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Chapters

This textbook is organized into 12 chapters covering 200 concepts.

Chapter Overview

  1. Introduction to ITIL and Configuration Management - This foundational chapter introduces ITIL framework, configuration items, CMDB concepts, and traditional IT service management processes that set the stage for understanding why legacy approaches have limitations.

  2. IT Asset Management Fundamentals - This chapter covers asset management principles including IT assets, hardware assets, software assets, and their relationship to configuration management.

  3. Relational Database Fundamentals - This chapter introduces RDBMS concepts, SQL, database schemas, tables, keys, joins, and query operations that form the foundation for understanding CMDB technical limitations.

  4. Graph Theory and Graph Database Foundations - This chapter transitions from relational to graph concepts, introducing graph theory, nodes, edges, property graphs, directed/undirected graphs, and DAGs.

  5. Graph Database Technologies and Query Languages - This chapter covers practical graph database implementations including native graph storage, graph layers, Neo4j, and Cypher query language.

  6. Graph Traversal and Dependency Analysis - This chapter explores graph operations including traversal algorithms, dependency tracing, blast radius analysis, impact analysis, and various dependency types for IT management.

  7. Business Services and IT Portfolio Management - This chapter connects IT assets to business value through service mapping, business service mapping, application portfolios, and digital estate management.

  8. Data Quality and Data Management Excellence - This chapter covers data management principles, DMBOK framework, data quality dimensions, governance, metadata, data lineage, and master data management essential for effective IT management graphs.

  9. Query Performance and Real-Time Operations - This chapter addresses performance considerations including real-time queries, latency, scalability, graph complexity, and metrics critical for operational IT management systems.

  10. Observability, Monitoring, and Automated Discovery - This chapter covers modern observability practices, telemetry, OpenTelemetry, eBPF, automated discovery, topology mapping, and drift detection that enable self-updating IT management graphs.

  11. Compliance, Risk Management, and Security - This chapter addresses regulatory compliance (HIPAA, GDPR, DORA), risk management, audit trails, access control, and security models in the context of IT management graphs.

  12. Digital Transformation and Advanced Topics - This final chapter covers transformation strategies, vendor management, AI-assisted curation, graph RAG, knowledge graphs, validation, operational excellence, and the future of IT management systems.

How to Use This Textbook

This textbook follows a carefully designed learning progression that respects concept dependencies. Each chapter builds on knowledge from previous chapters, starting with legacy ITIL and CMDB approaches, progressing through relational database limitations, and culminating in modern graph-based solutions. We recommend working through the chapters sequentially to ensure you have the prerequisite knowledge needed for advanced topics.

Note: Each chapter includes a list of concepts covered. Make sure to complete prerequisites before moving to advanced chapters.