Is the CMDB a CI

Recently we've been having a discussion with all our ITIL qualified people (via a very valuable Virtual Team Distribution list) as to what should be classified as a CI (Configuration Item), and in particular is the CMDB (Configuration Management Database) a CI.

The short anwser has to be yes. If the CMDB contains all the CI's that are effectively running your business, in terms of Key Processes, Applications that have automated these processes, and devices that are hosting these applications, then it's pretty vital you manage the CMDB also. After all if anything happens to the CMDB as a result of an unmanaged change, your IT Operations is running blind, having been spun around several times beforehand!!

So the question then came up, do you manage all changes to the CMDB, which include updating the data inside the CMDB? Well, that would just to too silly! After all, one does not manage via Change Management all entries made in the Financial Accounting application, although you may audit trail it. But one would put through Change Cotnrol any changes proposed to the actual application itself. The same would apply to the CMDB, any changes to it's structure, or integration, or Federation points should go through Change Management to protect it from adverse affects and corruption.

So really as ITIL suggests anything that is important to the IT Operations or Service Management functions, that can be managed should be held within the CMDB. The CMDB is therefore a CI.

Don't you agree?