What is a CMDB?

There are countless tools and technologies available to help an organization stay on top of its IT assets, and a configuration management database (CMDB) is an extremely useful one.

The database keeps track of relevant information regarding various hardware and software components and the relationships between them. It allows IT teams to have an organized view of configuration items (CIs) that can enable more streamlined processes when it comes to IT work. The infrastructure and architecture of companies’ IT assets continue to grow more complex, and having a centralized database provides a way to efficiently and effectively manage these assets.

How a CMDB Works

A CMDB works by keeping track of the numerous assets in an organization’s IT infrastructure. The database contains information that may be relevant to IT teams regarding the CIs that are documented by the CMDB. These include software, hardware, documentation, personnel, configurations, and relationships and dependencies between the different parts. IT leaders can make use of the database in their identification and verification of the components involved, making it simpler and easier to manage and improve the infrastructure.

CMDBs contain documentation not just on the CIs in play but also on the attributes of each CI, including but not limited to the importance of the CI, ownership of the CI, and CI identification code. With the CIs and their attributes centralized in one system, the CMDB can become a resource that has the ability to project possible changes and risks to the organization and its IT assets. The database can show which areas or users would be affected in the case of an outage or other event.

Why CMDBs Are Important

Having a CMDB is important for organizations with complex IT infrastructure, an abundance of CIs, or who have challenges keeping track of assets. The centralized view of the database provides IT teams with a means to have more control over the infrastructure. Organization and visualization can help to reduce administrative or management errors and help with achieving and maintaining regulatory compliance. It also helps to improve risk assessment and incident management for security teams.

Other benefits of a CMDB include the ability to securely manage IT assets. For example, a CMDB can contain vital information that can be used by IT and Cybersecurity teams to reduce an organizations attack surface. When used properly, the database can be used not only to manage the various components of IT infrastructure but also to evaluate the effectiveness of that management and potentially improve methods. When it comes to asset management and cybersecurity, visibility and documentation are crucial to the success of an organization’s strategy.

Handling Key Challenges

While having a CMDB can be a great help for IT teams, it also comes with its own hurdles and difficulties to overcome. It can be difficult to convince business decision-makers of the benefits of a CMDB and the necessity of implementing and using the system properly. Importing relevant data is often tedious and possibly inaccurate when done by hand, and automated discovery systems can accrue redundant data from multiple sources. Optimizing data discovery is important for efficacy.

Some of the challenges spring from mistakes that organizations make in adopting and using a CMDB, including common fumbles in security. Using the database as a simple asset repository is likely to be ineffective in contrast to using a tool that is able to pivot, adapt, and account for new types of assets. The commitment of the team to using and maintaining the database is crucial for success. The use of a CMDB should be focused on the value, relevancy, and use cases of the data documented within rather than clogging up the database with every possible piece of information available.

Best Practices for CMDB Implementation

There are a number of methods that an organization can use in its approach to implementing CMDB in order to maximize the benefits and minimize the challenges of the process. Many of these best practices are applicable to other tools as well. It is important to understand the needs and goals of the organization and plan to use the CMDB toward those ends rather than employing a tool without knowing why it’s needed or what problems it’s meant to solve.

It is also important for a CMDB to be able to integrate with other systems to get use out of it. Assigning ownership to CIs so that the owners are responsible for the maintenance of CMDB data ensures accountability and lowers the chances of erroneous changes being made. As with many other tools, it is vital to ensure the security of a CMDB and the integrity of the data contained therein. This can be achieved with relevant security solutions and strict governance regarding CMDB usage.

Conclusion

As IT infrastructure becomes more complex and convoluted, it can be easy for an organization to lose track of the various parts and pieces that make it up. Using a CMDB is one way to avoid this mistake by keeping relevant information on CIs in a centralized database for asset management. It is important to implement and use a CMDB properly, focusing on relevant areas and use cases to get the most out of the system and to protect the CMDB against cyberattacks and other potential security incidents. Tripwire can help with solutions designed to integrate with CMDBs.