Overview
One of the most critical components of IT service management is the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). A CMDB is a centralized repository that stores information about all the IT assets of an organization. CMDB software helps organizations create and maintain their CMDB. In this article, we will discuss the benefits, features, and limitations of CMDB software, provide examples of some of the relevant products in the market and explore who uses these systems.
Who Uses CMDB Software?
CMDB software is used by IT service management teams in organizations of all sizes. It is typically used by IT operations, helpdesk teams, infrastructure teams, and service delivery personnel who are responsible for managing and maintaining an organization’s IT requirements.
Benefit of the CMDB Software
The benefits of using a CMDB software include:
Improved visibility of IT assets: With a CMDB in place, organizations can achieve a comprehensive view of their IT resources, providing greater transparency and accuracy.
Better change management: CMDB software helps organizations to maintain a record of all changes made to IT assets and their relationships. This ensures that changes are made only with approval and documentation, ultimately reducing the risk of service disruptions.
Enhanced security: A CMDB ensures that an organization has accurate information regarding security controls, vulnerabilities for a range of IT assets, and using appropriate security measures throughout the organization.
Features of the CMDB Software
CMDB software primarily contains these features:
Import/Export data from other sources: The software must be able to upload and download data from multiple sources such as spreadsheets or other types of services or systems.
Asset discovery and identification: Using CMDB software ensures that IT assets are detected and identified, and new assets are added to the database to maintain accurate records.
Data visualization and reporting: The CMDB software must provide data visualization features and reports to present data for analysis across multiple levels of operations.
Examples of Relevant CMDB Software Products
Here are some examples of CMDB software products and a brief look at their features, drawbacks and limitations, and how to use them.
ServiceNow (servicenow.com) is one of the industry-leading CMDB Software products because of its excellent integration with other ServiceNow applications and cross-to across systems. It’s frequently purchased by large corporations with budget flexibility due to the high cost of the software. It also requires a dedicated team to maintain the maintenance of the CMDB.
Device42 (device42.com) is also a cutting edge solution that provides various features such as Network Discovery, Dependency Mapping, and asset management. Its Advanced Discovery & Application Dependency Mapping helps to analyze the dependencies across various assets in a centralized view. Moreover, it creates a network topology, and its advanced dashboard representation helps give an overview of the IT resources for effective decision making.
BMC Helix CMDB (bmc.com) delivers a comprehensive platform for managing multiple types of IT resource configuration items. It uses AI and Machine Learning to diagnose and identify IT incidents and predict downtime so that the operations team can promptly respond, and the system stays up. However, it’s not well-suited for small business as it’s a high-cost system specifically for large corporations.
SolarWinds Service Desk (solarwinds.com/service-desk) offers powerful CMDB features and IT Asset Management (ITAM) capabilities that enables the creation of an IT asset register and IT asset lifecycle management. SolarWinds offers good value for money as it’s relatively inexpensive and has a simple user interface for admins. However, the system is not very customizable and doesn’t integrate well with other systems.
Cherwell Service Management (cherwell.com) is highly regarded in the industry, and it boasts a comprehensive platform that provides complete visibility of IT assets, provides change management, and enhances security features. Cherwell is regarded because of its ease of use and customization features. It offers out-of-the-box, pre-built templates and features. However, it has limited support for managing complex environments and networks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, CMDB software has become an integral part of many organizations by streamlining the IT asset management process. CMDB software offers various benefits, such as improved visibility, better change management, and enhanced security. Each of the examples provided earlier has its individualistic strengths and limitations. Deciding on the best CMDB software will depend on the specific requirements of the organization.