A Content Management Database, CMDB, stores an inventory of configuration items (CIs), it means, hardware, software and network components within a scope, usually an organization, that can be configured.
A CI represents an item under configuration management, such as a router, a server, an application, a virtual machine, a container, or even a logical construct such as a portfolio.
CMDB is tighly related to asset management and configuration management, that are processes of IT service management described in ISO 20000-1 and ITIL standards.
Asset management encompasses asset lifecycle, including procurement and decommission.
Configuration management is focused on the productive life of IT assets and how they are configured. CMDB does as well.
CMDB Features
A CMDB solution may have these functionalities, but not necessarily all:
- Visualization
- Relationship mapping
- Metrics and Analytics
- Scanning
- Federation
- Access profiles
- Automation
CMDB Tools
This section features CMDB tools:
- GLPI
- CMDBuild
- DataGERRY
- BMC Helix Discovery
- iTop
- Device42 CMDB
- ServiceNow CMDB
- Jira Service Management / Insight CMDB
GLPI
GLPI is an acronym from the French Gestionnaire Libre de Parc Informatique. It is an ITSM tools that contains a CMDB module.
It is FOSS, under a GPL-v3 license.
CMDBuild
CMDBuild is FOSS under a APGL-v3 license.
It is maintained by private company Tecnoteca srl.
DATAGERRY
DATAGERRY
It is FOSS under a AGPL-v3 license.
iTop
iTop is a ITSM and CMDB designed for small IT teams.
There is a community edition, and also paid editions. The community edition is FOSS, under an APL-v3 license.
Device42 CMDB
Device42 CMDB integrates with other solutions to produce CMDB.
Device42 CMDB official website
FormTools
Snipe-IT
Snipe-IT is an asset management tool.
It is FOSS, under an AGPL-v3 license.
RackTables
iDoIt
Ralph
ServiceNow CMDB
ServiceNow CMDB seems to be the industry standard. It is a solution within the Now platform.
It is proprietary.
Jira Service Management Data Center / Insight CMDB
Insight CMDB is an online proprietary CMDB tool.
Atlassian acquired Insight by 2020, so it was in Atlassian’s 2021 roadmap that Insight CMDB is integrated in Jira Service Management.
It seems that Insight Data Center (a product that may differ from Insight CMDB) has been merged into Jira Service Management Data Center (JSMDC).
Jira Service Management Data Center official website
Asset and Configuration Management in Jira Service Management
BMC Helix Discovery
BMC Helix Discovery is a proprietary software.
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External References
- CMDB definitions
- Wikipedia community; “Content Management Database“; Wikipedia
- ServiceNow; “What is CMDB?“; ServiceNow
- Atlassian; “What is CMDB?“; Atlassian
- FOSS CMDB
- Reddit r/sysadmin community; “Good Open Source CMDB?“; Reddit