CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

Lars Kristian Larsen

itSMF Conference Denmark
28-29 November 2015
Today we’ll look at some Challenges
• Different perceptions of the concepts
• Various circumstances with different
objectives
• The producer/consumer dilemma – different
stakeholders with different expectations and
options
• The identification perspective – The start,
end, and other entry points
And I’ll recommend some actions
• Configuration Management Planning - Scope
and Stakeholder analysis
• Configuration Control Request – Building up
from the green field and maintain it
• Define the Configuration Manager role - to be
a facilitator to the technical subject matter
experts
So lets get started with
my story about
• Configuration Management
– The process everybody
needs but nobody wants
• OR – when the going get
rough, the tough get a
configuration manager!
Welcome
My name is
Lars Kristian Larsen
lkl@kmd.dk
IT Service Management Principal
Consultant at KMD A/S.
(one of Denmark’s leading IT and
software companies, www.kmd.dk)
Education: Master of Science in Political
Science (Cand Scient Pol) and Computer
Science from the University of
Copenhagen.
ITIL Expert and accredited ITIL Tutor, TIPA
Leas Assessor and Prince2 Practitioner.
Different Concepts Perceptions
• ‘Configuration’ is a public term with different
perceptions
• In IT technology ‘Configuration’ is often used
regarding:
– Condition and equipment ‘SETOP’ – e.g. active
network equipment and user rights
– Software versions and releases
– Equipment interoperability
A Common Understanding
Asset Configuration
a useful and desirable thing or the relative disposition or
quality (dictionary.com) arrangement of the parts or
elements of a thing.
(dictionary.com)
 The Item Definition
Asset Configuration Item
• Any resource or capability. The assets of a • Any component or other service asset that needs to
service provider include anything that could be managed in order to deliver an IT service.
contribute to the delivery of a service. Assets Information about each configuration item is
recorded in a configuration record within the
can be one of the following types: configuration management system and is
management, organization, process, maintained throughout its lifecycle by service asset
knowledge, people, information, and configuration management. Configuration
applications, infrastructure or financial items are under the control of change management.
capital. (ITIL Service Strategy) They typically include IT services, hardware,
software, buildings, people and formal
• Service asset are any resource or capability documentation such as process documentation and
of a service provider. service level agreements. (ITIL Service Transition)
• Strategic assets provides the basis for core • Component - A general term that is used to mean
competence, distinctive performance or one part of something more complex. For example,
sustainable competitive advantage, or which a computer system may be a component of an IT
allows a business unit to participate in service; an application may be a component of a
release unit. Components that need to be managed
business opportunities. Part of service should be configuration items.
strategy is to identify how IT can be viewed
as a strategic asset rather than an internal
administrative function.
Lets do a little Definition Break Down

Asset Configuration Item

Any resource or capability Any asset that needs to be
• management, managed in order to deliver an
• organization, IT service.
• process, • CI are under the control of
• knowledge, change management
• people, throughout its lifecycle .
• information,
• CI information are recorded
• applications,
in a configuration record in
• infrastructure or
a CMBD and CMS
• financial capital.
And cut to the Bottom Line
• Assets are resources and capability
• Configuration Items are change controlled
asset recorded in a CMBD

Configuration
Identification
Configuration
Assets Control
Change
CI’s Mgnt

Configuration
verification & audit
The Process Definition
Asset Management Configuration Management
• Tracks and reports the value • Ensures that assets,
and ownership of assets required to deliver services,
throughout their lifecycle. (ITIL are properly controlled, and
Service Transition) that accurate and reliable
asset information is
available when and where it
is needed. Information
includes how the assets
have been configured and
asset relationship. (ITIL
Service Transition)
So the Process Bottom Line is
Asset Management Configuration management
• Tracks and reports • Control asset
• value and ownership • Make asset information
• throughout asset lifecycle. available regarding:
– Asset configuration
– and relationship.
Various Circumstances and Objectives
Example: Configuration of a car

A car manufacturer
Every particular item is essential depending the objectives in design, development,
production, and sales of the final asset – the car.

A car repair workshop

Repair procedure, manuals and parts ordering

A rental car dealer

The car model and stock as well as customers preferences
The potential car owner
The make and features – and budget
Producer/Consumer Dilemma
DESIGN

Trade, skills &

The one who is the source and Tradition
WHAT DO THEY WANT?
producer of the INFORMATION
STRATEGY

Programme
& Budget
Business Planning
objectives Governance, objectives
Obligation
& Maturity

Are not necessarilyTRANSITION

the same
WHAT CAN I GET? as the one who is the target to
Support consume the INFORMATION
objectives
OPERATION
Configuration Management Process
and Procedures
Business
objektives Configuration
Management and
Programme Management
planning
initiation Plan

CMP

Configuration Configuration
Identification Documentation

Configuration
Item data

Change Change RFC

Configuration
request Management CI authorisation
Control
(RFC) process Baseline input

Baselines

Reporting Configuration Review

request Status Accounting reports

Documentation

V&V or audit Configuration Audit

plan Verification & Audit report
 The diamond view of Configuration
Management Process and Procedures
The Central CM Procedures

• Identification –
1 you have to define your scope and accept to
re-define it from time to time

• Change Control –
2 SACM supports Change Management but also
evolves due to the Identification scope

• Status Accounting and Audits –

3 Helps to understand the scope and fuel the
Identification scope re-definition
The Identification Perspective
• Service Asset and
Configuration
Management does not
simply collects everything Configuration
Identification
• The Identification phase Assets
Configuration
Control
makes a scope choice Change
CI’s Mgnt
• There is no definitive start
or end point but a lot of Configuration
entry points verification & audit

• Depending on the
business objectives
Configuration Control Request
Procedure Proposal
 A Configuration Control Request
not the same as a Request for Change
• Configuration Management support the Change
Management process (and other)
• A Change RFC aim is the addition, modification
or removal of anything that could have an effect
on IT services.
• A CCR aim is to fulfill a CM scope definition and
compile, store and maintain CI information
• A CCR does not change the IT services, but
enhances the CI, attributes, and relationship
information regarding the IT services
 A Configuration Control Board
is not a Change Advisory Board
Responsibilities of a Configuration Control Board
• The CCB discuss and manages the CCR
• Consider identification and the scope complexity;
asset stages; relationship; stakeholders, control
activities, verification and audit authority
• Evaluate the Configuration Item List content or
template and information storage and maintenance
• The CCB should include the configuration and change
managers and chief subject matter experts.
General Roles and Responsibility
The Configuration Manager The configuration analyst role
responsibilities typically include: typically include
• aka SACM process manager • Proposing scope for service asset
• Defining and agreeing, and and configuration management
stewardship of the service assets • Supporting the process owner
treated as configuration items and -manager
• Ensuring that configuration data • Defining CM system structure,
is available including CI types, naming
• Planning and managing support conventions, attributes, and
for SACM support tools and relationships
processes • Training staff in SACM principles,
• Coordinating interfaces between processes and procedures
SACM and other processes, • Performing configuration audits.
especially change management, • often combined with the SACM
release and deployment process manager or configuration
management, and knowledge librarian role.
management.
Roles and Responsibility Dilemma
• The general roles does
not reflect the
DESIGN
Trade, skills & producer/consumer
Tradition
dilemma.
STRATEGY TRANSITION • It indicates a
Programme
& Budget
Configuration Manager or
Business Planning
objectives Governance,
Obligation
objectives Analyst has to be a wizard
& Maturity know it all.
• It doesn't take into
Support
objectives account the different
OPERATION stakeholders knowledge,
perceptions, and
objectives.
Roles and Responsibility Proposal
The Configuration Manager Configuration Analysts and
facilitate: subject matter experts facilitate
• Scope for SACM process and • Identification the stakeholders
procedures and assets within the subject
• Define generic assets and areas
configuration items structure • Identification of systems and
(types, attributes, relationship) products system breakdown
• Storage and maintenance of • Input to assets and
configuration item data configuration items structure
• Configuration Control Board • Initiate Configuration Control
chair Requests
• Define SACM support tools • Participate in (relevant)
• Coordinating interfaces Configuration Control Board
between SACM and other meetings
processes and stakeholders
So, in Summary
To deal with the challenges You might want to use
• Different perceptions • CMP Scope and Stakeholder
• Various objectives analysis
• The producer/consumer • Configuration Control
dilemma Request procedure
• The identification • Use the Configuration
perspective Manager role to facilitate
the process and train
subject matter experts in
CM activities