ABSTRACT
The operate and maintain phase of configuration management (CM) covers routine operations and support functions such as account provisioning, security management, and storage management, as well as hardware, firmware, and software changes, additions, and deletions. The operate and maintain phase also includes system monitoring and audit functions for performance, compliance, and incident management. These activities constitute the bulk of a system’s lifecycle and the majority of the work performed by the information technology (IT) department. They are also the principle cause of system failures. Poor operations and support practices lead to misconfigurations, operator errors, and unauthorized changes. These three items are by far the most common causes of system failures, followed by software and hardware failures. While these may be the cause, they are really a symptom of a larger issue: the proper application of CM principles in the operate and maintain phase.
