Configuration management database cmdb, asset management. As can be seen, at the core of both asset and configuration management is the configuration management database or cmdb. Although the cmdb can hold information that allows it to manage asset lifecycle, etc. Blog dont confuse it asset management and configuration. Today, the it department can track any asset or configuration item ci, all of its relevant attributes, and how it interacts with other items in the cmdb. Determining whether to store assets, cis, or both in bmc remedyforce cmdb 2. This is the time when you track its configuration details, the software installed on it.
What is the difference between dcim software and cmdbs. Software license is the key to unlock and use the software in a. According to itil v3, the cms is comprised of databases and tools that manage configuration data for a service provider. These practices may overlap, but they arent the same. What is the difference between cmdb solutions and asset. So, while asset management is a process responsible for controlling assets throughout their lifecycle, the cmdb is a tool used to store the data needed for service. The major difference between cmdb and asset management is that cmdb. Difference between cmdb and asset management bmc software. The symantec connect community allows customers and users of symantec to network and learn more about creative and innovative ways to. In other words, your cmdb stores information on the configuration of items within an organization, including hardware, software, systems, facilities, and. Asset management, itil, and the cmdb rjr innovations. An itsm configuration management database cmdb is a tool that documents an it asset, much like a software tool that provides itam functionality.
The data stored in the database can be used by a variety of different organizations as needed to perform both business and it service. According to itil 4, a configuration management database cmdb is used to store configuration records throughout their lifecycle and. Freshservice provides a comprehensive range of asset management features that let you never lose trac. Assets are physical devices such as desktop computers, laptops, software. Whats the difference between it asset management and a cmdb. Understanding inventory, configuration and it asset. It is often the initial phase of a cmdb journey, they wrote. Hi experts, i am really confused with cmdb and asset management modules. Asset and configuration item ci management refers to creating assets, setting appropriate states and substates, synchronizing assets and cis, managing consumables, and retiring assets. All servicenow customers can now take advantage of clean, normalized it inventory and software asset management information in their servicenow configuration management database.
When an asset is expired or disposed or deleted, the license allocated to the software in the asset will automatically be deallocated. This episode of cybersecurity insights explains the distinction and reveals why intelligence is integral to. Cmdb is a subset of another system called the configuration management system cms. Asset management is concerned with the entire lifecycle of the asset, from its initial procurement or lease, through its assignment for use or provisioning, throughout its use and into retirement.
An asset database represents a limited subset of a cmdb, but an important one. It is a repository that stores information about configuration items cis throughout the service lifecycle. It acts as a virtual data warehouse that houses the ci configuration records, critical asset dependencies, and other important ci attribute information such as. Do you know the differences that exist between an it asset. On the other hand, asset management is integrated with the procurement systemerp. Itsm and itam software are tools that manage and support it assets and their configuration. In most cases, a ci is a combination of it assets, such as an email server which consists of hardware and software. Managing a cmdb with it asset management is similar to managing the flight database with an equipmentplane inventory database. One common question asked by newbies is, what is the difference between it asset management and the configuration management database. A cdmb is a logical entity with key integration points, and it supports and enables processes in service delivery, service support, it asset management and other it disciplines. The itil definition for cmdb is a database containing attributes of configuration items, and relationships between configuration items.
Cmdbs are used to keep track of the state of assets such as products, systems, software, facilities, people as they exist at specific points in time, and the relationship between all assets. This leads to the inevitable question, what is the difference between an asset and a configuration item ci. Configuration management database cmdb is a centralized repository that stores information on all the significant entities in your it environment. Marketing officer at nlyte software, dispels the confusion between a cmdb and itam. Freshservice is a simple, easytouse, itilalligned service desk software that helps organizations bridge the gap between it and their business. So, what is the difference between one acronym and the other. When it comes to managing it assets, theres no shortage of solution acronyms available. A configuration management database cmdb is an itil database used by an organization to store information about hardware and software assets this.
What is the difference between software license and license agreement. Throughout much of the history of it, what is now called the cmdb was known by various other terms, the most common being an asset database, wrote authors carlos casanova and glenn odonnell. The asset database does not require the details the cmdb maintains but does track the servers lifecycle. The cmdb, in contrast to a static asset list, helps you track not only the configuration items cis within your system, but also the relationships between those items.
In practical terms, the cmdb is place to collect and store data on assets what they are, where they are, who owns them, how theyre configured, variables that can impact the business in any way, and any relationships among them. He states, quite correctly that the cmdb is the data store for asset management. This process is part of an overall service asset and configuration management process. Relationship between cmdb and cms this topic describes how the configuration management database cmdb fits within the broader configuration management system cms. It ensures the assets location and use are tracked throughout its lifecycle and proper depreciation of capital assets is managed. You can create hardware, software license, consumable, license, software entitlement, and. For any enterprise, managing assets and infrastructure, in general, is an important aspect of its operations. Reduce spend, mitigate risk, and drive action across it with intelligent operations. In asset management soluiton the cmdb solution does the following. Cmdb is a component of asset and configuration management. Relationship between cmdb and cms it service management. Sunview software it service management itsm software. The cmdb appears to be very similar to a data warehouse.
Since cmdb needs to keep track of the issues and usage related to the asset, it is often integrated with the change management system. It asset management is often confused with configuration management, but the two. It includes managing only those assets which have a business or financial impact on the enterprise. It asset management is often confused with configuration management, but the two are. Explaining configuration item ci, cmdb, cms and dml.
Find out the differences between cmdb, asset management, and. Cmdb solution lets you model configuration items, resources, and the relationships between them in a central database. It is important not to confuse the different objectives of the cmdb and itam software tools. Difference between cmdb and asset management rahul priyadarshy jun 5, 2015 3. Perhaps the ones that cause the most confusion are configuration management database cmdb and information technology asset management itam. And it asset managers should be relieved to discover that, far from encroaching on their turf, a cmdb will empower them to play an even more strategic and integrated role in it. Whats the difference between cmdb reporting and asset intelligence. The database contains all of the data needed to do both asset and configuration management. This includes hardware such as laptops and phones, software, employees. Cmdb is a configuration management database used to store data specially configuration item ci.
Why did the early asset databases fail to deliver the promise of the cmdb. Two itsm practices, asset management and configuration management, guide you towards successful component management. It service management itsm software for the intelligent enterprise products. The configuration management database or cmdb is the central repository or database, as its aptly referred to for managing and maintaining configuration items cis. From the descriptions ive been able to find on various websites, it seems like configuration management is just a fancy term for putting your config files in a source control repository. Management database cmdb is a tool that documents an it asset.
It asset management will look different for every organization, so its important to know how mutual processes and activities will overlap. What is the difference between configuration management. Symantec helps consumers and organizations secure and manage their informationdriven world. Ci data into a single configuration management database cmdb. What is the difference between the configuration management database cmdb and hardware asset management ham.
The benefits of it asset management are many, but the most important ones are improved asset acquisition, improved compliance, and improved asset performance. Thats where integrating disparate data center management systems can make a difference. Then it has to regularly maintain this complex data for. With an accurate configuration management database cmdb, its easy to understand your organizations it environment, particularly in the areas of service impact analysis, asset management, compliance, and configuration management. What is the difference between cmdb and asset management. A configuration management database cmdb is a key component, as it stores ci records and helps manage the cis directly. Confusion translates to serious consequence when configuration information is inappropriately used in place of properly. Cmdb or configuration management database as the name suggests, is a. Jean, cmdb solution is not included in client management suite.
Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. While asset management is a process, cmdb is a tool. Investing in good it asset management software can help you make better. How to fix your cmdb with hardware asset management. All these modules can consume cmdb data based on the scenario and inputs. Another element of success with both itsm and itom and with itam is a configuration management database cmdb. How to integrate a cmdb with it asset management itam. Which free database application shall i use to create a. What is not stated is that because the cmdb is the repositor for asset, is is possible, probably even, that you will have assets in the cmdb which are not cis. The cmdb is a fundamental component of the information technology infrastructure library frameworks configuration management process. Cis are tracked within the configuration management database cmdb. This includes hardware such as laptops and phones, software. It asset management deals with all the objects that have a financial value to the company.
Instead of sweating the differences between assets and configuration items, the beneficial thing is to understand how the different management. It acts as a virtual data warehouse that houses the ci configuration records, critical asset dependencies, and other important ci attribute information such as owner, identifier, type, importance, relationship, etc. The cmdb is a database that the organization maintains, and as youll see. The cmdb, however, is not a process or activity, it is a database that stores. Configuration management database cmdb as the name suggests, it is a database that records various cis along with their attributes and relationships.
The impact of ignoring these questions, and ignoring the goals of the cmdb by forcing the technology into a role it wasnt meant for, can ruin a massive investment in short order. Sunview software is a leading provider of itsm software, powered by awardwinning artificial intelligence. A comprehensive cmdb provides a single version of the truth about your it estate, and can accurately and consistently inform itsm, itom, and itam efforts at. Why its wrong to compare cmdb and asset management. Lets explore some of the considerations data center managers may have when integrating data center infrastructure management dcim and a configuration management database cmdb. Configuration item ci are all the items but also database instance, websites, logical items, etc.
It also continually checks and alerts when something is wrong. When delivering configuration management engagements, customers often notice that some items appear in both their cmdb and in their asset management software. The cmdb software is intended to contain all relevant information about hardware and software components and the relationships between those components used in an organizations it infrastructure. Introduction to service asset and configuration management. Assets are probably part of your cmdb, but not necessarily all assets are ci relevant for your business process.
To start with, lets take a look at the itil definition of asset management. Officer at nlyte software, dispels the confusion between a cmdb and itam. Configuration management database cmdb is an integral part of it service management. The cmdb identifies, records and reports all your network hardware and software, including their versions, expiration date, license files etc. Can anyone explain in simple terms what the difference is between configuration management and version control. What is the difference between an asset and a configuration item ci. The primary difference between asset management and configuration management is the introduction of the relationship concept. And while the cmdbs role consists of storing all attribute information and metadata of service items cis, itam tracks only the items assets. Cms consists of various cmdbs and databases containing incidents, changes, releases, problems and known errors.
568 840 1072 259 1334 1317 402 1013 1185 218 1402 196 1338 53 26 3 465 560 259 448 1393 8 407 1222 793 1245 1042 213 1333 75 256 1397 1218 1302 1188 1040 1102 372 620 1084 1064 1033 157