Managing Configuration Change Management tasks

BMC Helix ITSM: Change Management is installed with predefined task and task group templates that you can use for deploying or installing software and verifying task completion. You can launch the Configuration Change Management (CCM) tasks at run time from a change request.

To use CCM tasks to install software and verify compliance

1. Open the Change Management console and create a change request.
   Although you can add tasks or task groups to a change during any status, they can only be worked on during the Implementation status.
2. Use the Process Flow Status bar to advance through the stages of your change request until you reach the Implementation status.
3. Click the Tasks tab.
4. From the Request Type list, select Task Group Template, and then click Relate.
5. In the Select Template dialog box, select a task group, for example, Create and Modify Policy with Closed Loop Verification, and then click Relate.
   This example of the task group is out-of-the-box for deploying software and verifying task completion. The task group is then added to the change request.

6. (Optional) Click View Flow to see a read-only view of the task flow in the task group.

   

   The Task Flow Viewer uses color codes to illustrate the different stages of the tasks. For example, a blue stage indicates that its status is Closed, and a yellow stage indicates its status is Staged. The Viewer also shows you the flow between tasks. You can also perform the following functions in the Task Flow Viewer.

   • Zoom in to focus the view.
   • Zoom out to expand the view
   • Click the pan buttons to move the flow around.
7. Select the task and then click View.
8. On the Tasks form, click the Relationships tab.
9. Search for a Software Library Item.
   On the Software Library Item Search dialog box, the Storage Location contains the location of the software. The storage location can either be a physical repository (Fred's top drawer) or be electronic (a folder on your network). 
10. Perform a search for a storage location, select the appropriate record from the search results, and then click Relate.
11. On the Relationship Attributes dialog box, define the relationship attribute, for example, Source.
12. Define the action attribute, for example, Install, and then click Apply.
    The Storage Location is added to the change request.
13. Search for a Configuration Item.
    On the CI Relationships Search dialog box, CIs are the systems where the software is deployed.
14. Search for a CI, and then click Relate.
15. Define the relationship attribute, for example, Target.
16. Define the action attribute, for example, Install.

17. Click Apply.
    The CI is added to the change request.

    Important

    When the Storage Location and the CI are related to the task, the relationships are carried over to the change. If a task implementer wants to select storage locations or CIs related to the change, use the Get Related Relationships quick action on the Relationships tab on the Task form. A similar quick action on the Task tab of the Change form enables the change to relate storage locations or CIs to a task that is related to the change entry.

18. Click the General tab, and then click Launch.
    The Policy Manager is displayed.

    
    

    Important

    If you have deployed the integrated CCM solution with seamless authentication, the task implementer can launch the task from Change Management without having to retype your user ID and password.

19. After you have performed the policy changes in the Policy Manager tool, click Save.
20. Close the Policy Manager window to return to the Task form.
21. (Optional) Review the Work Info about the task.
    The work information for the task is updated with the changes performed by the task.
    1. Click the Work Info tab.
    2. Under Work Info History, select the Policy Manager entry and then click View.
    3. After you view the information, close the Work Info dialog box.
    4. Click Report to view an ASCII-format report of the task changes. 
       The report lists the software installed, if the policy was successful.
22. In the Status field, set the task status to Closed.
    The status reason automatically is set to Success. You can select a different status reason, for example, Failed or Cancelled.
23. After you have made all your modifications, save and close the task.
24. On the Change form, refresh the children of the task group table.
    The status of the first task is marked as Closed and the status of the second task is now Waiting.
25. Open the second task.
    1. Select the Check Compliance task and click View.
    2. On the Task form, click Details to view the target and package compliance.
    3. Verify the compliance in Policy Manager.
    4. Close the Viewer to return to the Task form.
26. In the Status field, set the task status to Closed. You can view the work information for the task as needed. The task record is updated with the changes performed by the task.
27. After you have made all your modifications, save and close the task.
28. In the Change form, refresh the children of the task group and the task and task groups tables. All tasks and the task groups are marked as Closed.
29. Click Save.

Processing Configuration Management tasks

A change request can include multiple configuration management tasks, each essential to the successful implementation of the change. The CCM Task Management Subsystem (TMS) manages these tasks in a sequence that you define.

The CCM solution organizes tasks into the following main categories: