Service Asset and Configuration Management

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ITIL Service Asset and Configuration Management

ITIL Service Asset and Configuration Management aims to maintain information about Configuration Items required to deliver an IT service, including their relationships.

Part of: Service Transition

Process Owner: Configuration Manager

 

Process: ITIL Service Asset and Configuration Management

ITIL Service Asset & Configuration Management

Activities and process objectives of the Configuration Management process are broadly identical in ITIL V3 and V2. ITIL V3 introduces the "Configuration Management System (CMS)" as a logical data model, encompassing several Configuration Management Databases (CMDB).

The following sub-processes are part of ITIL Configuration Management:

Sub-Processes

Configuration Identification

Process Objective: To define and maintain the underlying structure of the CMS (the Configuration Model), so that it is able to hold all information on Configuration Items (CIs). This includes specifying the attributes describing CI types and their sub-components, as well as determining their interrelationships.

Configuration Control

Process Objective: To ensure that no Configuration Items are added or modified without the required authorization, and that such modifications are adequately recorded in the CMS.

Configuration Verification and Audit

Process Objective: To perform regular checks, ensuring that the information contained in the CMS is an exact representation of the Configuration Items (CIs) actually installed in the live production environment.

 

ITIL Terms: Service Asset and Configuration Management

Change Request to CMS Structure

A request from a Service Management process to change the CMS structure. This request is sent to Configuration Management if new CIs or attributes must be recorded but the CMS's structure is not adequate for holding the new data.

CMS/ CMDB

The Configuration Management System (CMS) is a coherent logical model of the IT organization’s service assets, typically made up of several Configuration Management Databases (CMDB) as physical sub-systems.

It is used to store information on all Configuration Items (CIs) under the control of Configuration Management (see also: ITIL Checklist CMS - CMDB).

CMS Change Policy

A set of rules defining who is authorized to modify the structure and contents of the CMS.

Configuration Audit Report

A report summarizing the results of a CMS audit, highlighting revealed differences between CMS records and actually installed CIs.

Configuration Item (CI)

Configuration Items (CIs) can be of various types: the CMS almost always covers services and IT infrastructure, but might also cover other item types like policies, project documentation, employees, suppliers, ...

Configuration Items are characterized by their attributes (recorded in the CI’s Configuration Record) and their relationships to other CIs.

Definitive Media Library (DML)

One or more locations in which the definitive and approved versions of all software Configuration Items are securely stored. The DML may also contain associated Configuration Items (CIs) such as licenses and documentation.

DML is a single logical storage area even if there are multiple locations. All software in the DML is under the control of Change and Release Management and is recorded in the Configuration Management System. Only software from the DML is acceptable for use in a Release.

 

Additional Information

ITIL KPIs and Checklists

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Service Asset and Configuration Management
• Checklist ITIL Configuration Management: CMS/ CMDB

ITIL Roles

Configuration Manager - Process Owner

The Configuration Manager is responsible for maintaining information about Configuration Items required to deliver IT services.

To this end he maintains a logical model, containing the components of the IT infrastructure (CIs) and their associations.

 

Downloads

Overview ITIL Service Asset & Configuration Management

Use the following links to open the process overview of Service Asset Management and ITIL Configuration Management showing the most important interfaces: ITIL Configuration Management (.JPG) ITIL Configuration Management (.PDF)

ITIL Configuration Management at a glance