Add a CI into ServiceNow CMDB

[Laks]

I am new to configuration management and have my experience and knowledge in change management.Can anyone please explain how we add a CI to CMDB in Service Now.What is the procedure?Is it through a change or a task.If so who enters the details into the CMDB.What are the details that need to entered?Then what do we do with the discovery process?Totally confused.Kindly help.

Regards

[Oliver D_sereck]

Hi Laks,

I am not a professional CMDB guy, but I can add a small opinion if you like 🙂

CMDB is a large collection of tables, the base table being the CMDB_CI table. From this table, all other CMDB's are based off it. Configuration Items (CI's) are added by either a Configuration Manager (adding Items manually by a helpdesk is not recommended as this data can quickly become invalid) using a review cycle or by using the Discovery feature from Service Now.

CI's are connected to each other using the CI Relationships, mainly the tables CI Relation Types and Suggested Relationships.

Once the CI's and relationships have been created, you can enter the CI's into Incidents (for example) and then also use the Business Service Map (BSM) to few teh relationships and CI's graphically.

I would also suggest having a look at the Wiki about CMDB:
http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?title=ITIL_Configuration_Management

Cheers,
OD

[Amandeep39]

This link does not work. Is there another way to reach these details?

[Laks]

Thanks OD !!!
That was indeed a clear,brief idea which you gave.thx a ton !!!


Regards
Lakshmi

[geoffcox]

Adding Configuration Items to the CMDB

We add CIs through a thoroughly controlled process that starts with the Service Catalog.
A user who wants to do something, such as Deploy a Server in a Datacenter, starts by going to our Service Catalog and selects "Build and Deploy Server Gear". This launches the build wizard (which was implemented with a record producer) that asks the user for certain necessary information, including:
Project Name (a brief description of what you're up to)
Destination Facility (a reference where you must select one of our data centers)
For what Product or Silo? (this is a logical CI that governs which groups own certain tasks)
For which Environment (Production, QA, or others)
Type of install (Datacenter or Lab)
Requested Completion Date

Next, the user is taken to another screen where they can select the assets they want to have installed. This was implemented with a slushbucket style selector UI element that allows you to filter the asset list by various criteria.

Next, the user can create "shells" for assets they want to install, but that might not actually exist in the cmdb. These shells will later be associated with real assets once they have been received.

Next, the users are taken through various steps to identify the connections, etc. Finally, the user saves all changes and a Change Request is created, complete with shells and shell connections. The creation of the Change Request triggers a new Workflow which opens the various tasks required to achieve and approve the install.

The tasks created during the course of the workflow include such things as:
Related received assets to shells
Power and Space Planning
Move Gear
Critical Facilities Planning
Network Configuration
Rack and Cable Gear
OS Installation
Verify Build and Deployment

At some point during this workflow, the gear is racked and cabled, and the records for the gear are created and/or updated in the cmdb.

Does this help?

Cheers,
Geoff.