Better data, better decisions: How a clean CMDB illuminates your IT

Consider this common service desk scenario. An end-user calls the IT help desk for an issue with his device. The help desk manager refers to the CMDB’s data to troubleshoot the issue. However, if that data is inaccurate, the help desk will have to conduct an inefficient manual search: check historical support tickets to identify trends, question the end-user on software usage, or even use search engines.

This affects not only the helpdesk manager but also the end-user and the entire IT desk. The delays in resolution result in: 

• Increased MTTR (Mean Time To Resolution)
• Exhausted helpdesk time and productivity
• Increased unplanned operational costs
• Low or poor morale amongst IT help desk personnel and the end-users they serve
• Higher cost of technologies that go unused during troubleshooting

How CMDB cleanup helps

The ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB) has traditionally been positioned as the single source of truth for IT data. If properly maintained and managed, the CMDB provides IT teams with the insights they need to perform their jobs efficiently. 

Serving as the hub of information for all tickets that come into the help desk, the CMDB provides visibility into the following for effective troubleshooting:

• The software or hardware that is causing the issue
• Software and hardware attributes
• Any relevant dependencies
• License usage and availability
• Software support expiry dates

What happens when the CMDB data is not clean

Developing an IT roadmap requires knowing where you stand in terms of migration and the adoption of new technologies. But to achieve that, you need an accurate and complete view of your entire hardware and software estate. If the data about the same is complex, it frustrates or delays an organization’s large-scale strategic initiatives. Besides, poor-quality CMDB data—whether incomplete, unnormalized, irrelevant, or unintegrated—inhibits the visibility enterprises need to plan their IT transformation.

How clean data empowers your decisions

• It is the key to successful ITSM

A clean CMDB allows the service desk manager to view asset data within the support ticket for fast, accurate incident resolution. It also offers visibility of end-of-life and end-of-support to manage upgrades and conversions proactively. These improved processes lead to increased customer satisfaction and decreased operational costs, maximizing the ROI of the service desk.

• It helps you achieve new levels of operational efficiency

A clean CMDB ensures teams can operate at the pace of the business with greater service uptime, continuous productivity, and a lowered MTTR. Additionally, clean, augmented data is updated daily, providing ongoing visibility to the IT service desk while removing the need for extra manual effort. Overall, CMDB cleanup facilitates higher operational efficiency.

• It improves product and service catalogs

Dynamically populating product and service catalogs with clean, normalized data enables organizations to enhance their IT self-service options. With accurate, up-to-date data always on hand, you can reduce the cost and manual effort traditionally associated with updating catalogs. 

• It provides licenses availability and usage 

When the CMDB is populated with full license availability and usage, asset managers can identify reharvesting opportunities and eliminate unnecessary license spending.

• It increases insights for improved security

The visibility gained with quality CMDB data results in a clearer picture of how your organization’s IT environment is secured and where improvements could be made to minimize risk. 

• It leads to significant cost savings

The combination of labor savings and optimized decision-making that a clean CMDB enables has a tangible impact on the bottom line. 

• It fosters quick decision-making 

Equipped with a clean and automatically populated CMDB, today’s organizations can clear the path to transformation and growth by making decisions informed by a complete view of the existing estate.

Conclusion

A CMDB that is automatically populated with cleansed, normalized data unlocks the comprehensive visibility needed to enable effective decision-making across departments. With this visibility, ServiceNow ITAM and ITSM solution allows your organization to achieve greater productivity, security, and speed, so you can deliver on your business goals.

If you want to implement ServiceNow CMDB in your organization, you can reach out to us.