Dependencies

Introduction

The depiction of “dependencies” between various IT resources, including IT assets, processes, and business services, is crucial for understanding and managing the complex relationships within an IT infrastructure. By using specific connections, a deep understanding of this complexity can be developed. This enables more effective change planning, improved impact analysis, and accelerated problem diagnosis. Detailed documentation of these dependencies is essential for the efficient management of IT resources. It allows not only capturing and visualizing relationships between individual components but also supports problem analysis and rapid fault diagnosis.

In the context of compliance, audits, and risk management, dependencies within the IT infrastructure are of central importance. Compliance with audit regulations requires a transparent and traceable representation of the IT infrastructure. This includes documenting dependencies between IT resources to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Risk management, on the other hand, focuses on identifying and minimizing potential risks that may arise from the connections and dependencies within the IT infrastructure. Knowledge of these dependencies allows for early risk detection and the implementation of preventive measures to ensure the stability and security of IT systems. Overall, the integration of audit compliance and risk management significantly contributes to improving the resilience and efficiency of the IT infrastructure and protecting the organization from potential disruptions and compliance violations.

Operating Principle

In Docusnap365, dependencies can be created in two ways: automatically as part of inventorying, such as when capturing systems, hardware, and monitors, and manually by the user, defining specific connections between IT assets. A central aspect is the type of connection, which determines the nature and significance of the relationship between two components. Additional information such as criticality and a detailed description of the relationship are also important.

Types of Dependencies

Docusnap365 offers various categories of dependency types:

• Parent-Child Relationship
• Dependency Relationships
• Association Relationships

Parent-Child Relationship

Parent-Child Relationship define a superior-subordinate connection between two components. The parent object has a leading role over the child object. Typical relationships in this category include:

• “Member” and “Member of”
  • Example: The Munich location is the parent of the SSAPDB01 server, and conversely, the SSAPDB01 server is the child of the Munich location.
• “Manages” and “Managed by”
  • Example: Employee Eric Meyer manages the SSAPDB01 server. Consequently, the SSAPDB01 server is managed by Eric Meyer.
• “Owns” and “Owned by”
  • Example: Employee Eric Meyer owns the NBGF001 notebook. Conversely, the NBGF001 notebook is owned by to Eric Meyer.

Dependency Relationships

“Dependency relationships” describe a fundamental concept that plays a role in many technical and organizational areas. They define how elements within a system interact and depend on each other. These relationships are crucial when it comes to understanding the structure and dynamics of complex systems.

• “Depends on” and “Used by”
  • Example: The CRM business service depends on Salesforce to provide its services, while Salesforce is used by the CRM business service. Another example: The ERP business service is based on SAP, which in turn requires the SSAPROD01 and SSAPDB01 servers. These servers are crucial for the functionality of SAP, which, in turn, ensures the operation of the ERP service.
• “Depends on - Depends on”
  • Example: A debit and credit card terminal and the corresponding cash register system are “Dependent on each other.” The cash register system requires the terminal to process card payments, while the terminal relies on the cash register system to initiate and complete transactions.

Association Relationships

An association relationship describes a connection between two or more components where elements are related to each other without an explicit hierarchy (as in parent-child relationships) or direct dependency (as in dependency relationships).

• “Associated by - Associated by”
  • Example: The relationship between computers and the printer is associative since they share resources and services, but no computer or printer directly depends on the other to function. That is, a computer can work without the network printer, and vice versa.