Implementing ITIL Configuration Management (Developerworks)

Practical, Real-World ITIL Configuration Management–From Start to FinishThe IT Infrastructure Library® (ITIL) places the “best practices” in IT operations at your command. ITIL helps you make better technology choices, manages IT more effectively, and drives greater business value from all your IT investments. The core of ITIL is configuration management: the discipline of identifying, tracking, and controlling your IT environment’s diverse components to gain accurate and timely information for better decision-making.Now, there’s a practical, start-to-finish guide to ITIL configuration management for every IT leader, manager, and practitioner. ITIL-certified architect and solutions provider Larry Klosterboer helps you establish a clear roadmap for success, customize standard processes to your unique needs, and avoid the pitfalls that stand in your way.You’ll learn how to plan your implementation, deploy tools and processes, administer ongoing configuration management tasks, refine ITIL information, and leverage it for competitive advantage. Throughout, Klosterboer demystifies ITIL’s jargon, illuminates each technique with real-world advice and examples, and helps you focus on the specific techniques that offer maximum business value in your environment.Coverage includesAssessing your current configuration management maturity and setting goals for improvement Gathering and managing requirements to align ITIL with organizational needs Describing the schema of your configuration management database (CMDB) Identifying, capturing, and organizing configuration data Choosing the best tools for your requirements Integrating data and processes to create a unified logical CMDB and configuration management service Implementing pilot projects to demonstrate the value of configuration management and to test your planning Moving from a pilot to wide-scale enterprise deployment Defining roles for deployment and ongoing staffing Leveraging configuration management information: Reporting and beyond Measuring and improving CMDB data accuracyPreface xviiAcknowledgments xxiAbout the Author xxiiiChapter 1: Overview of Configuration Management 1Part I: Planning for Configuration Management 17Chapter 2: Gathering and Analyzing Requirements 19Chapter 3: Determining Scope, Span, and Granularity 37Chapter 4: Customizing the Configuration Management Process 55Chapter 5: Planning for Data Population 67Chapter 6: Putting Together a Useful Project Plan 85Part II: Implementing Configuration Management 97Chapter 7: Choosing the Right Tools 99Chapter 8: Implementing the Process 117Chapter 9: Populating the Configuration Management Database 127Chapter 10: Choosing and Running a Pilot Program 137Chapter 11: Communication and Enterprise Roll Out 149Part III: Running an Effective Configuration Management System 161Chapter 12: Building a Configuration Management Team 163Chapter 13: The Many Uses for Configuration Information 179Chapter 14: Measuring and Improving CMDB Accuracy 193Chapter 15: Improving the Business Value of Configuration Management 207Index 217 Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 20 About the Author......Page 21 Part I: Planning......Page 22 Introducing ITIL......Page 24 Change and Release Management......Page 27 Business Benefits of Implementing ITIL Change and Release Management......Page 30 Looking Ahead......Page 33 Uncovering Requirements......Page 34 Prioritizing and Managing Requirements......Page 42 Looking Ahead......Page 46 How to Define a Process......Page 48 Standard ITIL Process Activities......Page 52 Change Management and Operations......Page 54 Release Management and the Project Life Cycle......Page 58 Looking Ahead......Page 61 Work Flows by Change Category......Page 62 Work Flows by Change Urgency......Page 66 Work Flows for Release Management......Page 69 Looking Ahead......Page 71 Planning to Meet Requirements......Page 72 Planning for Data Migration......Page 77 Planning to Implement Tools......Page 80 Building a Complete Project Plan......Page 83 Looking Ahead......Page 84 Part II: Implementing......Page 86 Tools for Change Management......Page 88 Tools for Release Management......Page 91 Integrating Operations and Development......Page 95 Features to Look For......Page 98 Using a Trade Study to Choose Tools......Page 101 Looking Ahead......Page 104 Dealing with Legacy Systems......Page 106 Data Retention Policies......Page 110 Techniques for Consolidating Data......Page 111 Merging Release and Change Data......Page 114 Looking Ahead......Page 116 Running a Process Workshop......Page 118 Building the Right Organization......Page 121 Training the Team......Page 124 First Steps Toward Success......Page 126 Looking Ahead......Page 128 Chapter 9 Choosing and Running a Pilot......Page 130 Reasons to Perform a Pilot......Page 131 Choosing the Right Pilot......Page 133 Measuring the Pilot Project......Page 135 Running an Effective Pilot......Page 136 Evaluating the Pilot......Page 137 What Happens When Pilots Fail......Page 138 Looking Ahead......Page 140 Determining the Implementation Axis......Page 142 Measuring to Show Benefits......Page 145 Corrections for Common Implementation Problems......Page 151 Looking Ahead......Page 152 Part III: Operational Issues......Page 154 The Basic Contents of the FSC......Page 156 FSC Timing Issues......Page 159 Assembling a Useful FSC......Page 160 Integrating Change and Release Management Schedules......Page 162 Looking Ahead......Page 163 Overview of the DML......Page 164 How the DML Differs from Other Software-Tracking Tools......Page 167 Tracking Versions in the DML......Page 168 Using the DML to Optimize Change Management......Page 170 Looking Ahead......Page 172 Understanding the Software Stack......Page 174 Guiding Principles for Release Package Design......Page 179 Looking Ahead......Page 182 Chapter 14 Auditing and Compliance Management......Page 184 Control Points......Page 185 Controlling Changes Across Control Points......Page 187 Regulations and Release Management......Page 189 Data Auditing and Process Auditing......Page 190 Looking Ahead......Page 193 Part IV: Reaping the Benefits......Page 194 Technical Impacts and Business Impacts......Page 196 How to Determine Business Impact......Page 198 Recording Business Impact in a Change Record......Page 200 Using Business Impact Analysis in the Change Advisory Board......Page 203 Looking Ahead......Page 205 Chapter 16 Reports and Service Levels......Page 206 Reports About Changes......Page 207 Reports About the Change Management Process......Page 210 Reports About Releases......Page 213 Reports About the Release Management Process......Page 216 Looking Ahead......Page 218 Some Other Connections to Consider......Page 220 Linking Changes to Incident Management......Page 223 Linking Changes to Problem Management......Page 225 Linking Release Management and Capacity Management......Page 226 Some Other Connections to Consider......Page 228 Looking Ahead......Page 229 B......Page 230 C......Page 231 D......Page 232 G......Page 233 L......Page 234 P......Page 235 R......Page 236 T......Page 238 W......Page 239 Pra ctical, Real-World ITIL Configuration ManagementFrom Start to Finish The IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) places the best practices in IT operations at your command. ITIL helps you make better technology choices, manages IT more effectively, and drives greater business value from all your IT investments. The core of ITIL is configuration the discipline of identifying, tracking, and controlling your IT environments diverse components to gain accurate and timely information for better decision-making. Now, theres a practical, start-to-finish guide to ITIL configuration management for every IT leader, manager, and practitioner. ITIL-certified architect and solutions provider Larry Klosterboer helps you establish a clear roadmap for success, customize standard processes to your unique needs, and avoid the pitfalls that stand in your way. Youll learn how to plan your implementation, deploy tools and processes, administer ongoing configuration management tasks, refine ITIL information, and leverage it for competitive advantage. Throughout, Klosterboer demystifies ITILs jargon, illuminates each technique with real-world advice and examples, and helps you focus on the specific techniques that offer maximum business value in your environment. Coverage includes Covers ITIL version 3. Preface xvii Acknowledgments xxi About the Author xxiii Chapter 1: Overview of Configuration Management 1 Part Planning for Configuration Management 17 Chapter 2: Gathering and Analyzing Requirements 19 Chapter 3: Determining Scope, Span, and Granularity 37 Chapter 4: Customizing the Configuration Management Process 55 Chapter 5: Planning for Data Population 67 Chapter 6: Putting Together a Useful Project Plan 85 Part Implementing Configuration Management 97 Chapter 7: Choosing the Right Tools 99 Chapter 8: Implementing the Process 117 Chapter 9: Populating the Configuration Management Database 127 Chapter 10: Choosing and Running a Pilot Program 137 Chapter 11: Communication and Enterprise Roll Out 149 Part Running an Effective Configuration Management System 161 Chapter 12: Building a Configuration Management Team 163 Chapter 13: The Many Uses for Configuration Information 179 Chapter 14: Measuring and Improving CMDB Accuracy 193 Chapter 15: Improving the Business Value of Configuration Management 207 Index 217 "Now, there's a practical, start-to-finish guide to ITIL configuration management for every IT leader, manager, and practitioner. ITIL-certified architect and solutions provider Larry Klosterboer helps you establish a clear roadmap for success, customize standard processes to your unique needs, and avoid the pitfalls that stand in your way." "You'll learn how to plan your implementation, deploy tools and processes, administer ongoing configuration management tasks, refine ITIL information, and leverage it for competitive advantage. Throughout, Klosterboer demystifies ITIL jargon, illuminates each technique with real-world advice and examples, and helps you focus on the specific techniques that offer maximum business value in your environment."--BOOK JACKET Overview Of Configuration Management -- Gathering And Analyzing Requirements -- Determining Scope, Span, And Granularity -- Customizing The Configuration Management Process -- Planning For Data Population -- Putting Together A Useful Project Plan -- Choosing The Right Tools -- Implementing The Process -- Populating The Configuration Management Database -- Choosing And Running A Pilot Program -- Communication And Enterprise Roll Out -- Building A Configuration Management Team -- The Many Uses For Configuration Information -- Measuring And Improving Cmdb Accuracy -- Improving The Business Value Of Configuration Management. Larry Klosterboer. Includes Index.