Configuration Compliance change management

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuration Compliance change management

    The Configuration Compliance application in ServiceNow enables IT remediation owners to create and manage change requests (CHG) directly from remediation tasks (RTs). This integration supports the IT change management process to help remediate non-compliant software and technologies in your environment efficiently. Starting with version 14.9, key terminology has been updated to better align with remediation workflows.

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    Key Features

    • Terminology updates: Terms such as Test Result Group, Rules, and Test Result have been renamed to Remediation Task Group, Remediation Task Rules, and Finding respectively starting from version 14.9.
    • Change requests as part of remediation: Change requests facilitate prioritization, tracking, and resolution of compliance test results by linking them to remediation tasks.
    • Test results and remediation tasks: Test results imported from third-party integrations are grouped and assigned to remediation owners for action. These groupings align with assignment rules.
    • Create and manage change requests: You can create change requests directly from remediation tasks for all or filtered test results, with pre-populated data to streamline investigations.
    • Splitting remediation tasks: Allows creating new remediation tasks by selecting subsets of test results from existing tasks, enabling focused remediation efforts.
    • Associating test results to existing change requests: Prevents duplication by linking remediation tasks to pre-existing change requests in your instance.
    • Types of change requests: Three change types can be created from remediation tasks:
      • Standard: Low-risk, pre-authorized changes following set procedures.
      • Normal: Requires two levels of approval and follows a prescriptive process.
      • Emergency: Used to resolve critical incidents quickly.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    Using change management within Configuration Compliance enables your teams to:

    • Effectively track and remediate non-compliant assets.
    • Prioritize remediation efforts based on resource needs and risk.
    • Manage remediation workflows with greater control via change requests.
    • Reduce redundant change requests by associating tasks with existing changes.
    • Facilitate collaboration between compliance and change management processes for streamlined resolution.

    This integration ensures a controlled and auditable remediation process aligned with your IT change management practices.

    As an IT remediation owner, you can create and manage change requests (CHG) directly from remediation tasks (RTs) in the Configuration Compliance application.

    Note:
    Starting with v14.9 of Configuration Compliance, the following terms have been renamed:
    Table 1. Changes in terminology
    Terminology prior to v14.9 Terminology v14.9 onwards
    Test Result Group Remediation Task
    Group Rules Remediation Task Rules
    Policy Test group

    Change requests and the Configuration Compliance workflow

    Change requests and change management are part of the remediation process of the Configuration Compliance workflow. During this remediation phase, you might use change requests to help you prioritize, track, and remediate test results.

    The Configuration Compliance application works with the ServiceNow AI Platform® IT change management process to help you remediate non-compliant software and technologies in your environment.

    With change management in the Configuration Compliance application, you can associate test results to existing change requests, or split a remediation task and create a new remediation task only for selected test results.

    For more information, see Create a change request in Configuration Compliance.

    Key terms

    Tests
    Tests are libraries of data records that organize scans of computing assets. Configuration tests define how a class of technology assets should be governed. A test is anything that can be used to identify a class of software or a hardware asset that is out of compliance.
    Test results
    Test results are imported by third-party integrations. Once they are viewable in Configuration Compliance, they are remediated using Remediation Tasks. Groups are assigned for remediation according to assignment rules.
    Note:
    Starting with version 14.9 of Configuration Compliance, test result is labelled, Finding.
    Remediation task
    Test results are grouped into remediation tasks according to assignment rules and automatically assigned to remediation owners for remediation.
    Note:
    Starting with version 14.9 of Configuration Compliance, test result is labeled Remediation Task.
    Test Groups
    Test groups are related to authoritative documents and test records. A group of configuration tests define a Test group.
    Change requests
    Change requests help you implement controlled processes for remediation. You might use change requests with remediation tasks in Configuration Compliance to help you identify, track, and resolve non-compliant assets (configuration items) that require additional resources, or that you might target for deferral.

    For more information about test results and remediation tasks, see Configuration Compliance remediation tasks and remediation task rules overview.

    When to use change requests in Configuration Compliance

    Change requests help you initiate and track remediation activities on your test results. When remediation owners have large numbers of unremediated test results or configuration items, they might use change requests to identify test results for deferral. Alternatively, they might identify and regroup test results and configuration items that require more resources than initially identified in the original remediation task.
    Create change requests from a remediation task
    Create a change request directly from a remediation task for all the test results in the remediation task, or use filtering to identify only test results that match specific criteria. Create a change request with pre-populated information to expedite your investigation for test results that require manual intervention.
    Split a remediation task
    From an existing remediation task, identify a subset of test results that you want to move to a new remediation task. By creating a new TRG, you can work with a specific group of test results without impacting the original remediation task.
    Associate test results to an existing change request
    Associate test results to existing tasks to avoid creating duplicate change requests as you work to resolve your remediation tasks. By associating a remediation task to a change request that is already available in your instance, you can use an existing lists of tasks.

    Types of change requests for a remediation task

    You can create, approve, implement, review, and close change requests directly from remediation tasks that are assigned to you. You can create three types of change requests with pre-populated information from a remediation task:

    • Standard. A pre-authorized change that is low risk, relatively common and follows a specified procedure or work instruction.
    • Normal. Normal change requests follow a prescriptive process which requires two levels of approval before being implemented, reviewed, and closed.
    • Emergency. A change to resolve a major incident.