A checklist for successful CMDB planning Support your CMDB implementation with a documented configuration management (CM) or service asset and configuration management (SACM) plan. A successful plan should include the following actions: • Define a desired CMDB end state based on decision-making use cases, such as evaluating the risk of changes in a production environment. Socialize use cases with stakeholders to ensure they align with your goals and priorities. • Charter a configuration control board to define governance roles and responsibilities, and ensure they align with your goals and priorities. • Decide what configuration items, associated data, and dependencies you need to fulfill these use cases. • Identify and apply consistent naming standards for configuration items. • Define policies and procedures for integration with change management, verification and audit, status accounting, interface control, and supplier/ subcontractor management. For additional guidance, refer to Success Playbook: Populate and maintain your CMDB with Discovery. Define a clear reference architecture Support your Now Platform implementation with a reference architecture that defines technology standards and policies that guard against future risk. At a minimum, a clear reference architecture should include: • Explicit mapping of ServiceNow capabilities to IT and your business goals • Guidelines and standards for partner integration (such as LDAP, REST/SOAP web services, and MID Server) • Guidelines and standards for customization and configuration (such as scoped applications and application inheritance) • Data models and standards • Standards for security controls • Standards for performance An architectural review board (ARB) should oversee the reference architecture development and activation. ServiceNow generally recommends dividing the ARB into two primary membership groups. The first group should be accountable for the responsibilities 17 © 2021 ServiceNow, Inc. All rights reserved. ServiceNow, the ServiceNow logo, Now, Now Platform, and other ServiceNow marks are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ServiceNow, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.