Manage Configuration

Purpose:

Define and maintain descriptions and relationships between key resources and capabilities required to deliver IT-enabled services, including collecting configuration information, establishing baselines, verifying and auditing configuration information, and updating the configuration repository.

Objective:

Provide sufficient information about service assets to enable the service to be effectively managed, assess the impact of changes and deal with service incidents.

Description:

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Inputs:

• Release plan
• Register of software licences
• Change request status reports
• Results of physical inventory checks
• Asset register
• Authorized asset retirements
• Asset register revisions
• Results of physical inventory checks

Outputs:

• Scope of configuration management model
• Logical configuration model
• Configuration repository
• Configuration baseline
• Updated repository with configuration items
• Approved changes to baseline
• Configuration status reports
• Results of physical verification of configuration items
• Licence deviations
• Results of repository completeness reviews

Controls:

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Task Instructions:

Establish and Maintain a Configuration Model

1. 1. Define and agree on the scope and level of detail for configuration management (i.e., which services, assets, and configurable infrastructure items to include).
   2. Establish and maintain a logical model for configuration management, including information on configuration item types, configuration item attributes, relationship types, relationship attributes, and status codes.

Establish and Maintain a Configuration Repository and Baseline

1. 1. Identify and classify configuration items and populate the repository.
   2. Create, review, and formally agree on configuration baselines of a service, application, or infrastructure.

Maintain and Control Configuration Items

1. 1. Regularly identify all changes to configuration items.
   2. Review proposed changes to configuration items against the baseline to ensure completeness and accuracy.
   3. Update configuration details for approved changes to configuration items.
   4. Create, review, and formally agree on changes to configuration baselines whenever needed.

Produce Status and Configuration Reports

1. 1. Identify status changes of configuration items and report against the baseline.
   2. Match all configuration changes with approved requests for change to identify any unauthorized changes. Report unauthorized changes to change management.
   3. Identify reporting requirements from all stakeholders, including content, frequency, and media. Produce reports according to the identified requirements.

Verify and Review Integrity of the Configuration Repository

1. 1. Periodically verify live configuration items against the configuration repository by comparing physical and logical configurations and using appropriate discovery tools, as required.
   2. Report and review all deviations for approved corrections or action to remove any unauthorized assets.
   3. Periodically verify that all physical configuration items, as defined in the repository, physically exist. Report any deviations to management.
   4. Set and periodically review the target for completeness of the configuration repository based on business needs.
   5. Periodically compare the degree of completeness and accuracy against targets and take remedial action, as necessary, to improve the quality of the repository data.