Pink Elephant Blog
CMDB as a Resort Condominium
Looking at the traffic on the blog we seem to be getting a lot of hits on the posts related to the CMDB. So I thought you might be interested in an analogy I developed for an article I recently had published in a BMC Viewpoint Magazine. Let's compare the current state of data management to every IT domain group managing its own data on a separate island, accessible only by rowboat. Imagine that each group has built a home for this data. In some rare cases, this home is represented by an exclusive, state-of-the-art resort. However, on most islands, these data stores are represented by less impressive structures that meet the needs of the local residents, but prevent easy connection to the world beyond.
Now, let's tie this island scenario back to the business problem: A number of processes require information from these disconnected data stores, but there is limited or no access to them. In fact, in some cases, the rowboat – the only means of accessing the islands – has been hidden or the oars have been removed. This very issue has spawned an entire cottage industry of row boat networks and integrations to tie these islands together. However, whenever the seas get rough the rowboats must head back to the harbor. Building a CMDB is about taking those who live in an isolated structure and moving them to a resort condominium (a.k.a. the CMDB). First, because of the numerous amenities provided, it's a better place to live. Second, the resort condominium (CMDB) ensures that these new “residents” still own the data in their individual condominium – so they don't have to relinquish control. However, they will now need to comply with condominium association rules. With a resort condominium (CMDB), all the data is now under one structure and can be accessed through adjoining rooms, hallways, and elevators. If a unique, exclusive resort with specific functionality already exists, a permanent bridge is built between the exclusive resort and the condominium to improve bidirectional access (CMDB Federation).
The key benefit to the condominium owners is that they now are granted membership access to the otherwise exclusive island resort as an extension of their condo membership privileges. At this point the condominium (CMDB) is in a position to support the various business requests and IT process needs. Cross-Functional Service Management Strategies Bring New Challenges However, there is a problem. These new residents are not accustomed to the new cultural demands of living in a shared condominium complex. While they own the condominium and are free to decorate the inside of their condominiums to their own tastes, they must follow guidelines that did not apply to their individual island homes. Restrictions, such as building and fire codes, now apply, and the condominium occupants must undergo annual inspections (audits). As a result of these restrictions, many of these residents resist the move to the central condominium or long to return to the carefree island life where no one else imposed on them data management rules to live by.
Going back to the business issue, many IT managers may not be accustomed to the new cultural demands of integrated IT processes and shared data systems. Functional managers can own data in a CMDB, but they must follow guidelines that did not apply when they managed that data in isolated stores. Data structures and maintenance procedures must be followed by all. The resulting resistance to maintaining CI data in the CMDB creates a challenge for IT managers. Nonetheless, given the business risk, inefficiencies, and costs, IT can no longer justify maintaining isolated silos of data. The new residents have to find a way to adapt to the new living arrangement. The move to the condominium model is more about culture, management, and behavioral change than it is about changing the mailing address of your database.
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Comments
“This is a very short and crispy method of understanding the subject of research management . It is really helpful and gives confidence too.
Thanks to you”
LBTC | November 9, 2023 at 1:30am