【正文】 Operations Framework (MOF) Process Model. For example, configuration management is responsible for performing a baseline assessment of the IT production environment. Change management uses this baseline assessment in evaluating the impacts of a change and depends on the accuracy of the configuration data to ensure that these impacts can be understood and municated appropriately. During the change and release processes, configuration management is responsible for updating the configuration management database (CMDB) to reflect all changes to configuration items (CIs). 2 Introduction This guide provides detailed information about the Configuration Management SMF for anizations that have deployed, or are considering deploying, Microsoft technologies in a data center or other type of enterprise puting environment. This is one of the more than 20 SMFs defined and described in Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF). The guide assumes that the reader is familiar with the intent, background, and fundamental concepts of MOF as well as the Microsoft technologies discussed. An overview of MOF and its panion, Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF), is available in the MOF Service Management Function Overview guide. This overview also provides abstracts of each of the service management functions defined within MOF. Detailed information about the concepts and principles of each of the frameworks is also available in technical papers at What’s New? This Configuration Management SMF has been revised to bring it into pliance with MOF version . It now includes information about how the newest MOF Team Model role cluster, Service, is involved in each step of the configuration management process. Feedback Please direct questions or ments about this SMF guide to . 3 Configuration Management Overview Configuration management is a critical process responsible for identifying, controlling, and tracking all versions of hardware, software, documentation, processes, procedures, and all other inanimate ponents of the information technology (IT) anization. This chapter discusses the goal and objectives of configuration management and defines the key terms used in its processes. Goal and Objectives The goal of configuration management is to ensure that only authorized ponents, referred to as configuration items (CIs), are used in the IT environment and that all changes to CIs are recorded and tracked throughout the ponent’s life cycle. To achieve this goal, the configuration management process includes the following objectives: ? To identify configuration items and their relationships and add them to the configuration management database (CMDB). ? To enable access to the CMDB and CIs by other SMFs. ? To update and change CIs following changes to IT ponents during the release management process. ? To establish a review process that ensures that the CMDB accurately reflects the production IT environment. Key Definitions Configuration baseline. A configuration of a product or system established at a specific point in time, which captures both the structure and details of that product or system and enables that product or system to be rebuilt at a later date. Configuration control. Activities that control changes to configuration items. They include evaluation, coordination, approval, or rejection of changes. Configuration item (CI). An IT ponent that is under configuration management control. Each CI can be posed of other CIs. CIs may vary widely in plexity, size, and type, from an entire system (including all hardware, software, and documentation) to a single software module or a minor hardware ponent. Configuration item attributes. The information recorded in the CMDB for every configuration item identified, ranging from the item39。 XP client build document. Decide What Needs to Be Managed Managing and tracking change for every single ponent within even a small IT environment would be impractical. Over and above the challenge of obtaining and loading all of this information into the CMDB, the costs involved in maintaining and updating it would be prohibitive. Therefore, choices need to be made concerning the subset of ponents to be managed. This requires considering the business relevance and importance of the ponent and the relationship(s) it has with other ponents within the IT environment. Best practice calls for managing only those ponents that: ? Are necessary for the effective operation of the business. ? Support the provision of IT services. ? Can be seriously affected by changes to other ponents within the environment. The decision to include a ponent in the CMDB should be reviewed at periodic intervals. Service Management Function 13 Build CMDB The CMDB provides a single source of information about the ponents of the IT environment. This information can be used within the anization to improve system reliability, availability, and control. By establishing a database to track IT ponents, known as configuration items (CIs), configuration management can verify that only authorized ponents are used in the IT environment. Why is the use of only authorized ponents so important? This is an important aspect of control, because an unauthorized ponent introduces an unknown that could have undocumented, detrimental, and/or difficulttotrace effects on related ponents. This single source of information also provides other anizational groups, such as the service desk, incident management, and problem management, with the ability to quickly and accurately assess the impact and cause of incidents and problems. This leads to a faster resolution of problems and a reduction in system downtime. The result is improved availability and reliability of the IT environment. For example, supplying a quick answer to a user’s question typically requires knowle