In the context of Discovery, what is considered a Configuration Item (CI)?

A Configuration Item (CI) refers to any physical or logical entity in the IT environment that is under configuration control. This encompasses a wide range of items, including but not limited to hardware components like servers and network devices, as well as software applications, system configurations, and even documentation. The importance of identifying CIs lies in the necessity for organizations to manage their IT environment effectively. By establishing what constitutes a CI, organizations can track changes, manage relationships between them, and ensure overall stability and security.

In Discovery, CIs are critical as they are the foundation for understanding the IT landscape. Managing CIs facilitates better analysis of incidents, problems, and changes within the environment, which ultimately supports organizational objectives related to IT service management (ITSM).

Other selections, such as logged user events, hardware devices only, or just software applications, do not fully represent the broader definition of CIs. They are overly restrictive and miss the comprehensive nature of what can be considered a Configuration Item in a complex IT environment, which includes both physical and logical elements.