BSM Transformation through CMDB Deployment Streamlining the Integration of Change and Release Management Gordon Owens, Managing Consultant generatione Technologies
Agenda Brief Introduction Building Blocks for BSM Transformation - featuring Remedy Solutions Change Management Release Management Using CMDB to Streamline Release and Change Management Case Example: Business to IT Service Alignment for a Leading Online Travel Company
Introduction: generatione BMC Trained and Seasoned ITSM Consultants RAC Certified Consultants ITIL Foundation Certified Consultants Strong Client-Service Experience across: ESM, IT Service Management, and Job Scheduling Practices ITIL Certified Consultants and Experts Our Clients At a Glance: 40% Service Providers 40% Financial Services 20% Enterprises (General) Over 15% of the Fortune 500
Building Blocks for BSM Transformation featuring Remedy and CMDB
What is Remedy Change Management? Multifaceted discipline that delivers comprehensive policy, process management, and planning capabilities From Request to Planning to Implementation to Verification, Remedy Change Management helps organizations assess the impact, risk, and resource requirements associated with a given change Leverages BMC Atrium CMDB, which is critical to ensuring that changes are managed in harmony with business objectives.
What is Remedy Change Management? (continued) To be fully effective, the change management process must integrate with other key IT service management processes such as incident and problem management, asset management, and release management.
What is Remedy Release Management? Often viewed as a subset of Change Management Ensures that new software and hardware versions and patches are released for installation with the greatest chance for success.
What is Remedy Release Management? (continued) Tracks rollout status Keeps version details for software Enables planning vital data for rollouts Provides feedback data about customers for rollouts Provides data for financial impact of Releases
CMDB Streamlines the Integration of Change and Release Management A KEY success factor in implementing a CMDB is the ability to automatically discover information about the CIs (auto-discovery) and track changes as they happen Integrated Change and Configuration Management (CCM) processes and tools help collect standardized management information, share it with one another as necessary, expose cross-domain dependencies and streamline the workflow and documentation associated with keeping all systems in compliance with corporate standards. More effective CCM Planning Capabilities.
CMDB Streamlines the Integration of Change and Release Management (continued) Applications are integrated onto the AR System foundation and share the CMDB Ability for Change Management team to utilize configuration data in the CMDB to manage changes more effectively and efficiently. Provides valuable insight into the release management process to better understand the impact of a release and how to effect operational changes. If a release rollback is necessary, you can ensure that any changes made have been recorded under the release process in a predictable, repeatable fashion.
How does CMDB streamline the integration of Change and Release Management? The CMDB extends the value of change management by relating all change requests to the specific CI affected by the change, as well as all other related CIs. Change requests are categorized by impact, which directs routing, communications, and approvals.
Why is the CMDB critical to achieving a BSM Transformation? It is virtually impossible to move from Reactive to Proactive on the BSM Maturity Model without an effective CMDB. - In particular, proactive change and release management require an established relationship between proactive monitoring systems, change and release process Chaotic Ad hoc Undocumented Unpredictable Multiple help desks Minimal IT operations User call notification Reactive Best effort Fight fires Inventory Initiate problem management process Alert and event mgt Monitor availability (up or down) Proactive Monitor performance Analyze trends Set thresholds Predict problems Automation Mature problem, asset, and change mgt. processes Service Define services, classes, pricing Understand costs Set quality goals Guarantee service level agreements Monitor and report on services Capacity planning Value IT and business metric linkage IT improves business process Real-time infrastructure Business planning
Using CMDB to Streamline the Integration of Change and Release Management Case Example: Leading Online Travel Enterprise
IT Service Management Improvement Model Where are we now? Analysis Awareness Where do we want to be? Goals & Objectives Planning How do we get there? Improvement Plans Implementation Are we improving? Did we get where we wanted to be? Measurement & Tracking Operation Source: ITIL The Business Perspective On Your IT Infrastructure
Measurement Framework Monetary Reduce costs Modernization Goals Customer Improve QoS Internal Multiple areas for improvement should be assessed New Technology SoX Compliance Measurements Value Quality Throughput Compliance
Relevant History Early Adoption of Remedy for Trouble Ticketing Outgrew Original Design Early Adoption of BSM Vision Due to the Nature of their Business (all on-line) Selection of Remedy Change Management
Key Challenges ITs operational growth and expansion warranted a more robust system with improved call tracking and reporting processes. Key challenges at the time included: Limitations in incident tracking workflow. Users were required to be logged into the system for notifications and logged into the network to manage tickets (e.g. approving requests). Solution tracking needed to be optimized in order for information sharing. Limited functionality for remote access to the system. Change requests associated with an automated bug-tracking system did not capture relevant information due to form constraints. The system required compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley specifications.
Examples of Anticipated Benefits Change Management Cost Benefit Example: Two Changes are implemented simultaneously, resulting in a major problem. The Customer support system fails, resulting in the loss of 50 Customers with an average purchasing power of $500. This has just cost the company $25,000. Release Management Cost Benefit Example: Suppose that a new software module is released containing a bug. The previous version should be reinstalled, but due to poor Version Management, the wrong version is used, resulting in a system shutdown that lasts for 3 hours and affects two-thirds of all users. The resulting downtime would result in lost productivity.
Project Scope Updated Remedy Implementation to: Streamline Communication and Workflow Integrate Best Practice Change Approval Processes Provide Configuration Management Provide Sarbanes Oxley Compliance Provide remote process management via e-mail, PDA devices and the web client. Solutions Implemented Remedy AR System Remedy ITSM CalAmp Telalert
Case Study Online Travel Company
Implemented Change Management Processes Request for Change Allocation of Priorities Change Tasking Change Categorization Change Approval Scheduling Urgent Changes Reporting Change Metrics
Implemented Asset and Configuration Management Processes Auto Discovery via SMS Link Reconciliation Engine rules and schedules utilized in order to merge and classify the data from the CDM (Common Data Model) to be used in a single unified view Asset Procurement Asset Repair Trouble and Change management association Topological associations Support Management and PM procedures
Process Improvements Bi-Directional Integration with Email System Remote Process management via PDA devices and web client Ability to track weekly maintenance records Automated Trouble Ticket Generation ITIL Based Incident, Problem and Configuration Management Integration with Development Bug Tracking System Measurable KPI reports for on-going process improvement Enhanced Change Management Automated notification system
Impact on Other BSM Initiatives Enhanced Communication Via Common Language Improved Risk Assessment Improved Problem & Availability Management Contributed to Sarbanes Oxley Compliance
Case Study Online Travel Company
Key Takeaways Definite Intrinsic Benefits Success Through Incremental Changes Business Drivers Typically Not Related to Process Improvement
Q & A Contact Information: http://www.generationetech.com Gordon Owens, Managing Consultant Email: gordon.owens@generationetech.com