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Visual CMDB Overview & Setup

The document discusses a configuration management database (CMDB) tool called Visual CMDB that is implemented using Microsoft Excel. It provides an overview of Visual CMDB's capabilities including visualizing IT infrastructure and impact of changes, embedding an IT architecture framework, and integrating with change management and service catalog databases. The document also reviews Visual CMDB's system requirements and setup process.

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Luis Rizo
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
553 views

Visual CMDB Overview & Setup

The document discusses a configuration management database (CMDB) tool called Visual CMDB that is implemented using Microsoft Excel. It provides an overview of Visual CMDB's capabilities including visualizing IT infrastructure and impact of changes, embedding an IT architecture framework, and integrating with change management and service catalog databases. The document also reviews Visual CMDB's system requirements and setup process.

Uploaded by

Luis Rizo
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CMDB Business Need

Needs Ensure IT Services are aligned with the business needs Facilitate business transformation Facilitate process implementation Manage CI relationships Determine impact of change and incidents on your infrastructure Cost reduction in IT Service Delivery Customer satisfaction with Service Delivery Improved metrics and management reporting Problems The cost of not doing Configuration Management well Cost of enterprise CMDB software Cost, availability and required expertise for CMDB Administration Training and implementation plans can be complex Implementation timeframe Integration with other ITIL processes (i.e. Change Management)

Visual CMDB Overview


What is it? A Configuration Management Database (CMDB) implemented using MS Excel. A CMDB IM/IT Architecture Framework is defined and embedded in the CMDB. This gives each Business Solution a common look and feel. Perfect low cost starter CMDB, addresses Capability Maturity Levels 2 and 3 in CM and is aligned with the ITIL framework. Limited CMDB size due to MS Excel constraints but multiple CMDBs can be run to extend coverage to all of your Business Solutions. A Service Catalogue database and Change Management database are included and are shared by all copies of the CMDB.

Visual CMDB Component Integration


Change Manager
Collect/manage change requests

Service Level Manager

Configuration Manager
Manage CIs and relationships

Define/manage services

Change Management
Forward Schedule Of Change

Service Catalogue

Administrative Applications Change CIs Business Line Applications Exchange Service Catalogue CIs

Visual CMDB
Business Solution

Audit Reports

Enterprise Architecture Technical Solution Application Layer Application Hosting Communication Information/Data Application Layer Key Business Process

Impact Assessments

End User

Visual representation of IT Infrastructure

Visual CMDB Overview


Why Use it? Visualize the structure of each Business Solution using the embedded architecture. Visualize the impact of Change and Incidents on your infrastructure, enterprise architecture, service catalogue, documents, applications, etc. One click navigation allows easy drilldown to successive layers of detail. Comprehensive reporting on the completeness of your high level CI coverage (e.g. do all servers have OS, security and utility software defined?). Easily export your CIs and associations to another CMDB or database.

Visual CMDB Architecture Framework


The Architecture Framework you will use in implementing this CMDB is shown below. The IM Architecture is optional and depends directly on the Service Catalogue.

The seven layers of the IT Architecture Framework


1. The Business Solution Layer defines the client, their business requirements for an IM/IT solution and maps these requirements to solutions defined in the service catalogue. 2. The Enterprise Architecture Layer defines the technical aspects of the service catalogue and provides access to all Enterprise Architecture artifacts for business, application, technology and data architecting. This layer is implemented through the Service Catalogue. 3. The Technical Solution Layer defines the solution development project that engineers the solution and maintains all SDLC deliverables out of the systems development life cycle including any service level agreements. 4. The Application Layer defines the applications needed to develop the solution. An application can be a COTS product, a development effort or application sharing between solutions 5. The Application Hosting Layer defines the hardware devices needed to run the solution application. 6. The Communication Infrastructure Layer defines the communication infrastructure needed to deliver the service to the end user. 7. The End User Layer defines solution end users. The users are usually specified as groups from specific locations or groups that require specific functionality.

The three layers of the IM Architecture Framework

1. The Information/Data Layer defines the data holdings used by each application as well as security classification, security designation and links to associated TRA, SOS, PPIA, PIA documents 2. The Application Layer defines the applications needed to develop the solution. An application can be a COTS product, a development effort or application sharing between solutions 3. The Key Business Process Layer defines the key business processes performed by each specific application. The number and type of key business processes performed by the application may lead to more accurate specifications of the service level requirements for the application and associated infrastructure.

CMDB representation of your Business Solution (Exchange sample)


This is the Consol screen for the CMDB that parallels the IT Architecture Framework. Not all CIs are shown here. CIs such as software, service catalogue and facilities are associated with a CI here and can be seen by selecting a CI (cell) on this map. CI highlighting shows associations with a specific CI category. This sample Consol for Exchange has Change CIs highlighted in yellow. Select a yellow cell to see the change details. To develop all of your organization Business Solutions, create copies of the Visual CMDB using unique file names such as Exchange CMDB.xls. When developing your Visual CMDB database, the three bottom layers will normally require the most change.

CMDB Database Control

This is a copy of the Control screen you will use with your CMDB. It is used to define the CMDB, highlight the CI collection progress, view the CMDB resources used so far and to view the error status for this CMDB

CI Definition Screen
The picture below shows only a few of about 1000 CIs that can be defined in the CMDB. There are also more columns of CI attributes depending on the CI category (i.e. a document CI could have a link to a document in RDIMS and a server CI may have an IP address).

Visual CMDB Categories


The table below shows a complete list of the CMDB categories. Pink category CIs originate in other companion systems.

Visual CMDB Categories


Pink category CIs originate from other systems. White categories are supported entirely by the Visual CMDB. Change
From: ChangeMan

Contacts

Data Files

Documentation Information Classification Security Defense

Facilities Problem Security Designation

Hardware Risk Service Catalogue


From: ServiceCat

Software

Audit Reports
Comprehensive reporting on the coverage of high level CIs.

Visual CMDB Components


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Visual CMDB Overview & Setup Presentation Visual CMDB (CMDB Database) Visual CMDB Administration Guide & User Guide ChangeMan (Change Management Database) ChangeMan Users Guide ServiceCat (Service Catalogue Database) ServiceCat Users Guide CMDB Audit Tool CMDB Audit Tool Users Guide CMDB Export Tool

Visual CMDB System Requirements


Suggested Configuration
Operating System: any OS supporting: MS Excel 2003 MS Word or Word Viewer Software: MS Excel 2003 MS Word or Word Viewer Hardware: RAM: 1 MB Processor Speed: Pentium 4, 1.8 GHz Disk Space: 40 MB

Visual CMDB Set-up


Backup all original Visual CMDB files Copy the software directory and all associated files and directories to a common directory. Rename the directory if required. Create copies of Visual CMDB for each Business Solution. Rename copies to Business Solution CMDB.xls Create a directory for each Business Solution to store artifacts Verify access rights to the directory and directory backup schedule Double click on a Visual CMDB See Visual CMDB Set-up section in the Visual CMDB Users Guide for additional set-up information.

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