Skip to content

What is i-doit?#

i-doit is an IT documentation and CMDB solution. CMDB stands for Configuration Management Database — a central database where you map your entire IT infrastructure: servers, networks, software, contracts, locations, and the relationships between all these elements.

Think of i-doit as the memory of your IT department. Instead of spreading information across dozens of Excel spreadsheets, wiki pages, notes, and people's heads, you collect everything in one place — structured, searchable, and accessible to everyone involved.

What is i-doit used for?#

i-doit covers a broad spectrum. The most common use cases:

Documenting IT infrastructure#

  • Hardware: Servers, clients, switches, routers, firewalls, UPS systems — with model, serial number, location, and rack position
  • Network: IP addresses, VLANs, subnets, ports, and cabling
  • Software: Operating systems, applications, databases — with versions and licenses
  • Locations: Buildings, rooms, racks — hierarchically structured with a visual rack view

Mapping relationships#

In reality, no system stands alone. A web server needs a database server, runs on a VM that runs on a host in a rack. i-doit maps these dependencies as object relationships — and makes them visually visible in the CMDB Explorer.

This is especially valuable when you need to know: What is affected if Server X fails?

Managing contracts and licenses#

When does the maintenance contract for the firewall expire? How many licenses are still available? Who is the contact person at the service provider? i-doit links contracts, licenses, and contacts directly to the affected IT components.

Supporting compliance and audits#

Whether ISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, or internal audits — an up-to-date CMDB provides the data that auditors want to see. i-doit documents not only the current state but also the lifecycle of every component.

Automating processes#

Via the API and interfaces, i-doit can be integrated into existing workflows: Monitoring systems like Checkmk report status changes, service desk systems reference CMDB objects, JDisc Discovery automatically populates the documentation via network scans.

How is i-doit structured?#

i-doit organizes information on three levels:

1
2
3
Object type       →  What is it?          (Server, Client, Switch, Person, Contract)
  └── Object      →  Which one exactly?   (web server-01, Office-PC-042, Contract-SAP)
       └── Categories  →  What details?   (IP address, CPU, Location, Contact person)
  • Object types define the kind: Server, Client, Room, Person, Contract. i-doit comes with over 70 predefined object types, and you can create your own.
  • Objects are the actual entries: web server-01, Room 3.14, John Doe.
  • Categories contain the data fields: IP address, model, serial number, location. i-doit has over 120 predefined categories.

More on this: Concepts and terminology

On-premise or cloud?#

i-doit is available in two variants:

On-Premise Cloud
Hosting On your own server By i-doit in German data centers
installation You install and maintain it yourself Ready to use in 15 minutes
Updates You decide when Automatically within 7 days
Backup Your responsibility Automatic (hourly to yearly)
Customization Full control (SSH, CLI, PHP) Limited (no shell access)
Automation Cronjobs + Console Flows Lite

Both variants offer the same feature set for IT documentation. The differences lie in administration and access.

How do I get started?#

  1. Evaluate: Request a trial license and try out i-doit
  2. Install: Follow the installation guide (or book a cloud instance)
  3. Set up: Read How do I start documenting?
  4. Plan: Work through the IT documentation checklist
  5. Learn: Basics — Understand objects, categories, and lists

See also#