Save 40% in IT Costs with ServiceNow CMDB

In today’s world, IT is consistently measured by the ROI provided by a performing set of managed services and support. This includes the ability to track and manage assets as well as understand their changing cost to service at any point in time. While facing increasing pressure to reduce costs to serve it’s important that IT leadership teams are taking advantage of features in tools like ServiceNow.

With a CMDB in place, an organization can determine the overall expense of a service by comprehending and analyzing the expense associated with an asset, as well as the upkeep costs for that asset. Additionally, this will also enable monitoring all asset servicing expenses to the extent of the services they provide. In other words, CMDB is the only way to assess the service’s genuine worth by comparing it to the income it generates (or the average value of internally utilized services).

An effective CMDB reduces the risk of costly unplanned outages, which can cost businesses around $5,600 USD per minute on average.

Nevertheless, investing in the design and implementation of a configuration management solution is even more important. This ensures the accuracy and completeness of their technology assets and service information as well as reduce downtime and save money.

The best way to accomplish this goal is through ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB) in 4 easy and efficient steps.

With ServiceNow CMDB, organizations are always at an advantage in terms of performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency.

An Overview

Successful CMDB Deployment: How to Clearly Define the Goals & Objectives
Execute Methodically: 4 Steps to a Successful CMDB Deployment

Successful CMDB Deployment: How to Clearly Define the Goals & Objectives

Prior to implementation, identify the purpose of the CMDB: what are the goals, objectives, and outcomes that you are trying to accomplish? Connecting the use cases for your CMDB to your organization’s specific strategic initiatives is an essential step to maximize the effectiveness of your IT infrastructure.

This way, you can support each of your strategic initiatives and ensure that the data stored within the CMDB is both accurate and actionable. Also, your organization becomes more agile, enables data-driven decisions that make the most of available resources and maximize overall efficiency.

Understanding the strategic initiatives that your CMDB supports allows you to more effectively anticipate future resource requirements and make informed decisions on investments in the CMDB. You’re taking a major step towards creating a successful and sustainable IT infrastructure. Some examples include:

Cloud-first strategy
Asset management
Change management
Data center migration

Execute Methodically: 4 Steps to a Successful CMDB Deployment

Successfully deploying ServiceNow Configuration Management Database in your organization requires a well-thought-out plan that clearly determines how you will integrate data into the CMDB and how it will be managed further.

Here are four critical steps that can help ensure an efficient, successful deployment of ServiceNow CMDB in your organization:

1. Plan

Create a Solid Team and Governance Structure

Define roles, authority, and responsibilities for each deployment team member. Structure a configuration control board to oversee implementation and ensure it ties back to organizational goals. Ensure every member of your team has the ownership and support they need to implement required changes by making sure that everyone is aware of and takes responsibility for the roles established in a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) chart. With this clearly defined approach, you can be certain that everyone is up to date on project developments and works together to achieve successful completion.

Develop your Configuration Plan

Start small and build gradually. Identify the desired CI (configuration item) classes and attributes that will support use cases. Leverage the ServiceNow CSDM (Common Service Data Model) for platform optimization. To create a comprehensive approach to managing your IT environment and achieving your desired use cases, it is essential to identify the types of CIs that should be managed. This includes database servers, applications, storage devices, firewalls, application servers, and network routers as these will help ensure that all infrastructure components are accounted for and ultimately help to ensure your desired outcomes are achieved.

Define & Identify Authoritative Sources

Utilize third-party tools for an accurate CMDB. Connect sources through pre-built integrations or Service Graph connectors. Integrate the ServiceNow CMDB with sources such as (but not limited to) ServiceNow Discovery, Microsoft SCCM®, JAMF®, or HCL Software’s BigFix® solution to create a true multi-source CMDB for enhanced efficiency and cost savings. The pre-built integrations and Service Graph connectors make putting together a reliable, comprehensive CMDB easy and cost efficient.

2. Implement

Populate Data from Authoritative Sources

Map every attribute of every CI class to an authoritative source. Set authoritative source for each attribute to prevent value from being changed by other sources. Use Service Graph connectors from ServiceNow Store or IntegrationHub ETL plugin for integration with third-party data.

Deploying Organizational Change Management

Leverage CATS framework to plan and drive adoption of changes – Communication, Adoption, Training, and Sustainment activities.

3. Manage

Document policies and procedures

Ensure update review and approval by key stakeholders to maintain quality and trustworthiness of CMDB data. As the importance of data in the CMDB grows for business and IT operations and activities, it is critical to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data.

Define KPIs and CSFs

Measure success of CMDB with measurable metrics related to Completeness, Compliance, and Correctness. A vital first step in developing an effective and functional CMDB is establishing important performance metrics (KPIs) and critical success factors (CSFs).

Data reconciliation

Configure rules in CI Class Manager to prevent duplicate CIs when populating data from multiple sources. Instead of establishing new entries each time data is fed from different sources, reconciliation criteria assist the Identification and Reconciliation engine in discovering and revising existing entries in the CMDB.

4. Report & Audit

A CMDB is not a ‘put it and forget it’ IT solution; instead, its performance and health must be constantly tracked and shared with the whole business. Monitor the health of your CMDB using KPIs such as:

Completeness – Zero gaps in IT data
Compliance – Meets the expectations
Correctness – Accurate & UpToDate

Communicate the value of a healthy Configuration Management Database to improve core ITSM practices such as incident, change, and problem management. Merge service information into the CMDB for better portfolio and vulnerability management. Use HAM and SAM to discover data for effective software asset management (SAM). Together these components produce optimal ITAM workflow and enable businesses to plan, align, and execute desired business outcomes.

SPM is a single and centralized platform where businesses can plan, coordinate, and carry out their business results. A CMDB permits SPM to combine service data, serves as a methodology for defining and reviewing links between services as well as between services and CIs, and employs Service Owner Workspace to carry out operations. Lastly, vulnerability response (VR) leverages information from CIs in a CMDB to provide possible vulnerabilities increased or further business insight.

Benefit from Expertise and Experience for ServiceNow CMDB Deployment

If you’re looking for guidance on successfully deploying a ServiceNow CMDB, look no further than zeb. With years of experience in project planning and execution, our experienced professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills to help your organization achieve its desired outcomes. From the very beginning, we will work closely with you to clearly define all the major components of your CMDB, develop a proper configuration plan, and establish an effective governance structure. Our experts are always on hand to guide you throughout the process, ensuring that every step is taken properly and timely according to your purpose and objectives.

Trust zeb to help you get your ServiceNow CMDB deployment up and running quickly and efficiently. Schedule a demo with us.