Managing Change in Critical IT
Infrastructure
David Cuthbertson
Managing Director
Square Mile Systems Ltd
www.squaremilesystems.com
© Square Mile Systems
22
Housekeeping
• Fire evacuation
• Toilets
• Refreshments
– 11:00 Mid morning break
– 12:30 Lunch
• Mobile phones
15 Years Ago….
Agenda
Introduction & Square Mile Overview
Implementing and Maintaining a Successful CMDB
Paul Dixon, Lloyds Banking Group
Enhancing the Support Service Experience
Barry Horgan, Ashraff Khan, Excel IT
Reducing Spreadsheet Chaos and Visio Overload
David Cuthbertson, Square Mile
A Few Questions
1. Who has created or viewed more than 10 Visio diagrams this
year?
2. Who typically documents inventory data in Excel and
diagrams in Visio?
3. Who has had a Visio training course in the last 3 years?
Square Mile Background
Develop the AssetGen toolsets, training and techniques for operational management of complex IT infrastructure
UK based, customers worldwide - mainly finance and outsource/hosting
Focus areas
Data center & connectivity management
Automated documentation techniques
Change impact analysis
Infrastructure visualisation using Visio
Training
Data center management practices
System mapping techniques
Visio techniques and automationInfrastructure
Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)
Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other
Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS
ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA
ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier
Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company
Managing Change…
Managing change in critical IT Infrastructure
Managing – culture, processes and support systems
Change – systems, projects / tasks, operations
Critical – risk to business functions / processes
IT Infrastructure - servers, software, power, cabling
Common Change Issues
Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)
Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other
Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS
ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA
ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier
Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company
SVR-BHAM-010301
• Time
– Identifying faults and risks
– Discovery, site survey, workshops
– Communication across teams
• Cost
– Discovery / audit effort
– Duplicating resources
– Communication across teams
• Risk
– Identifying change impacts / risks
– Individual / team overload
– Communication across teams
Infrastructure Change Support
It’s common sense that you should know what is in your IT
infrastructure, how it is configured, how it works
So planning changes is easy
Fault diagnosis is quick
To optimise infrastructure resources
To check with other information
In ITIL V3 - The CMS Concept
Project
Doc
Filestore
Project
Software
Definitive
Media
Library
Federated
CMDBs
Discovery
Asset Mgmt
& Audit Tools
Software
Config
Mgmt
Platform
Config
Mgmt
Enterprise
Apps
Portal
Change&
Release
View
Asset
Mgmt
View
Config
Life-cycle
View
Technical
Config
View
Quality
Mgmt
View
Service
Desk
View
Business
Impact
View
Compliance
View
(Cobit)
Query & Analysis Reporting Performance Mgmt Modelling Monitoring
Presentation
Layer
Knowledge
Processing
Layer
Data &
Information
Sources
& Tools
Information
Integration
Layer
Customer/User – Service –Application – Infrastructure mapping
Service Portfolio Service Package Integrated Asset & Config Service Change Service Release
Common Process Reconciliation Synchronisation Extract, Load MiningScheme Meta Data
Search, Browse, Store, Retrieve, Update, Publish, Subscribe, Collaborate
Data Integration
But…. Does the CMS/CMDB
• Make it easy to find equipment and connectivity?
• Produce the project and operational diagrams we need?
• Identify spare and underused racks and infrastructure?
• Provide appropriate lists and diagrams to suit projects/ops?
• Have a user interface that makes it easy for users?
• What is practical and realistic?
Paul Dixon – Lloyds Banking Group Hosts/Services/Systems mapping
Barry Horgan / Ashraff Khan – Excel IT Infrastructure tasks/projects
Avoiding Excel & Visio Chaos
• Infrastructure is complex
• The risk of disruption increases with complexity
How do you manage complexity?
Avoiding Excel and Visio Chaos
Why Infrastructure Configuration Management?
• Time
– Reducing project and change delivery times
– Identifying faults and recovery risks
– Providing management information / evidence of control
• Cost
– Reduce workload on project teams – site survey, discovery
– Identify consolidation / resource utilisation opportunities
– Operational management change/incident/reporting/billing
• Risk
– Individual / team overload due to experience/skill set
– Identify change impacts / risks
– Communication across teams
Can We Put A Server Here?01-07 - FRONT
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PWR01-07-APWR01-07-B
PROLIANT
DRIVE SURFACES
MAY BE HOT
ALLOW TO COOLBEFORE TOUCHING
WARNING:
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m ic r os ys t em s
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m ic r os ys t em s
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Cable Mgmt 01-07-04
Can We Put A Server Here?01-07 - FRONT
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PP01-07-01
PWR01-07-APWR01-07-B
PROLIANT
DRIVE SURFACES
MAY BE HOT
ALLOW TO COOLBEFORE TOUCHING
WARNING:
SVR-BHAM-010701
m ic r os ys t em s
1120
UK_BIRM_UX05
m ic r os ys t em s
1120
UK_BIRM_UX06
m ic r os ys t em s
1120
UK_BIRM_UX07
m ic r os ys t em s
1120
UK_BIRM_UX08
Cable Mgmt 01-07-04
Technical
Space
Weight
Power
Cooling
Connectivity
Business
Function
Location
Cost
Capacity
Risk
And Afterwards – Document the Change!
1. Update asset/inventory list
2. Update rack diagrams
3. Update network patching records
4. Update switch port usage and capacity
5. Update floor plan capacity view
6. Update power usage spreadsheet(s)
7. Update server recovery plans
8. Update storage / backup system documentation
9. Update systems architecture documentation
10. Update DR plan
11. Update maintenance records
12. Update change records
13. Update project documentation with the “as built” details
What?
Where?
Who?
When?
How?
Why?
Basic Information Needs
1. What we have and what we have planned for
2. Where a device or component is
3. The current attributes or parameters
Technical, process data, organisation, commercial
4. How it is built – chassis/card/modules
5. What a device connects to
6. How it connects – LAN/WAN/SAN/KVM/Voice/Power
7. What changes to devices or data sets have occurred
8. What it does
9. Presented in views that explain the configuration
Form, list, report, physical / logical / build / service diagram
Different views of a server
Claims
Processing
Payment Module
ACCOUNTS
Accounts Module
SVRWIN001
Accounts
Payable
Accounts
Receivable
PAYROLL
Sage Payroll
Payroll
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CORE1
SW-BHAM-
CORE2
SW-BHAM-01 SW-BHAM-03 SW-BHAM-05 SW-BHAM-02SW-BHAM-04SW-BHAM-06
UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX04UK_BIRM_UX05 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX06 UK_BIRM_UX07 UK_BIRM_UX08 UK_BIRM_UX10
99999
99999
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UK_BIRMCC_PDU2
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PWR01-07-
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UK_BIRM_UX05
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UK_BIRM_UX07
UK_BIRM_UX08
PP01-02-01
RTR-BHAM-01
PWR01-02-A
PWR01-02-B
NTU-BHAM-01
NTU-TEST03
Floor Plan
Rack Position
Service impact
Power Impact
LAN, SAN Connections
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H/W Build
Take a server… and “document it fully”
Hardware build
Asset / contract details
Performance monitoring
Applications Services
Network
Connections
Storage
Configuration
Power Connections
Rack position
Recovery documents
Softwareconfiguration
Software build
But..
Infrastructure complexity
– Scale and scope – local, end to end
– Understanding risk and dependencies
– Maintaining diagrams – network, power, application, space
Duplication and overlap of infrastructure data
– Multiple toolsets, spread sheets and diagrams
– Distraction - autodiscovery/CMDB/integration
How to change
– Knowing the starting point – process, data, benefits
– Reduce data sets and maintenance effort
– Change skills, work process and culture
Infrastructure Configuration
SERVERWIN0001
KVM
Network
Power Storage
MonitoringHardware
Config
Software
Config
Service
Architecture
Location
System
Architecture
Asset
Financial
Supplier
Customer
Recovery
Risk/ Plans
Application
Software
Documentation – Too Much Effort?
Design
Bid
Project
Build
Handover
Operate
MACD
Controls
Risk management
© AssetGen Limited
23
Paper
Word
Excel
Visio
CAD
Databases
Monitoring systems
Data centre toolsets
Cable management
Internal web portals
Work flow/service desk
Test results
And so on….
Lifecycle Formats
I’m still
around!
Why is Infrastructure CM Different?
• Standard naming and conventions
– Fixed infrastructure
– Active components
– Connectivity power, network, SAN
• Multiple outputs from a few sources
– Rack and floor management
– Capacity management space, power, connectivity
– Visual views, rack, network, power, system
– Inventory and asset management
– Service and system mapping
• Reduce multiple data sets to a reduced set
– Project, operations, risk, asset, audit, platforms
© AssetGen Limited
25
Automation (1)
Word
Visio
ExcelExcel
Visio
Word
Word
Visio
Excel
Visio
Excel
VisioWord
Excel
ExcelExcel
Word
Word
Visio
ExcelExcel
Trusted sources
1• Buildings & Locations
2
• Fixed Infrastructure
• Racks, cabling, power
3• Inventory
4• Connectivity
5• Presentation
2. Reduce Data Sources1. Don’t look back
Automation (3)
© AssetGen Limited
26
Excel Visio
Lists/Inventory Diagrams
VisioDatabase
3. Use Existing Toolsets More Effectively
Examples
Inventory to rack layout
Inventory to network diagram
Rack list to floor plan
Power usage to floor plan
Application list to service map
Switch links to network diagram
Automation (4) – Specialist Toolsets
© AssetGen Limited
27
Physical ChangesLocation and position
Resource reservation for projects
Physical connectivity
Audits and manual data gathering
Impacts and dependencies
Adds, moves and changes
AssetGenInfrastructureManagement
Visio
Visio
Excel
Visio
Typical Outputs
Capacity management
– space, power, connectivity
Inventory extracts
Custom reporting
Physical plans
Floor and rack diagrams
Topology diagrams
Networks, power, storage
System & Architecture Maps
ITIL services, applications
Change impact analysis
– impact, risk, auditing
Updates
Outputs
Updates
References
Word
Trusted sourcesDiscovery systems
Monitoring tools
Service desk CMDB
Spreadsheets – risk, contracts
Recovery plans
Project handover
Excel VisiodB
Automation (5) Change The Work Flow
© AssetGen Limited
28
Design Build Test Update
Q. When would a rack diagram be updated with the position of a new server?
Q. When would patching records be updated for it’s network connections?
Q. Who would update the documentation?
Implementing Infrastructure CM
• You could define your own approach but will be limited by
– Authority
– Experience
– Technical qualifications
– Best communicators available
– Management information
• So you should adopt a pragmatic approach
– Look for quick wins that all understand
– The first steps are often setting standards – so they’ll take longer
– Create a POC that shows the benefits as soon as possible
– Selective use of advisors, training, workshops, tasks
– It doesn’t have to be perfect, just better!
AssetGen Technology
© AssetGen Limited
30
Fixed Infrastructure(Cabling, Power, Cabinets, Rooms, Buildings)
Hardware InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, UPS, Storage, Other
Virtual InfrastructurePCs, Network, Servers, Storage, DBMS
ApplicationsPC, server, mainframe, SOA
ServicesEnd user, infrastructure, supplier
Business ProcessesDepartmental, Company
AssetGen Connect
AssetGen SysMap
SQL Server platform
AssetGen Connect/SysMap Versions
© AssetGen Limited
31
Desktop Version Multi-User Server Version
Connect
Professional
Connect Web
Application
PC
MS SQL
Database
Visio
MS SQL
Database
Connect
ProfessionalVisio
PC
Windows Server
PC
Web Browser
© AssetGen Limited
32
Automated Infrastructure Views Using VisioClaims
Processing
Payment Module
ACCOUNTS
Accounts Module
SVRWIN001
Accounts
Payable
Accounts
Receivable
PAYROLL
Sage Payroll
Payroll
SW-BHAM-
CORE1
SW-BHAM-
CORE2
SW-BHAM-01 SW-BHAM-03 SW-BHAM-05 SW-BHAM-02SW-BHAM-04SW-BHAM-06
UK_BIRM_UX01 UK_BIRM_UX02 UK_BIRM_UX09 UK_BIRM_UX04UK_BIRM_UX05 UK_BIRM_UX03 UK_BIRM_UX06 UK_BIRM_UX07 UK_BIRM_UX08 UK_BIRM_UX10
99999
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UK_BIRMCC_PDU1
UK_BIRMCC_PDU2
PWR01-
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PWR01-06-
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PWR01-07-
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PP01-02-01
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PWR01-02-A
PWR01-02-B
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Floor Plan
Rack Position
Service impact
Power Supply
Network Connections
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H/W Build
User Interface Enhanced CMDB Information
Service Desk(Remedy, SM7, Peregrine etc.)
Service Desk CMDB Integration
Service Desk
CMDB
CI
Details
Parent/
Child
Impact
Incidents
Changes
etc
Offline CMDB copy
1. Visio
Service
Maps
2. Multi-
level
Impact
3. Multi-
CI
Impact
4. Excel
Batch
Query
5. External
Toolset
links
SysMap Web
Application
SysMap
ProfessionalVisio
MS SQL
Database
Other mappings - flow, etc
AssetGen
SysMap
© AssetGen Limited
33
Reducing Infrastructure Data Sources
LAN/SAN/WAN/Power diagrams
Visio
Visio
Visio
Services
Software
Servers
Storage
Cabinets
Networks
Cabling
Power
Voice
Coordinated database, multiple viewpoints
Capacity and connectivity reports
Change impact analysis and audit trails
Spreadsheet outputs
Service maps
Rack, floor plans
Excel
Connect Professional Licensing (1)
Desktop Server
Number of Users 1 Many
Up to 500 Devices
Up to 1000 Devices
Up to 2000 Devices
Unlimited no. of Devices
Single building
Campus – many buildings
Unlimited – many sites
© AssetGen Limited
35
SysMap Professional Licensing
Desktop Server
Number of Users 1 Many
Up to 300 CIs
Up to 1000 CIs
Up to 3000 CIs
Unlimited number of CIs
© AssetGen Limited
36
Infrastructure Configuration Management
It’s common sense that you should know what is in your IT
infrastructure and how it is configured
It’s not difficult if you use the techniques we’ve shown today
Additional Material
www.assetgen.com
AssetGen Connect Data Center & Infrastructure Management
AssetGen SysMap System mapping for change / risk control
“How to” videos, datasheets, etc.
www.squaremilesystems.com
Training courses Technical / management aspects of data centers
White papers Capacity, visualisation, change impact
Conference papers BICSI, ITSMF, BCS-CMSG
Infrastructure Configuration Management
David CuthbertsonSquare Mile Systems Ltd
+44 (0)870 950 4651
www.squaremilesystems.com
www.assetgen.com
