CMDB's see popularity soar

Configuration management databases (CMDB) usage it set to double in the next year

Adoption of configuration management databases (CMDB) capable of tracking the state of firms' IT environments is set to double in the next year as more large companies embrace Itil standards for managing their infrastructure.

That is the finding of a new survey of 50 large companies published by IT management software specialist Tertio SMS, which found CMDB uptake is set to almost double from 20 to 39 percent in the next 12 months.

Respondents said they were planning CMDB investments to help build an Itil framework, limit unplanned downtime and better manage change to the IT infrastructure.

"There is a real groundswell behind CMDB's at the moment, particularly among large firms," said Alan Greenberg, CEO of Tertio SMS. "People have realised CMDB's and the ability to know what [IT assets] you've got and how [they] fit together is critical if you are going to streamline your IT department's activities."

He added that the growing popularity of the Itil set of standards for running an IT department was also driving adoption of the technology. "CMDBs are fundamental to Itil," he argued. "You can implement bits of Itil without the technology, but having visibility over assets configuration makes it far easier. "