Cloud Management - Deploying and Managing a Cloud Infrastructure - page 105

repercussions if the process is not done consistently and systematically. All configuration
changes have to be evaluated first before being documented, tested, and then implemented.
Of course they then have to be evaluated in terms of effectiveness.
The change manager should be responsible for documenting all changes that have to
be made. The change manager must then make sure all configuration items were updated
successfully and the specified objectives have been met.

Asset Accountability
One of the biggest drivers of change in cloud computing is the rapid change in technology.
When new technology and processes become public, it may not be apparent whether they
will catch on, but organizations often make an educated guesses. Sometimes the technology
is replaced by something else. In this case, the organization either has to adapt or fail. There
is only one option, therefore change is initiated.
When change affects the organization's assets, it must be tracked. All changes in con-
figuration and even location must be documented by an officer who is accountable for the
asset in question. To keep track of broad changes, asset managers can be assigned. The
most logical candidates would be those already assigned to manage the assets. The manag-
ers of individual assets can report to a head asset accountability manager who then reports
to the overall change manager.

Managing the Configuration

Change management is only one player in the arena. It offers great value to the IT organi-
zation, which in turn carries it over to its customers. But one problem when implementing
change is how the assets that are being modified are to be classified and controlled. This is
where configuration management comes in, by specializing in the management of IT assets
and their configuration and relationships to other assets.
The purpose of configuration management is to ensure that the IT assets essential
to service and function delivery are properly controlled and documented so that proper
and accurate information regarding those assets is available whenever needed. Foremost
among the controlled information is the configuration of and relationships between the
assets, hence the name configuration management. It is an official process created by
the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) as an IT Service Management
(ITSM) process to document and track the configuration information.
Configuration management is all about ensuring that IT assets are properly configured
and has the following objectives:

Identify configuration items (CIs)

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Control and protect the integrity of all configuration items

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Maintain a complete and accurate configuration management system by maintaining
information on the states of all CIs

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Provide accurate and updated configuration information

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