entities qualify as CIs; only those crucial for delivering effective IT services are considered CIs.
Impact of CMDB on an Organization
CMDB and the related configuration management activities act as a hub for modern IT operations, enabling organizations to efficiently manage critical Configuration Items (CIs) and their relationships. It supports decision-making and enhances the cost, quality, and performance of IT services.
How Does CMDB Work?
CIs in the CMDB are classified into different types, each represented by fields and relationships. Fields are data elements that describe the characteristics of the CIs under each CI type. Relationships denote the connections or dependency between CIs. For example, CIs like Web Server, Database Server, and File Server may have common fields like Model and Service Tag and share relationships like Managed By or Runs on.
Asset management vs CMDB
An asset database only includes a list of assets, while the CMDB is designed to accommodate a complex IT framework where the connections between the CIs are clearly defined and maintained. The table below demonstrates the distinctions between asset management and configuration management:
Asset Management | Configuration Management (CMDB) |
Assets are standalone entities providing intrinsic financial value to the organization. | Includes CIs such as assets, data centers, storage devices, etc, critical to the organization. |
Focuses on financial and lifecycle aspects of assets. | Manages CIs and their relationships. |
The main users are people who are in charge of the inventory and life cycle aspects of assets. | The main users are service providers, who use this as a decision-making tool to provide improvements to the existing IT services. |
Key Terminologies
Configuration Item (CI) Type: Classification of CIs sharing similar properties (e.g., Assets, Data Centers). The CI types contain fields specific to all the CIs under that type.
Configuration Item (CI): Fundamental unit of the CMDB, categorized by type (e.g., Business Services).
Relationship Type: Defines connections between different CIs. A relationship type consists of a name and its inverse name. (e.g., Hosted In and Hosts).
CI Type to CI Type Relationship: Suggested relationships between CI types defined by the SDCMDBAdmin.
CI to CI Relationship: Specifies how one CI connects to another, either custom or suggested.
Relationship Map: Visual representation of dependencies between CIs.
Characteristics of CIs
Each CI has specific characteristics:
- Type: Indicates the CI type, defining what sort of item it is.
- Fields: Vary by classification and describe the individual characteristics of the CIs.
- Relationships: Indicate how the CIs are related to one another.
CIs differ in complexity, size, and type, ranging from an entire service (which may include hardware, software, documents, etc.) to a single program module or a minor hardware component like a keyboard. Based on these factors, CIs are organized under different CI types.
Related Articles
Introduction
AssetExplorer Cloud from ManageEngine provides end-to-end asset management for organizations. You can use AssetExplorer Cloud to manage assets throughout their lifecycle, from procurement to disposal. AssetExplorer Cloud provides a single, unified ...CMDB
CMDB Admin Configurations The CMDB comprises configuration items (CIs), grouped under different CI types and connected by different relationships. Before you start configuring CIs and defining CI relationships, you need to first configure the CI ...CMDB List View
The CMDB list view displays all CI types and CIs. You can access the list view under CMDB. Choose the CI Type from the panel on the left to view the associated CIs. Role Required: SDAdmin, SDCMDBAdmin, SDCMDBManager, Technicians with View CMDB ...CMDB Business Views
Business views enable you to manage saved relationship maps, providing a summary of relationships between CIs. How is a business view different from a relationship map? A relationship map shows connections at a single level between a base CI and a ...Introduction - Contracts
AssetExplorer Cloud supports formulating, controlling, and managing legally-binding contracts with external parties. Contract management can be used in conjunction with service management and asset management. You can create contracts for your ...