CI naming convention and changement

[Franck]

Hello,

Is there any "official" documentation from ITIL v2 or v3 which explains the CI naming convention ?


I have another question about a specific case :
If we replace a CI which are defective by a new one .
What kind of operations do we need to update in cmdb ?
Do we need to create a new CI record ? or do we need to update the first CI attributes by the new ones ?

Thanks

[UKVIKING]

Franck

ITIL does not care how you name things or what naming convention you use

ITIL cares that you document etc etc etc

If you look through this forum you will find an example

as to the question

If you have a desktop CI that is being replaced, the CI will remain the same while the underlying hardware is changed.

the serial number would change, the model may change etc

your Config and change mgmt process shuold handle this
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[mnsmith]

Hello

I would disagree with ukviking's comments about replacing CIs.

If I have a desktop with reference 123, that requires replacing, I would create a new desktop with reference 456 and mark desktop 123 appropriately (e.g. scrapped). This is because the CI, as a whole, is being replaced.

On the other hand, if the motherboard is being replaced, the CI would remain the same, because, as a whole, it is not being replaced.

Of course, like everything in ITIL, go with what works for you.

Mick
_________________
Mick Smith
Change, Configuration and Release Manager

[Diarmid]

Well messers Smith and Hardesty just proved it.

Not only does ITIL not define naming conventions, but it would be poor guidance to do so.

Common sense dictates that there are advantages to having a naming convention, but they will be poorly realized if you adopt someone else's convention and it does not square with the focus of your own environment.

John's solution leans towards the use of the desktop and tends to imply a notional higher factor,such as "the desktop in room 6".

Mick's idea focusses on the object itself and may make historical analysis easier, for example.

Each is correct, so long as they serve their purpose without causing problems.
_________________
"Method goes far to prevent trouble in business: for it makes the task easy, hinders confusion, saves abundance of time, and instructs those that have business depending, both what to do and what to hope."
William Penn 1644-1718

[UKVIKING]

The example I provided would depend on how IT assets and CI are tracked in the CMDB.

If the laptop/PC/HHD/Crackberry/etc is tracked as a UNIQUE item as an IT Asset (financial control) as well as tracked as a UNIQUE CI in the CMDB, then there would be a NEW CI for the replacement laptop / PC etc

If however, the CMDB merely tracks the owner / user of the device in question rather than the device itself, then the CI (user) merely links to the new device and unlinks to the old device

Regardles of how it is done and which CMDB software used, there needs to be a defined process on how to replace items, update items etc etc as well as SUB items
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[Mark-OLoughlin]

Hi,

youreally need to have a good solid Configuration Management policy and process and supporting how to documents put together that covers all these scenarios.

Naming convention is what suits your organisation. Remember to think a layer up from the technology regarding names - though I have seen servers called after football grounds (not even teams) and then with the advent of going to virtual systems all hell broke loose (but was quickly brought back under control).
_________________
Mark O'Loughlin
ITSM / ITIL Consultant

[UKVIKING]

Yes

we had the same issues

routers named after tool companys
Distributed directors named after movie directors
analysis tools named after detectives

they had to change the naming convention to a more useless standard

we use

T(2or 3)LA for machine - svr, rtr, sw, br, lap, pc, etc
then an ordinal number
then a TLA for the location - we used country TLDs and other such like TLAs - train station or airport or such like
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

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

[Diarmid]