Data to be collected to feed the CMS

After some reading of manuals and online forums, I have come up with a simple list of things I want the CMS to gather from an Infrastructure CMDB. (Servers, Routers, Firewalls...).

* Name
* Model
* Serial Number
* IP Address / Subnet / Gateway
* Location
* OS
* OS Version
* Firmware
* Firmware Version
* Disk and Disk Space
* Partitions
* Backup information (partitions)
* Memory
* CPU
* Monitoring
* Installation Date
* Last Change

Would also like to be able to display live information for Cofiguration Item states, such as Up (working ok), Warning (reaching thresholds), Down (not good).

Now it is time to meet with the Infrastructure team to see if all of this (or any of this) is possible.

- Eric

New baby girl

I am once again the proud father of a new baby girl.

Emerson Riley, she was born on Sunday the 24th at a respectful time of the morning at 9:21am after a 2 hour labour. We were all home for lunch that same day.

Mum, Baby and the family are all well.

KCS - I'm in a course today

Just in case anyone (all 2 of your were wondering) I'm on a course today and tomorrow.

The course I am doing is call Knowledge Centered Support (KCS)
Here is the Wikipedia blurb about KCS

Following this course I'll continue my analysis of the Service Management tool I will be using for CMS, then gather feedback from stakeholders of the information they would like to see from the CMS reports.

As for KCS that is another project I have been charged with, if you have ever been interested in implementing a dynamic knowledgebase then watch this space.

CMS - Where to start?

Where to start?

A simple but effective business plan would be to follow 3 simple steps
1. Ask what your customers/users want
2. Build it
3. Give it to them
So I will keep it very simple and just start with Step 1:
“Ask the benefactors of the CMS database what is it that they want to see from it?”

Who are the benefactors?
• Change and Release Management
• Configuration Management
• Incident and Problem Management
• Capacity Management
• Availability Management
• Event Management
• Knowledge Management
• Project Management
• Technical Support Teams
• Development Teams
• Financial Management
• Business stakeholders for reports generated from the CMS
• And several more…

What should I ask?
• What do you have now that is important to your function?
• What would you like to see that could improve what you have now?

First I better work out what the CMDB tool that I will be using can actually produce, rather not get into a scenario of over promising and under delivering. Even if what the CMS has to offer is far better than the current state.

Starting a New Project

I'm about to start a new project.

To provide some background, I am in IT Service Management (manager of computer services stuff), I write procedures and flow charts on how to best do a job that will produce an outcome that the business would be interested in knowing.

The project I am about to start brings together as many procedures and functions via their exsisting databases into a single database, for easy access and consolidated reporting... bored already?

If you are still reading then you might know of what I am talking about.
I am implementing a CMS (Configuration Management System) made up of at least 3 databases (CMDBs - Configuration Management Databases).

I am going to use a central Service Management tool that currently handles the Incident Management, Problem Management and Known Errors Database procedures, to act as the CMS interface of the multiple CMDBs, this will of course allow my Service Desk to easily link Incidents to CIs and Known Errors in the CMDB.

Once the CMS has been implemented I will then implement Change Management and Request Fulfilment Management into the same Service Management tool.

However this is looking like a very large elephant to me, does anyone have any suggestions, templates or checklists to getting started on this momentous task?

- If you are interested in this type of subject I will post regular updates on my progress.

eBook promoted on NZ TV

Scott was interviewed about our new book "Baby on a Budget" on TVNZ's Breakfast Show. Here's the link if you've missed it: TVNZ Breakfast Show



Check out the "Baby on a Budget" page on DIYFather.com for more information about the book.

Cheers Eric

First eBook!!!

First eBook is now available, looking at being budget conscious while having a baby???

DIYFather has an answer to the slow economic recovery and GST increase. Our new Book Baby on a Budget published on September 1st delivers real savings to families. The 130-page book presents the combined wisdom of fathers around the world on how to save thousands of dollars during pregnancy and the first year with a baby. Baby on a Budget is a must have for all parents who want to enjoy their new life with a baby without breaking the bank More...

Download and enjoy

Eric