An Inter-Organizational Configuration Management Database as Key Enabler for Future IT Service Management Processes
Wolfgang Hommel, Silvia Knittl · 2008
Outsourcing is the remedy for many enterprises to improve their efficiency. However, to be able to assess the potential of one's own as well as the external providers' services, detailed information about the IT infrastructure and services is needed. In currently predominant IT Service Management Frameworks the so-called Configuration Management process provides an information nexus that is implemented by a database referred to as Configuration Management Database (CMDB). For outsourcing and collaboration scenarios such a CMDB should also provide an information basis for inter-organizational usage. Based on this motivation we first present the concept of an inter-organizational CMDB (ioCMDB). However, several IT Service Management disciplines need to be reconsidered in order to take full advantage of the ioCMDB. Thus, this article also presents the related challenges and the key issues for inter-organizational ITSM process enhancement.