Third Party Suppliers

[hamiltr]

I've built a Configuration Plan for the Company I work for and I have identified the following Configuration Categories
Locations, Networks, Hardware, Software Products and Applications, People, Documentation and Services
We have involvement with 3rd Party Suppliers and I need to build them into the Plan.
From a CMDB perspective, is it best to create an additional Configuration Category called 3rd Party Suppliers or somewhere else?
thanks

[UKVIKING]

Hamiltr

It depends on how you are classifing the 3rd party suppliers

For example, for a server

you can track ? record / link the manufacturer of the server - dell , hp , etc
you can track/record / link the local retail / wholesale seller / provider of the kit.
You can track /record / link the local maintenance contractor supplier

you can also track / rtecord /link the external vendor who is supporting your environment / servers (outsource company)
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[hamiltr]

Thanks. OK the 3rd Party Suppliers that we want to include are more our major contractors who provide us with support on devices that fall under our infrastructure.
For instance, we have Global Crossing who provide us with network support and we have a Device/Inventory document which details the specific Circuit/Router details for our specific customer locations
Is it best to build this as an additional Configuration Category rather than adding additional attributes within Hardware/Networks Categories?

[UKVIKING]

OK

then you should create them as a service provider (external) like telco companies and such like

then in that db table - have a classification of what kind of service is provided

then as u add more external vendors - application, app development, app support, system suppr...the table / config data is set already
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[hamiltr]

Thanks
So it would be ok to create External Service Provider as an additional configuration category (adding new ones to this category as they arise) and then that would help develop the relationships, correct?

[UKVIKING]

I think for a company

Service Providers can be internal or external - it depends

also .. there is no right or wrong answer

what ever works for you.

The ultimate answer ... IT depends
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[hamiltr]

ok thanks. I think we will call them external service providers as they are specific third party suppliers managing specific services for our own company

[RT]

We have a category called organisation, with one of the attributes offering customer/supplier, which could also differentiate between internal and external suppliers (or any other type of organisation you want to store). Whether something like this would be suitable depends on the attributes you would like to record and make mandatory.