text: Good question!  And one we could ask about any large software app.  I think the question to ask yourself when looking for this answer is, "What is in greater supply?  Money or the talent to build and support the application?"  For example: if you're flush with cash and have little available talent (don't have the right skill sets or the right skill sets are busily doing other things), then a purchase is the best option.\n\nIf cash is in short supply and you have idle talent, then a system developed in-house may be a good option.  Keep in mind the in-house development doesn't end after deployment.  Someone will need to maintain the application over time.  This is, IMHO, the biggest failure of most in-house implementations - an organization forgets to allocate cycles/money for this.\n\nAnother reason to build your own may be your own processes.  If there's no prepackaged system capable of conforming to your processes and the business is unwilling to change for the system, then you may have to develop your own.\n\nA CMDB is a huge undertaking.  I'm not familiar with the talent you have available, but I would shudder to think how complex of an undertaking it would be to roll your own.  I would compare it, in scope, to a financial system and I would always buy in that instance.\n\nDave