Introduction

As we know that with continuously changing globalization and technology, organizations depend on information technology for their operations. In order to obtain the highest levels of performance, dependability and effectiveness, it is vital that one has a coherent and comprehensive IT service management (ITSM) framework. The major component that helps in the achievement of this goal is the Configuration Management Database or the CMDB, which contains all the relevant configuration details of all the IT assets and their associations. Currently ITSM market leader ServiceNow provides an impressive CMDB product which might assist an organization in improving its service offering as well as its IT management processes.

Understanding the CMDB
A CMDB is in a way, a repository that refers to all IT elements which include hardware as well as software, network components, and services. It provides a comprehensive view of the IT environment, enabling organizations to. It provides a comprehensive view of the IT environment, enabling organizations to:

Track IT assets:
 Ensure a proper record system of all the components within the IT system and their current status, configuration and their life span.

Manage relationships:
Learn each asset is a component of a large, complex system that may be implicated in a problem, and how an asset’s status can affect other assets.

Support decision-making:

Support operational strategies and planning by presenting statistically grounded forecasts.

Ensure compliance: 

Check compliance to IT standards and regulations.
People get the following benefits from the ServiceNow CMDB;

ServiceNow CMDB offers a range of benefits that can help organizations improve their IT service excellence:

Enhanced Visibility:

This is because, through the CMDB, an organization is able to view the IT environment in a single map and is therefore able to note areas of possible future concern or even areas of constriction before a service delivery impact is observed.
Improved Asset Management:

This paper seeks to argue that when tracking of IT assets is made through its lifecycle, then organizations can reap benefits such as efficiency in the utilization of resources, reduction of costs, and most importantly; compliance to the standards of asset management.

Streamlined Change Management:
Currently, change management module within ServiceNow can be linked to the CMDB allowing one to determine the impact of the change as well as its smooth implementation.
Efficient Problem Resolution:

Stakeholders can identify problem areas more easily due to the mapping of component interaction with IT thus reducing time taken for problems to be solved and service interruption time.

Improved Service Delivery:
A good example of a well-optimized CMDB is used in delivering greater IT services by enabling accurate information for handling incidents, troubleshooting problems and managing knowledge.
ServiceNow CMDB Implementation:

A Guide to Industry’s Proven Methods To maximize the benefits of ServiceNow CMDB, organizations should follow these best practices: To maximize the benefits of ServiceNow CMDB, organizations should follow these best practices:

Define Scope and Objectives:
Within an organization roll out of the CMDB needs to be properly defined and have clear goals it needs to accomplish in order to achieve success.

Establish Data Governance:
 It is also required to establish rules concerning the quality, accuracy, and consistency of the data.

Integrate with Other ITSM Processes:
The CMDB must be aligned with others ITSM processes including; Incident management, Problem management and change Management.

Continuously Improve: It important to make a periodic check on the accuracy of the existing CMDB and modify it consistent with the changes in the IT landscape.

Leverage Automation:
Leverage on ServiceNow to reduce the amount of data input required and the repeated manual work to ensure the data sorted in is clean.

Conclusion
ServiceNow CMDB is a tool that can potentially assist organizations’ to attain efficient IT service delivery. On the other hand, the CMDB may support organizations in delivering better services while optimizing the costs and ultimately improving the business performance by providing the complete view of the IT environment, enhancing the asset management and optimizing registered ITSM processes. As highlighted in this blog, when organizations follow the best practices outlined here above, ServiceNow CMDB can bring great value to the organization, particularly in relation to their strategic IT plans.