Is your inventory up to date using automated process? Do you have an automated Configuration Management Database (CMDB), or are you using spreadsheets to manage your organization’s assets? Can you map vulnerabilities to assets with the manual systems that are in place? If not, the ServiceNow CMDB is the answer to your problems. The ServiceNow CMDB is an application that allows an organization to build logical representations of all assets, services running on all identified assets, and the ability to build workflow relationships between all the identified assets.
ServiceNow CMDB is a database that organizes asset and business services, along with the stored configurations that are contained in an organization. CMDB-stored information includes network devices and computers, contracts and licenses for software, and business services which enable Configuration Items or CI’s. Per ServiceNow, the Configuration Item (CI) is the fundamental structural management unit of the CMDB, and it serves as the basis for effective communication within your IT community.
The Current Challenge:
Most organizations today are working off of spreadsheets, reports or disparate systems with no centralized management of the assets that belong to them. The spreadsheets and reports are often run by the IT department, emailed around, not centralized and—in many cases—not shared with security. It’s challenging to not know what assets an organization has, who owns those assets and what the dependencies are. The number of places this information is kept makes it difficult to update and manage. The end result is not knowing what you don’t know. In other words—if you don’t know what assets you have, how will you know what vulnerabilities are associated with what assets? How will you know what the criticality is of the device and the risk level associated?
Automation is the Answer:
Automation is important when it comes to managing assets for organizations of any size. The basis for starting the automation process is a CMDB optimized for the tracking of all assets that the organization manages. The automation that these products bring to an organization eliminates human error in missing an incident or vulnerability, and helps protect the organization from potential breaches and shutdowns.
The Benefits of strong CMDB
If yours is like most organizations, you don’t have much in the way of spare time. We know all of this can look a bit daunting—especially through the lens of a busy schedule—but, with a little bit of your time up front, a strong CMDB is something that can return your investment tenfold.
With its centralized location, process automation and asset management; a strong CMDB is a bit like an immaculately organized office for your operation. You’ll know where everything is whether you need it in a pinch or not.
Conclusions:
Should you find yourself concerned with some of the questions we asked at the beginning of this post, the old adage applies: the only way out is through. If you’re ready to take the step towards all the great features ServiceNow CMDB has to offer, Cask is here to help. Reach out to specialist today with any questions or concerns you may have.
