Use > Configuration Management > Configuration Management workflows and user tasks > Conduct a configuration audit

Applies to User Roles:

Configuration Auditor

Conduct a configuration audit

You should conduct configuration audits on a regular periodic basis, and also before or after major changes or releases. The objective is to ensure that information in the configuration management database is correct, and that all configuration items are accurately and completely recorded.

You can conduct an audit manually, or by using automated inventory and discovery tools. If you find discrepancies between the actual configuration and the details as recorded in Service Manager, you need to determine whether there is an authorized change to account for the difference, or whether further investigation or corrective action is necessary.

Note The general procedures for conducting a configuration audit are described below. If you have the Service Manager UCMDB Integration, you can see the Actual State section, which contains detailed data about each of the CIs discovered. In addition, you can use the Service Manager Discovery Event Manager feature to set rules about handling discrepancies between the actual discovered and managed CIs.

To conduct a configuration audit, follow these steps:

  1. Click Configuration Management > Resources > Search CIs.
  2. Use search or advanced search to find one or more records.
  3. Compare each configuration item listed in your inventory or discovered by your discovery tool to the data for the configuration item contained in the Managed State section and in other sections of the CI record.
  4. If you discover an item that is not registered in Service Manager, follow these steps:
    1. Determine whether the item needs to be managed, based on its scope and your policies.
    2. If the item must be managed, determine its CI type and then create a new CI record in Service Manager.
    3. Open the CI Changes section. Determine whether the mismatch resulted from an authorized change, or whether it was an unauthorized change that requires further investigation or corrective action.
    4. If the discrepancy resulted from an unauthorized change, create a new incident.
  5. If Service Manager lists a configuration item that cannot be found, it may be lost or stolen. To check the configuration item, follow these steps:
    1. Open the CI Changes section. Determine whether the mismatch resulted from an authorized change (such as the authorized retirement and disposal of a piece of equipment that no longer works properly), or whether it was an unauthorized change that requires further investigation or corrective action.
    2. If the discrepancy resulted from an unauthorized change, create a new incident.
  6. If the discovered item is registered in Service Manager but there is some discrepancy between the actual, registered, and managed data, follow these steps:
    1. Investigate the discrepancy to define the differences.
    2. Determine whether the managed data can be updated directly without opening a formal change.
    3. If the CI details can be updated directly, make the necessary changes in the appropriate fields in the CI record.
    4. Determine whether the discrepancy requires further investigation or corrective action.
    5. If further action is necessary, determine the appropriate investigative or corrective actions, and create an incident to execute those actions.
    6. If no further action is necessary, update the audit log with the audit status and last audit date.

Related topics

Discovery Event Manager
Discovery Event Manager managed fields
Universal CMDB

Related topics

View or modify rules in Discovery Event Manager
Example: Search for a record