CMDB Baselines

CMDB Baselines

CMDB Baseline 

CI configurations often change as part of routine system updates. To track these changes, you can create CMDB baselines as a stable reference.
Each baseline you create captures the state of CI configurations (attributes and first-level relationships) at that moment. You can compare different baselines and identify deviations from its expected state in the CMDB.
This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to capture CIs from CMDB and compare them across versions. To learn more about limitations, click here.

Benefits of Baselines

  1. Grab CI snapshots before major migration or upgrade.
  2. Periodically capture CIs to meet compliance requirements in audit reviews.
  3. Compare baselines to identify CI configuration changes and assess the root cause for recurring issues.
  4. Check if bulk edits and discovery updates were applied correctly.

Capture CIs

Role Required: SDAdmin, SDCMDBAdmin, SDCMDBManager, or technicians with Create Baselines role. 
To capture CIs, first create a baseline configuration and then create baselines within it.

Step 1: Create Baseline Configuration 

Set up a baseline configuration to determine which CIs should be captured in a baseline. You can include up to 10 CI types within the same baseline configuration.
  1. Go to CMDB > Baseline Configurations.
  2. Click New Baseline Configuration.
  3. In the New Baseline Configuration pop-up, enter the following details:  
Field
Description
Comments
Name
Give the baseline a name.
-
Description
Describe the baseline.
-
Baseline Type
Select how to capture CIs in the baseline.
Configuration Based: Capture CIs that meet specific criteria.
Business View Based: Capture CIs from existing business views.
After saving the configuration, you cannot edit the baseline type.
 
 Configuration Based: Enter the following details:
 
Field
Description
Applies to
Select the required CI type.
 By default, baseline configuration applied to a parent CI type will also apply to all of its child CI types. 
Click Add Criteria  to set CI criteria. The baselines will capture only CIs that match the criteria.
Use the plus icon to add more criteria. Choose AND or OR to determine whether the CIs should match all or any of them. 
 
Add Configuration
Click Add Configuration to include more CI types to the configuration and specify criteria of those types.
To remove a configuration, hover over it and click Delete .
Business View Based:
  1. From the drop-down, select the business view.
  2. The baselines will capture all CIs included in that view.  
  3. Constraints:
    1. You cannot set criteria to capture CIs from business views.  
    2. You can set only one baseline configuration per business view.
 
After you fill out the details, click Save.

Preview CIs
You can preview CIs that currently match the baseline configuration, either while you create/edit it or from its details page.

Baseline Configuration Pop-Up
Baseline Configuration Details Page
List View Actions 
  1. Enable/Disable Baseline Configuration: Baseline configurations are enabled by default. To disable a configuration, turn off the toggle next to it.
  1. Edit/Delete Baseline Configuration: Click the gear icon next to the baseline configuration name and click Edit or Delete. You can also edit from the baseline configuration details page.
Notes
 You cannot delete baseline configurations that contain baselines.  
 The deleted baseline configurations cannot be restored.  

     

Step 2: Create Baseline 

  1. Go to CMDB > Baseline Configurations.
  2. Click the required baseline configuration.
  3. Click Create Baseline.
  1. Give the baseline a name and describe it. You cannot edit the baseline name, once saved.
  2. Click Save.
After you create a baseline, the system will schedule a background job to capture CIs that match the baseline configuration. After the background job is complete, you will receive a bell notification.
Click the notification and then click the created baseline to view captured CIs.

If there are no matching CIs, the baseline will not be created.

Points to Remember

  1. CIs created while the background job is running will not be captured, even if they match the baseline configuration.
  2. Until the background job is complete, you cannot view CIs captured in a baseline. 
  3. In a baseline configuration, you can create only one baseline at a time. You can create the next baseline only after 15 days.
  4. Any changes made in CI configurations after a baseline is created will not be captured in that baseline version.  

Compare Baselines 

Each baseline is a distinct version, numbered based on the created date. The latest baseline is numbered the highest version.
Compare different baseline versions to identify any changes, such as newly added or removed CIs and CIs whose attributes and relationships are modified/unaltered.
Notes
 You can compare only two baseline versions  at a time.
  1. Go to CMDB  > Baseline Configurations.
  2. Click the required baseline configuration.
  3. Select any two baseline versions and click Compare.
You should now see a slide-out that displays the comparison summary, categorized as follows:
Tab
Description
Modified
Displays CIs whose configurations were changed until the recent baseline was created.
Click a CI to view its modified attributes and relationships.
Added
Displays CIs that are added to the latest baseline.
Click a CI to view its details and relationships.
Removed
Displays CIs that are removed from the earlier baseline.
Click a CI to view its details and relationships.
Unmodified
Displays CIs with unaltered configurations.
Click a CI to view its details and relationships.
 
Info
You will receive an alert message if the baselines you compare have no changes.  

Compare CI Versions Across Baselines

Each baseline holds a version of CIs. You can compare different versions of a CI from different baselines, besides its current version.
You can perform this action from:
  1. The baseline details slide-out
  2. The CI details page
  3. Business views
Info
You cannot compare two different CIs.
You cannot edit CI values from the baseline module.
 

Compare From Baseline Details Slide-Out

  1. Go to CMDB  > Baseline Configurations.
  2. Click the required baseline configuration.
  3. Click any baseline. You should now see a slide-out that displays all CIs captured in that baseline.
  4. Click Compare next to the CI you want to compare.

Notes
From here, you can compare CI values against baselines within the baseline configuration only.
To compare values across baseline configurations, go to the corresponding CI details page/business view.

  1. Select the baseline version to compare against the current baseline.
 
Baseline Version
Description
Previous Version
Compare it with the previous baseline.
Latest Version
Compare it with the recently-created baseline.
Current CI Values
Compare with its current attributes and first-level relationships.
Select Version
Select any baseline version.
In the Compare CI Versions pop-up, select a version and click Compare.
 
 You should now see a slider displaying the comparison summary, categorized as follows:
 
Tab
Description
Configuration
Displays CI attributes captured in the compared baselines. The modified values are highlighted.
Click the All Fields drop-down and select Modified Fields to view modified details only.
Added Relationships
Displays dependencies added to the CI until the latest baseline version was created.
Removed Relationships
Displays dependencies dissociated from the CI until the latest baseline version was created.
 

Compare from the CI Details Page

Info
Role Required: View CMDB permission
  1. Go to the required CI details page.
  2. Under the Baselines tab, you will find baselines from all baseline configurations associated with that CI.
  3. To view the CI's configuration changes,
    1. Select any two baselines from the list and click Compare Baselines.
    2. Alternatively, you can click Compare Baselines directly and select your preferred baselines from the Compare CI Versions pop-up.
You should now see a slide-out displaying the comparison summary.

Compare from Business Views

Info
Role Required: View CMDB permission
  1. Go to Business Views.
  2. In the list view, click the required business view and click the CI you want to compare. Alternatively, you can switch to the card view and click the CI.
  3. In the slide-out, go to the Baselines tab.
Info
The Baselines tab will appear only if a baseline configuration is set up for the business view.
  1. Under the tab, you will find the total number of baselines (from all baseline configurations) associated with the CI.
 
  1. Click the count, click Compare Baselines, and select your preferred baselines to compare.
You should now see a slide-out displaying the comparison summary.
 
To view baselines of the baseline configuration set up for the business view, click in the map view header, select Business View Details, and go to the Baselines tab.
The total number of baselines is displayed in the tab. Click the count to view the baselines and its details.
You can also perform these actions from the card view.

Delete Baselines  

Info
Role Required: Delete Baselines permission.  
To delete a baseline,
  1. Go to CMDB > Baseline Configurations.
  2. Click the required baseline configuration.
  3. Click the gear icon next to the baseline.
  4. Click Delete.

Info
The deleted baselines cannot be restored.
You cannot edit baselines.

Baseline Limitations  

Parameter
Limit
Number of baseline configurations
20
Number of baselines per configuration
10
Number of CIs per baseline
2000
CI Types per baseline configuration
10


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