We worked with the client to identify and establish Global Domain Owners for each of the CI classes in scope: Windows & Linux Servers, SQL & Oracle Databases, Network & Storage Devices, and Cloud configurations across AWS and Azure.
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Head of ITSM Technology
Global Insurance Company
To automate CMDB population by implementing ServiceNow Discovery across all of a customer’s primary global data centres, including Azure and AWS cloud environments. Our task required the management and classification of records totalling in excess of 9 million Configuration Items across 120+ sites in 80+ countries and the cloud.
We worked with the client to identify and establish Global Domain Owners for each of the CI classes in scope: Windows & Linux Servers, SQL & Oracle Databases, Network & Storage Devices, and Cloud configurations across AWS and Azure.
The team established discovery data centre by data centre and work with regional teams to obtain all account and access requirements against a subset of the CMDB and began reviewing what could be used globally.
We then captured all existing golden sources, including manually maintained spreadsheets to build a clear vision of what a completely discovered CMDB should look like. A target of 80% completeness was set across each CI class.
In addition to just discoverable attributes, a set of regulatory required attributes were also needed. Particular focus was placed on those configuration items in Production which were providing Mission and Business Critical Applications.
To shortcut process, we built a scoped application within ServiceNow to manage all golden sources and imported these via transform maps. The customer set the target baseline across the entire estate.
The application allowed us to match discovered configuration items via a number of means including IP Address, Serial number, Name and many other potential unique identifiable combinations. It also allowed for us to easily highlight were ServiceNow Discovery had found configuration items not currently in the CMDB or any golden source. A large number of shadow IT devices were found this way.
The application also allowed for an instant visual representation of regulatory compliance against mandatory attributes, both discoverable and non-discoverable. This enabled the data owners to easily identify attributes that needed to be manually updated, or where ServiceNow Discovery patterns need adjusting to automatically discover additional attributes.
· Achieved close to 100% (actual numbers from the application mentioned against their largest data centre):
· Similar results were found across the entire estate, and the majority of the devices not found were in secure areas where discovery was not possible.
· The project was completed in less than 5 months.
Our aim is to make you self-sufficient, then leave. At CloudStratex, our ServiceNow Practice is a proven and trusted partner.
Global reinsurance and primary insurance provider -£50bn Turnover
14,000 Employees
Germany (Munich), USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong
To automate CMDB population by implementing ServiceNow Discovery across all of a customer’s primary global data centres, including Azure and AWS cloud environments.
- Establish Data Domain owners for all CI classes in scope (e.g. Windows servers, Linux servers, SQL servers, network devices, storage devices, ancillary and bespoke devices such as networked printers) - Confirm IP ranges in scope of Discovery included extended networks such as Azure, AWS. - Establish domain standards and baseline (e.g.: Non-standard ports in use, Non-standard configurations, DMZ equipment configurations) - Determine access requirements (e.g. Read Only Admin, SSH credentials, SNMP rights, firewall rules, mid server access), disaster recovery sites, datacentre requirements dedicated or shared tenancy - Create roadmap and document chosen approach (i.e. CI class by CI class, en masse, or datacentre by datacentre) - Establish weekly workshops to track progress CI class by CI class - Gain control and clarity of your data
