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CMDB Software
CMDB, or Configuration Management Database software, is a repository of data about IT assets.
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Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
Features
- IT Asset Management
- API
- License Management
- Change Management
- Device Auto Discovery
- Configuration Management
- Data Visualisation
- Relationship Mapping
CMDB Software Buyers Guide
Table of Contents
Configuration management database (CMDB) software allows organisations to track IT assets and see how these assets are related to one another. CMDB software solutions help manage IT inventory and software licensing, calculate return on investment (ROI), standardise methods for change control, and monitor IT metrics.
The benefits of CMDB software
- Logistical control: By creating a central repository of all IT assets and their interdependencies, companies can readily measure and analyse the effects that a change in one system will have on other related systems. Hardware and software specifications are tracked to facilitate the rapid deployment of either new system implementations or upgrades.
- Licensing compliance: CMDB software is specifically designed to track the quantity and types of licences for software assets in an organisation. In doing so, organisations can effectively comply with licensing structures for currently deployed technologies and predict the cost of additional licences.
- Accurate ROI calculations: By analysing usage metrics, CMDB software allows businesses to more effectively calculate the ROI of their hardware and software investments.
Typical features of CMDB software
- Change management: Ensures the use of standardised methods and procedures for handling changes in IT infrastructure.
- Configuration management: Establishes the accurate configuration of an IT asset based on design and operational specifications; ensures IT assets perform consistently to meet desired benchmarks.
- Asset management: Enables users to track and manage IT inventory.
- Device auto discovery: Periodically scans the network and executes predefined actions upon discovery.
- License management: Tracks and organises the number of licences available to (or potentially required by) the organisation.
- Performance monitoring: Monitors and measures relevant metrics to assess the performance of IT resources.
- Knowledge management: Systematically manages knowledge assets for the purpose of creating value and meeting tactical and strategic requirements.
Capterra's CMDB directory lets you filter by feature(s) to view only options that meet your business needs, which can help you narrow your software shortlist.
Considerations when purchasing CMDB software
- Overall cost vs day-to-day operational costs: Whereas IT Asset Management (ITAM) software is used to track and project an IT asset's cost over its life cycle (mostly for accounting purposes), CMDB software focuses on the day-to-day operation of an organisation's IT configuration—mainly how changes in the operating environment will affect other systems. Some products offer functionality for both ITAM and CMDB. A clear prioritisation of long-term IT goals will help you select an appropriate product for your organisation.
- Auto discovery: While most CMDB programmes contain fields for recording version numbers of software used by an organisation, some go a step further by proactively searching an organisation's infrastructure for out-of-date versions, and then performing upgrades automatically to ensure that versions match the desired configuration scheme. Auto discovery will also detect the presence of illegal or unlicensed software on the organisation's IT infrastructure.
Relevant CMDB software trends
- CMDB software will increasingly depend on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to automate version control: AI will continue to further automate the CMDB space. AI will not only track and compare IT configuration information across a business, but it will also use algorithms to determine and implement the optimal configuration schema without user input. Considering that 68% of small businesses will adopt AI in some respect over the next years, even the smallest of businesses will need CMDB with AI to stay competitive.
- Fines levied for the use of unlicensed software can be crippling for small businesses: The Business Software Alliance (BSA) does not discriminate between small businesses and large enterprises when it comes to penalising software licence infractions. In some cases, the BSA has levied fines of up to USD 150,000 for copyright infringement, and that trend is likely to continue. When you protect your organisation with the auto discovery technology of a CMDB suite, you avoid steep fines.