CMDBd

CMDBd, short for Configuration Management Database daemon, refers to a class of background services that maintain a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) within IT service management ecosystems. A CMDBd typically runs continuously, ingesting data from multiple sources, applying normalization and reconciliation rules, and updating the CMDB with the current state of configuration items (CIs) and their relationships. It provides programmatic access via APIs or light-weight interfaces for other ITSM processes such as incident, change, and asset management.

Architecturally, a CMDBd comprises several components: data collection adapters that connect to asset scanners, monitoring systems, ticketing platforms, and deployment tools; a normalization and reconciliation engine that standardizes attributes and resolves CI identities across sources; a storage backend that may be relational, document, or graph-based to model items and relations; and an exposure layer for queries and event-driven updates. Many implementations support change auditing, versioning, and access control to meet governance requirements.

Common data models organize information around configuration items such as servers, software, networks, and services, along with attributes (owner, status, lifecycle) and relationships (depends on, hosted on). A CMDBd may implement ITIL-aligned processes, CMDBf-compatible interfaces, or vendor-specific extensions.

Usage and benefits include improved visibility of the IT environment, faster impact analysis for changes, and better compliance reporting. Limitations involve data quality, duplication, reconciliation complexity, and performance considerations, underscoring the need for strong governance, clear ownership, and ongoing data stewardship.