Case Study: Configuration and Asset Management for Defence Simulation Environments
Client: Joint Collective Training Branch (JCTB)
Project: Configuration and Asset Management, DTEN
How Profectus established and sustained an authoritative configuration and asset baseline across the Defence Training and Experimentation Network, giving the Joint Collective Training Branch a single source of configuration truth and disciplined hardware support lifecycle governance for a complex, distributed simulation capability.
Client and context
The Joint Collective Training Branch delivers collective training and operational readiness activities across the Defence Training and Experimentation Network. The DTEN environment comprises a large number of interconnected physical assets, virtual machines, simulation hosts, network devices and software platforms distributed across simulation facilities and supporting infrastructure.
Configuration records had become incomplete, inconsistent and fragmented across multiple sources, with limited visibility of system dependencies and support arrangements. JCTB required enhanced configuration visibility and asset governance to strengthen environment stability, improve technical assurance and support structured change management.
The engagement
Profectus was engaged to establish an authoritative configuration and asset baseline that would enable dependency awareness, impact assessment and controlled lifecycle management across the simulation capability. The remit spanned disciplined configuration identification, configuration control and configuration status accounting, together with a structured hardware support lifecycle covering documentation, vendor coordination, support readiness, renewal management and continual improvement, delivered across the Junior to Level 4 skill range.
The challenge
Building a trustworthy baseline across a live, distributed simulation environment placed several compounding demands on the team:
- Fragmented records: existing configuration and asset information was incomplete, inconsistent and spread across multiple sources, with undocumented equipment and limited linkage between physical assets and operational systems
- Complex dependencies: interconnected compute, storage, network and simulation components meant a change in one system could affect training outcomes, yet dependencies were poorly understood
- Reactive support: hardware support had been decentralised, with unclear ownership, ad hoc support agreements and reactive renewal cycles that led to late purchase orders and rushed audits
- Operational tempo: the baseline had to be established and maintained without disrupting scheduled training activities in a live operational environment
Our approach
Profectus combined structured configuration management with disciplined hardware support lifecycle governance, embedding both into ongoing operations.
Configuration discovery and identification
Profectus conducted a comprehensive configuration discovery and verification activity across DTEN, including physical inspection of simulation hosts, servers, storage platforms and network equipment, identification of installed operating systems, middleware and simulation software, and verification of serial numbers and asset identifiers. Where information was incomplete, configuration states were validated through direct observation, system interrogation, configuration file inspection and functional testing. Each configuration item was formally identified and normalised using a consistent configuration taxonomy aligned to Defence governance expectations.
CMDB, status accounting and tool uplift
Configuration items were created and populated to establish a functioning configuration management database capturing technical attributes, lifecycle state, physical location, ownership context and operational relevance, with relationships modelled to enable dependency mapping, impact analysis and traceability. Configuration status accounting processes were introduced so approved changes were accurately reflected and configuration drift could be detected and corrected. Insight was initially used to capture and track asset data and Jira to coordinate work; once records were verified and normalised, Profectus performed a structured data migration into ServiceNow, establishing a single system of record as the enduring authoritative platform.
Hardware support lifecycle governance
Profectus consolidated hardware documentation into an endorsed repository, updated internal standard operating procedures to identify current points of contact, and equipped support teams with vendor contact details and escalation paths. Recurring three-month reminders were introduced for all scheduled maintenance. Renewals were made proactive by circulating vendor audit lists ahead of time, requesting dual quotes for 12 and 24 month periods to inform budget decisions, and sharing quotes with Finance early, with all changes to support terms reflected back into the CMDB.
Sustainment and continual improvement
Incidents, requests and changes were tracked through tickets with regular updates, ITSM processes were reviewed and reinforced across the lifecycle, and security considerations were embedded in governance activities. Physical assets were reconciled against configuration records, asset condition validated prior to deployment, and warehouse records aligned with CMDB data. Improvement suggestions and operational feedback were logged and reviewed to refine future practice.
What we delivered
- Authoritative baseline: a controlled as-built configuration baseline for DTEN, providing JCTB with a single authoritative source of configuration and asset truth
- Full documentation coverage: consolidated hardware documentation and updated SOPs, with support teams equipped with current vendor details and escalation paths
- Single system of record: verified asset and configuration data migrated from Insight into ServiceNow, reducing fragmentation and improving cross-team visibility of configuration states and asset relationships
- Proactive renewal planning: renewals planned ahead with visibility across Finance, BAU and Procurement, replacing reactive purchase orders and rushed audits
- Traceable governance: changes, incidents and requests tracked through ITSM so configuration and support activity remained auditable and repeatable
Systems and methods
ServiceNow CMDB · Jira · Insight · configuration taxonomy · dependency mapping · configuration status accounting
The result
JCTB maintained a stable and well-governed simulation environment with accurate configuration and asset records that supported repeatable and predictable training outcomes. Configuration integrity reduced unplanned disruptions, improved fault isolation and troubleshooting efficiency, strengthened assurance activities and enhanced Defence confidence in the technical readiness of DTEN. Configuration and asset management practices became embedded within ongoing operational governance rather than treated as a one-off remediation activity, with capability delivered across the Junior to Level 4 skill range.