Product Categorization: S/W Server

[itshadow]

Hi all,
I'm a newbie in here... looking some help with the product categorizaion for the System/Software Server BMC Class.
The thing is that the discovery tool eventually will discover the Software server CI Type but then they need to be mapped to a product categorization following the best practice categorization.
I understand that this class, according to the definition, "store information about a server that provides a single service to client application or other systems". Examples of this asset include:
• DB Servers
• WEB Servers
• DNS Servers
• Directory Servers
• Mail Servers

Is there any "best" suggestion about how to give a general category to the class? or do you reckon that it has to be tailored according to the service provided?

Any help?
Thanks.

[UKVIKING]

Are you asking tool specific questions ?
If so, go to the a tool specific forum

This is an ITIL forum

ITIL is unconcerned what tools you would use to implement or assist in implementing ITIL

While some of us have had experience with specific tools, the focus in this forum is ITIL

As for classifications and sub classifications of devices - from an ITIL perspective, it is depends on your needs as whether to classify a server as merely a service or a web server or ....
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

[itshadow]

My questions was more in a general term than pointing to a tool. I just mentioned the tool to as part of my input. But my concern is about the best practice to be used as part of the association of the items with the categorization. I do understand that this forum is not to discuss specific tool matters and that's why I came here to ask for help.

Thanks

[UKVIKING]

itshadow

from a configuration mgmt pov, there really is no defined best practice (ITIL), standard (ISO 20k) in regards to how you classify or sub classify your IT assets.

the default answer here is

It depends

which would cover the answer to your question - in a generalist way

However, you asked a specific question - although the tool reference was not really needed.

You have an auto discovery tool - (separate thread regarding the use and usefullness of is somewhere) - that has identified some devices and the 'tool' auto classifies them {presumption - but most likely}

You query the value of Web Server, DNS Server etc over ... server....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The IT department ./ organization / unit ./ company would give a clue as to how shallow or deep the classification should be.

I would classifiy the servers based on the services that are provided by that device. And if a server provided more than one service... I would take the highest valued one....

It also depends on how your CMDB is arranged

i would use the following example

The tool auto discovers 5 servers in a data center

they are

server01, server02... server05

the servers have the following data identifiers associated with them that would be unique

Hostname (machine name)
FQDN - Fully quallified domain name
IP Address(NIC card)
MAC Address (per card)
gateway Address (per NIC / IP )

Then the next set of data would be

O/S
patch / service pack

Then the services / application that would on the servers

DNS, DHCP, WINS, MS Exchange, IIS, LDAP, etc

So how would I classify the servers /

It would depend on the Service that I am providing

1 - I would classify the servers first just as servers - using the choice of laptop, desktop, server, router, switch
2- I would classify the servers based on the O/S
3 - i would classify the services usig the Services that is provided. If the server has multiple services and I could only use 1 then I would go for active services - Mail, Web, etc over the background services - WINS, DHCP, DNS, etc

but in the end... what ever I classify the servers as. I have to be able to use that information some how... If I dont use the information (and I being the team/dept/group), then why use the classification

I know this is not a concrete answer but... it depends
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

[itshadow]

UKVKING,
Thanks... Depending on the point of view of the reader the answer could be concrete! It depends...

For me it is... reading between lines I've found the help I was looking for to answer my question. Now I'm ready to discuss it with the team.

Thanks a lot.