CMDB Good to Know

• Configuration Items (CIs) are assets that make up the CMDB that are managed to avoid disruptions to Services.
• The Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is a repository of Configuration Items (CIs).
• Search for one or more CIs that meet a specific criteria by running a Quick Search or Search Group.
• Create a new CI by clicking New>New Configuration Item on the CSM Desktop Client toolbar or File>New>New Configuration Item from the CSM Desktop Client menu bar.
• CSM implements several OOTB Actions/One-Steps to make Service Asset and Configuration Management more efficient. For more information, see the Actions/One-Steps documentation.

  Note: A full list of One-Steps is beyond the scope of this document. Export a schema document from CSM Administrator (Create a Blueprint>Tools>Export Schema) to view a full list of One-Steps associated with a particular type of Business Object (ex: Major).

• CSM provides several OOTB Automation Processes to automate Service Asset and Configuration Management. For more information, refer to the Automation Process documentation.
• If enabled (via an Automation Process), an e-mail notification is automatically created and sent to:
  • Config - Computer record owner when the record changes.
  • Config - Network Device owner when the record changes.
• When on a record, you can send an e-mail directly to the current Customer by clicking the Primary User's e-mail address in the Requestor section of the Quick Info Tile.
• Journals track what occurs during the record's lifecycle (ex: Notes to track progress or comments, and History to track important field changes, e-mail correspondence, etc.). View or add Journals by clicking the Journal tab in the record's Arrangement.
• The Quick Info Tile (left) displays important at-a-glance information:
  • The Status alert bar displays the current status of the CI as it moves through its workflow.

    Note: Typically, workflow statuses should be enforced; however, some records do allow Users (with rights) to bypass statuses. To bypass a status, click the View More Status Options link in the I Want To section, and then select a status from the the drop-down.

  • The Open Incidents alert bar displays the number of Incidents that are linked to the CI Record.
  • The Owned By section displays the current record owner (oneself, a User, or a Team).
• Fields:
  • Fields with drop-down arrows are populated based on Lookup Table values in Table Management. Add, edit, or delete field values by selecting the field, and then pressing F3.
  • Consider providing a Friendly Name for each CI. This field is used by other Business Objects (ex: Incident and Change) when linking to the record. In some cases, the CI cannot be linked without the Friendly Name.
  • The Description field is a Rich Text field so formatting and images/screenshots can be used to complement the text. To format the text or embed an image, click the Zoom button .
  • Some validated fields can recognize what you are typing and will suggest a value for you (ex: Type "P" into the field; CSM will suggest the first item it finds that starts with the letter P). Use your Down Arrow button to scroll through other possible values.
  • Press TAB to quickly move to the "next" field on the form.

    Note: A full list of fields is beyond the scope of this document. Export a schema document from CSM Administrator (Create a Blueprint>Tools>Export Schema) to view a full list of fields associated with a particular type of Business Object (ex: Major).

• Saving:
  • Date, time, and user name information is recorded the first time the form is saved, and each time the form is modified.
  • Clicking Save triggers an audit of fields that are being tracked for modification (ex: Status). If a modification is detected in a tracked field, a Journal-History record is created to track the modification. View the modifications in the Journals tab (Arrangement section).