IT asset management - Concept
Configuration Item
(CI)
Any technology component formally tracked and managed, such as a computer, application or document
What's it for?
Gives support teams a named item they can track when understanding changes, problems and dependencies.
For example…
The payroll application, its database server and the load balancer are each recorded as configuration items
A database server is treated as a CI so its owner, version and relationship to the finance application can be tracked.
Think of it like…
Labelled parts in an aircraft maintenance log: each piece has an identity and a place in the whole