Managing Configuration Items › Configuration Audit and Control Facility (CACF) › CACF Administration and Policy Definition › How Change Analysts Define Change Specifications

How Change Analysts Define Change Specifications

The Change Management interface portion of change verification integrates into the change ticket order form. Change Analysts typically create change specifications when they create a Change Order. The Change Analyst defines the change in terms of the specific CI and CI attribute that they want to change.

The Change Analyst can describe the change specification using any of the following templates:

• Provide the exact CI, CI attribute, and value.

  For example, after the change has been implemented, the IP Address for server1 sets to 10.10.10.10.

• Provide the CI attribute and value, but omit the CI name.

  For example, after the change, all CIs attached to the Change Order upgrade to 8GB of memory.

• Provide an attribute value to set when the attribute is not discoverable.

  For example: after the change, the CMDB reflects that all CIs are located in NY.

• Use the discovered value.

  For example, you do not know the new IP Address in advance of the change, but you know that the IP Address will definitely change. Set the IP Address of the CI to whatever value the authoritative MDR discovers.

When the change order is approved, the change specifications are approved as part of the same approval process. Subsequent modifications to the specification can be prohibited and are fully audited.