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IT Essentials — Computer Operations

Knowledge Management

Knowledge management provides a set of instructions used to troubleshoot IT components. This
module of IT service management is primarily used by first-call responders in computer operations
to try to resolve issues reported.

TOPIC 4: ASSET AND CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

Asset Management

Maintaining a complete and accurate asset inventory and configuration management database, no
matter its form or location, are critical activities performed by computer operations.

As mentioned earlier in this course, assets include:
 Data and/or information.
 People.
 Processes.
 Technology.
 Intangible assets (trademarks, patents, and goodwill).

Technology includes:
 Hardware.
 Software.
 Appliances.

Technology includes devices and/or programs that manage, store, and transport electronic data and
information assets.

A good practice when establishing asset management is to assign each data and information asset
to an enterprise objective and its associated business processes. Controls designed to protect data
and information assets should be designed considering vulnerabilities, threats, and risks.

Computer Operations

Computer operations typically administer the system used to store data and information assets. As a
form of risk prevention, automated systems typically have an auto-discovery feature enabled to
prevent undetected hardware or software from attaching to it or being accessed through the
corporate network.

It is common to integrate, through an application program interface (API), the asset database with
the tools or databases used for configuration. The tools are sometimes referred to as the
configuration management database (CMDB), and are used for change, problem, incident, and
knowledge management. All activities associated with an asset’s lifecycle can be tracked through
this type of interface.

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