Mapping Business Processes in Common Service Data Model

[Jeff Ernst1]

Hello,

I have been surfing the community for information on where does Business Process (cmdb_ci_business_process) fit in the Common Service Data Model (CSDM) without much luck. I was able to find the description for the Business Process class which is "A process that is owned and carried out by the business and contributes to the delivery of a product or business service to a business customer." Currently, only one Business Process can be referenced in a Business Application and there are no suggested relationships for Business Processes, but we have instances where a business application supports multiple Business Processes. We need to know this information in case application is having issues or if we are replacing an application, we know the business processes and areas of the organization that are impacted. We could also use this information to understand operational risk as it relates to the Business Application and the restricted data that is being exposed. I don't want to stray from the CSDM so I am not sure if I should:

• create suggested relationships from the Business Processes to the Business Application class OR
• update the Business Process field on the Business Application form to be a list collector instead of single reference field OR
• try to create higher level Business Processes, relate the multiple processes to it, then reference the higher-level process in the Business Application

We have been trying to apply the CSDM to our current CMDB structure while we are doing Business Service Mapping and this is just another part of our mapping that we want to include.If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you in advance for any help.

[scott_lemm]

Hi Jeff,

We are adding a new "Foundation" Domain to the next iteration of the CSDM white paper. This new Domain underpins all of the CSDM 2.0 referenced Domains. Within this Foundation Domain are core data (Company, Location, etc.), Product Models, and Business Process CMDB table. 

We are also adding functionality to the Business Process table around Risk and Process Management. These capabilities will grow over time starting with a Paris+ store release. Business Processes will identify the "elements" that makeup the process including but not limited to CI's. Any CI, via hierarchy or directly, could be an element of a Business Process: Business Capability, Services, Offerings, Business Applications, etc. They could be locations, companies, people, etc. 

The good news is that Business Process is finally being added to the core elements of CSDM. The real value will begin Paris+

Hope this helps,
Scott

[mikkojuola]

Hi Scott,

Any chance to give a sneak peak on how to Business Services should be related to Business Processes? We are currently creates the links between processes, services and applications and would like to do it "right" from the start.

In this particular case, one business application can have an impact on multiple Business Processes, so using the direct reference from BA to BP would not work.

Cheers,

--Mikko

[Community Alums]

Hello, @scott_lemm 

Thanks for your answer. I have reviewed CSDM 4.0 many times and I am struggling to give indications for a client of ours who needs to be able to map N:M relationships between Business Application and Business Process. It makes total sense, right? The same application can be part of many processes and the other way around.

They are using BCM, and as part of BIA assessment I presume that we should rely on cmdb_rel_ci links between Business Application and Business Process - not sure of the type. And leave the reference field in the Business Application record empty. 

Would this be a reasonible recommendation? I would really appreciate if you could shed some light here... I am happy to have a coffee/call with you if needed, been following your work on CSDM for years 🙂

Cheers

[PG2]

Hi @scott_lemm, Has the thinking around Business Process matured at all over the past few years? Looking at CSDM 5, the prescribed relationship is still Business Process -> Business Application, but it’s still a bit unclear what else a Business Process can or should be related to.