SRE — CMDB Introduction

When we previously discussed standardization, we identified the key operational objects, which are mainly divided into two parts:

1. Infrastructure Layer: Includes IDC data centers, cabinets, racks, network devices, servers, etc.
2. Application Layer: Includes application metadata, code information, deployment information, script information, log information, etc.

These two parts form the foundational components of the entire operations architecture.

The SRE team is the owner responsible for maintenance and needs to invest considerable effort in planning and construction.

After identifying the operational objects and their relationships and forming a unified standard, the next step is to solidify these standards into an information management platform, which is commonly referred to as configuration management, or more professionally, a CMDB (Configuration Management Database).

CMDB

CMDB is not a new concept; it originated from ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). The ITIL framework was established in the late 1980s and has since been widely promoted and implemented as a guiding theory for service management in IT construction within enterprises.

However, why has this concept only become widely known in recent years? Why are we now consciously building it as a core component of operations?

I believe there are two main factors: one acted as a constraint, and the other as a driving force.

• The very definition of the CMDB concept itself limited its implementation
• The development of internet technology drove the evolution of operational technology, thereby redefining the CMDB.

CMDB in Traditional Operations Thinking

Let’s first look at the first reason. According to ITIL’s definition, a CMDB (Configuration Management Database) is

An information repository related to all components of an IT system. It contains detailed information on the configuration items of the IT infrastructure.

From this description, we can sense that it is a very broad concept and, in reality, lacks practical guiding…