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CMDB systems : making change work in the age of cloud and agile
Drogseth D., Sturm R., Twing D., Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc., San Francisco, CA, 2015. 402 pp. Type: Book (978-0-128012-65-9)
Date Reviewed: May 18 2016

Configuration management databases (CMDBs) are tools that provide a single, trusted source of information on how IT environments are configured and how IT systems interact with each other in complex environments. For the data stored in them to remain accurate, they must be closely integrated with the organization’s change processes. Alternatives to CMDBs are usually based around ad hoc collections of spreadsheets and discrete documentation, as well as a reliance on the institutional memory of individual staff, with all of the management risk that this may bring to an organization. Drogseth, Sturm, and Twing explain why CMDBs are important and how they help to reduce IT systems’ total cost of ownership (TCO) and increase their stability and reliability.

Chapter 1 defines what CMDBs are, their close relationship with change management, and why organizations should consider using them. Helpfully, what CMDBs are not, and some of the pitfalls for which organizations need to be forewarned, are also covered. Chapter 2 expands in more detail on the benefits that a CMDB can bring to an organization.

Chapter 3 introduces the processes and technologies that are the foundation for CMDBs and how the various components of a CMDB map into the IT service management function of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). Chapter 4 then details an eight-step process for the successful deployment, optimization, and management of a CMDB system with the subsequent chapters then gradually moving through and expanding on these eight steps.

Chapter 5 looks at the advantages of a CMDB and how these align with recent developments in IT. The alignment with cloud, virtualization, mobility, and service-oriented IT are some of the areas discussed. Chapter 6 expands on techniques for selling the idea of a CMDB to executive management, and chapter 7 uses several use cases to illustrate building CMDBs to fit the needs of the organization rather than trying to shoehorn business processes to fit a CMDB system. Chapter 8 provides the groundwork for making the initial technology, organization, and process assessment for a new CMDB deployment, and chapter 9 expands on how these three chief drivers (that is, technology, organization, and process) are involved in an iterative and cyclic process for implementation.

Chapter 10 discusses the main steps needed for an effective project plan to implement a CMDB system, concentrating on the detailed requirements, objectives, and metrics for managing a successful implementation but also the need to consider who will be using the CMDB. Chapter 11 continues the implementation discussion, looking at the requirements definition step and building a team for the effective ongoing management of the CMDB. Chapter 12 covers technology selection, discussing the variables that need to be considered when choosing a core CMDB system. Items for consideration include administration, integration, automation, and maintenance costs.

The last three chapters discuss the actual running of an implementation project. Chapter 13 looks at the steps and planning needed to successfully move in to a production CMDB. A top-down approach to the definition of configuration items (CIs), service modeling, and data modeling is detailed, as well as the collection, rationalization, and normalization of the data needed to make the system work. Chapter 14 demonstrates how to develop tiered roadmaps for the system moving forward, and the concepts are illustrated by a case study. Chapter 15 discusses assessing progress and the benefits delivered by the CMDB, as well as managing the inevitable ongoing changes and continual improvements that will be needed as the system matures.

Each chapter concludes with a brief summary, and the work is illustrated with relevant figures and tables. There are four appendices covering a glossary of terms, a request for product information that may be used for evaluating alternative products, a set of self-assessment questions to help organizations in determining their readiness for a CMDB project, and details of some current products in this area. There is a good index, a short bibliography, and a thorough table of contents to aid navigation through the work. This is a good reference for CMDBs for both management and technical people alike. Although there are other works around on this topic, Drogseth, Sturm, and Twing explain why you need a CMDB, how to successfully implement one, and some of the CMDB product options currently available.

Reviewer:  David B. Henderson Review #: CR144422 (1608-0539)
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