Configuration management databases allow companies to manage their endpoints, making it their “single source of truth” for keeping track of software, hardware, network devices and the relationships between them. However, due to various factors, CMBDs are often not an accurate source of truth. Without up-to-date information about their computing ecosystem, enterprises are at risk of spending too much on software licenses, taking too much time to prepare for audits and having difficulty finding and responding to threats. Tanium addresses this challenge by providing a full and precise view into an endpoint environment, thereby ensuring that CMBD data are up-to-date. Here are seven ways Tanium makes CMDB optimization possible
It ensures information precision at all times
As a centralized reference point system, CMBD can be used to answer assets related queries such as how many hardware devices and software installations does a company have and how many versions of a particular software are available? But the correct answers can only be obtained from an updated CMBD. With Tanium, organizations can ensure that the data received is accurate and actionable, since the solution offers real-time insights into IT environments which can be used to enrich CMBD systems.
Improves Transparency, Visibility, and Better Management of IT Assets
As organizations grow in size and complexity, it becomes significantly more difficult to manually keep track of assets. Fortunately, a CMDB platform powered by Tanium offers a transparent and highly visible means of monitoring IT assets within the organization. Tanium discovery and inventory tools not only provide consistent visibility into managed and unmanaged devices but also a current, accurate record of hardware and software assets across the environment.
Enhances Effective Event/Incident Management
By facilitating an up-to-date CMDB, Tanium enables companies to obtain valuable facts that can be used to improve Incident and Problem Management activities. When an incident management notification is received in connection with a specific configuration item, the IT operator can use the CMDB to access the CI record for that specific item and learn everything about it: when the company purchased it, who the supplier was, how long the company has owned it, any previous issues of similar incidents, etc.
Allows CMBD to Support Accurate Risk Assessment for New Changes and Deployments
Change deployments and implementations often lead to downtime that negatively impacts a business. With an updated CMDB, change managers can understand the relationships between configuration items and anticipate which users, systems, software, and that configuration item could be affected by an impending change. And integrate strategies to reduce the risk of business disruption due to change.
Enables CMDB to enrich the Knowledge Management Process
Knowledge Management is one of the most essential ITIL processes for organizations that are focused on continual, data-driven process improvement. The CMDB is a crucial source of input for the Knowledge Management process. A robust and up-to-date CMBD ensures that you have effective knowledge management that comprises all essential data.
Facilitates the Investigation of Problem Configuration Items
A CMDB with accurate data allows organizations to view problem statistics for different asset classes, associate incidents and problems with their related CIs and dependencies, and identify the best opportunities for software and hardware upgrades that reduce service costs and unplanned downtime. This CMDB also simplifies root cause analysis of known issues, and makes it easier to discover their cause or source, and begin to develop a solution.
Track Changes to a CI Over Time
Configuration items like a laptop may not keep the same attribution data throughout their entire life cycle, and organizations need a way to monitor how CIs change over time. A company can successfully track how hardware, software, licenses, and other assets are deployed by the company throughout its entire lifecycle using CMBD metrics. The ability to capture explicit historical usage data means that organizations can measure ROI and the impact of new software and hardware purchases in the long term.
Conclusion
Driven by its numerous benefits, many organizations are now integrating CMDBs, at the core of their IT operations. What most of these enterprises do not understand is that they can only reap these benefits by ensuring that the information stored on their CMDB platform are accurate and updated. This is why it is crucial to have a source that feeds your CMDB with real-time information like Tanium.
