This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

Practical, Real-World ITIL Configuration Management–From Start to Finish

The IT Infrastructure Library® (ITIL) places the “best practices” in IT operations at your command. ITIL helps you make better technology choices, manages IT more effectively, and drives greater business value from all your IT investments. The core of ITIL is configuration management: the discipline of identifying, tracking, and controlling your IT environment’s diverse components to gain accurate and timely information for better decision-making.

Now, there’s a practical, start-to-finish guide to ITIL configuration management for every IT leader, manager, and practitioner. ITIL-certified architect and solutions provider Larry Klosterboer helps you establish a clear roadmap for success, customize standard processes to your unique needs, and avoid the pitfalls that stand in your way.

You’ll learn how to plan your implementation, deploy tools and processes, administer ongoing configuration management tasks, refine ITIL information, and leverage it for competitive advantage. Throughout, Klosterboer demystifies ITIL’s jargon, illuminates each technique with real-world advice and examples, and helps you focus on the specific techniques that offer maximum business value in your environment.

Coverage includes

• Assessing your current configuration management maturity and setting goals for improvement

• Gathering and managing requirements to align ITIL with organizational needs

• Describing the schema of your configuration management database (CMDB)

• Identifying, capturing, and organizing configuration data

• Choosing the best tools for your requirements

• Integrating data and processes to create a unified logical CMDB and configuration management service

• Implementing pilot projects to demonstrate the value of configuration management and to test your planning

• Moving from a pilot to wide-scale enterprise deployment

• Defining roles for deployment and ongoing staffing

• Leveraging configuration management information: Reporting and beyond

• Measuring and improving CMDB data accuracy

Covers ITIL version 3.

Preface xvii

Acknowledgments xxi

About the Author xxiii

Chapter 1: Overview of Configuration Management 1

Part I: Planning for Configuration Management 17

Chapter 2: Gathering and Analyzing Requirements 19

Chapter 3: Determining Scope, Span, and Granularity 37

Chapter 4: Customizing the Configuration Management Process 55

Chapter 5: Planning for Data Population 67

Chapter 6: Putting Together a Useful Project Plan 85

Part II: Implementing Configuration Management 97

Chapter 7: Choosing the Right Tools 99

Chapter 8: Implementing the Process 117

Chapter 9: Populating the Configuration Management Database 127

Chapter 10: Choosing and Running a Pilot Program 137

Chapter 11: Communication and Enterprise Roll Out 149

Part III: Running an Effective Configuration Management System 161

Chapter 12: Building a Configuration Management Team 163

Chapter 13: The Many Uses for Configuration Information 179

Chapter 14: Measuring and Improving CMDB Accuracy 193

Chapter 15: Improving the Business Value of Configuration Management 207

Index 217

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

Practical Approach - 2008-03-27
Reviewer Rating:
I was recently assigned the project manager role to implement a configuration management system for a Fortune 500 information technology department. While I had experience implementing configuration management systems from a CMM/CMMI perspective, I had never implemented one based on ITIL.

Mr. Klosterboer's book provided the framework for me to: plan the project, orient my team on the approach we would be taking, and provide reference material for the team. Members of my team have decided to purchase the book based on the invaluable content. The table of contents is well defined so as to allow you to go to the section you need quickly.

I have been involved in over a dozen process improvement efforts and have never found a resource so well designed to assist in implementation. Too often the books I have read have been more theory than practical application. I find myself looking at some section of the book every day.

good project approach but superficial details on CMDB schema - 2008-04-03
Reviewer Rating:
This is a good book about implementing the process, because it describe common mistakes and best practices. So the project approach is clearly explained.
However the book doesn't go into the details of the CMDB schema. I think that the approach for this book is more useful for implementing existing CM solutions (i.e. Tivoli) rather for building a new CM system. Be aware that implementing the CM process in isolation is not as affective as implementing together with Change Managemenr (as suggested by ITIL and this book).

An excellect pragmatics view of implementing Configuation Management - 2008-08-18
Reviewer Rating:
This is an excellent pragmatic view of implementing an ITIL conformant Configuation Management system. It is very useful in understanding the space between ITIL abstract ideals and reality. In addition to a solid description of the technical issues, it provides insight into how to manage expectations and organizational challenges. I highly recommend.

Great guide for anyone challenged with implementing a CM program - 2009-02-07
Reviewer Rating:
I found this book and the presentation of the material to be insightful, accurate and extremely helpful in understanding the in's-and-out's of implementing a configuration management program. While the ITIL provides a solid outline of what the CM process must include, it does not and cannot provide the level of detail that this book provides. The ITIL does however provide the necessary integration and other factors necessary for an ITSM program that the book does not and cannot provide. This book was for me the perfect complimentary guidance & reference to the ITIL for getting our CMS and Configuration Management program/process started. This should be a must have and read for any ITSM Configuration Manager.

Useful Information - 2008-08-01
Reviewer Rating:
This book purchased was what I wanted and provided me with the information on ITIL that I was looking for.

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