how is CMDB different/same than SCM (software configuration management)? Is it just that SCM only for software & CMDB is software plus hardware? DEddy 04:13, 12 April 2006 (UTC)
It very much depends on the CMDB implementation. Certainly most CMDBs maintain extensive information about hardware and devices on the network and their configurations - some CMDB vendors will capture software information as well - for instance website configuration files. Software inherently has a variety of means of configuration from settings in files to registry entries in the likes of Windows operating systems. Some settings are only accessible when the software is running and via the user interface only.
A perfect CMDB would know everything i.e. HCM+SCM+DCM