A configuration item (CI) is a record that represents an IT asset or service in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB)1.

A CI tracks the operational and relationship information of the asset or service, such as its current status, location, owner, and dependencies1.

A hardware asset is a physical component of an IT system, such as a laptop, server, or router2.

A hardware asset attribute is a property or characteristic of the hardware asset, such as its model, serial number, or warranty2.

Some hardware asset attributes are also part of the CI, such as IP address, CPU, operating system, and memory1. These attributes reflect the operational state of the hardware asset and are relevant for configuration management purposes1.

However, some hardware asset attributes are not part of the CI, such as cost2. Cost is a financial information of the hardware asset that is tracked by the Asset Management application2. Cost is not relevant for configuration management purposes and is not stored in the CMDB2.

Therefore, the hardware asset attribute that should be tracked that is not part of the CI is C. Cost. References:

1: Configuration Item

2: Hardware Asset Management