In a fast-paced ISP/ILEC startup environment, we led a two-year initiative to design and implement a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) that would become the backbone of IT Service Management. The goal was to build operational maturity quickly by creating a single source of truth for IT assets, relationships, and dependencies.

Discovery and Planning
We collaborated with the IT service desk, infrastructure, and application teams to gather requirements and evaluate potential CMDB solutions. The selected platform aligned with industry best practices while being scalable enough to support rapid growth and evolving needs. A detailed project plan outlined milestones across data collection, integration, and adoption.

Data Migration and Normalization
Migrating configuration items from a mix of spreadsheets, legacy systems, and ad hoc records required strict governance. We established data quality standards, normalized attributes, and defined clear ownership models. Special attention was given to documenting relationships between assets, which allowed us to surface dependencies critical for troubleshooting and change planning.

Implementation in a Startup Context
As a growing ISP/ILEC, the organization faced constant pressure to deliver reliable services at scale while building internal processes from the ground up. The CMDB served as a unifying tool to bring structure and repeatability to IT operations. We embedded CI updates into ITSM workflows, ensuring that asset data remained accurate as the business expanded.

Training and Adoption
We ran targeted training sessions for service desk agents, system administrators, and application owners, ensuring they could leverage the CMDB effectively. Ongoing support channels were created to resolve issues and encourage adoption, embedding the CMDB into daily service management activities.

Outcomes and Impact
The project delivered measurable improvements in IT operations:

• Faster incident resolution by giving teams full visibility into asset dependencies
• Improved change management with reliable, real-time CI data to assess impact before rollout
• Proactive problem identification through better data quality and relationship mapping
• Operational maturity as the CMDB became the foundation for scaling ITSM in a startup environment

By the end of the initiative, the CMDB was a cornerstone of IT operations, enabling the organization to move from reactive firefighting to structured, proactive service management. In a competitive ISP/ILEC landscape, this provided both the stability and agility needed to support rapid growth.