Change management is what separates an IT team that solves problems from one that creates new ones. See how to implement the complete lifecycle in GLPI.
What is change management (ITIL)
It is the practice that ensures changes to services and infrastructure are planned, approved, executed and documented in a controlled manner, minimizing risks and interruptions.
Change types in GLPI
| Type | Approval | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Requires formal approval | Server migration, ERP upgrade |
| Emergency | Simplified approval | Critical vulnerability fix |
| Standard | Pre-approved | Password reset, adding a firewall rule |
Lifecycle in GLPI
1. Request
The change is opened in Assistance > Changes with description, justification, impact and risk.
2. Assessment and approval
Approvers assess the risk and impact. In native GLPI, there is one validation round. With Approval Flow, you can configure multi-level approval.
3. Planning
Create detailed tasks: what will be done, by whom, when, and what the rollback plan is.
4. Implementation
Execute the tasks as planned. Each task is recorded in the change timeline.
5. Post-implementation review
Verify whether the change was successful, whether any incidents arose, and document lessons learned.
6. Closure
Document the final outcome and close the change.
Best practices
- Always document the rollback plan before executing
- Link changes to the problems that originated them
- Use change templates for recurring types
- Schedule changes outside peak hours when possible
- Record actual time spent vs estimated to improve future estimates
Next step
With incidents, problems and changes implemented, your operation covers the 3 ITSM pillars. Move on with knowledge base and Service Desk KPIs.
