Asset Management, Configuration Management, and Service Catalog
Asset Management and Configuration Management
There is some overlap between asset management and configuration management in that you can use the assets in your asset management database to populate the CIs of your configuration management Database (CMDB). However, one of the main features that distinguishes a CMDB from an asset database is relationships. A CMDB allows you to define and manage how CIs are related to one another.
Service Catalog and Configuration Manager
Service Catalog is a part of the FootPrints Configuration Manager add-on module. A Service Catalog is a document that provides a brief overview, in business terms, of all the business and infrastructure services offered by the IT provider, which may also include service charges. FootPrintsService Catalog (SC) enables IT organizations to offer a menu of services customized to their business customers; this allows IT to demonstrate its value to the business, and provide transparency of service costs . Items in the Service Catalog might include new equipment (laptop, Blackberry, etc.), critical business services such as email, or services required for a new hire. An entry in the SC would include a description of service, costs, service level agreement, etc. in a customer-friendly interface.
Terms
You should be familiar with the following terms as they apply to FootPrints Configuration Manager:
Configuration Management Database (CMDB)—A database used to store Configuration Records throughout their Lifecycle. The FootPrints Configuration Manager System maintains one or more CMDBs, and each CMDB stores Attributes of CIs, and Relationships with other CIs.*
Configuration Item (CI)—Any Component that needs to be managed in order to deliver an IT Service. Information about each CI is recorded in a Configuration Record within the FootPrints Configuration Manager System and is maintained throughout its Lifecycle by FootPrints Configuration Manager. CIs are under the control of FootPrints Change Manager. CIs typically include IT Services, hardware, software, buildings, people, and formal documentation such as Process documentation and SLAs.*
Configuration Type(CI Type)—A category for CIs. For example, you might create a configuration type called "Server" in the CMDB.
Attribute—A piece of information about a Configuration Item. Examples are name, location, Version number, and Cost. Attributes of CIs are recorded in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB).*
Relationship—A connection or interaction between two people or things. In FootPrints Configuration Manager it is a link between two Configuration Items that identifies a dependency or connection between them. For example Applications may be linked to the Servers they run on; IT Services have many links to all the CIs that contribute to them.*
Visualization—A figure representing a relationship or relationships. FootPrints Configuration Manager uses Java to "draw" a visualization of a CI's relationship(s) dynamically.
Status—Status is often a required field in many types of Record. It shows the current stage in the Lifecycle of the associated Configuration Item, Incident, Problem, etc.*
* ITIL V3 Glossary v3.1.24, 11 May 2007. The definition is reproduced with permission.