6.17 AMIE

Absolute Manage 6.0

Centennial Version 2005 & 9

Express Software Manager 9.0 & 9.5

HP Universal CMDB 8.0

LANDesk 8.5

LANrev 5.1

LOGINventory 4.3+

Manage Engine Desktop Central 7.0

Microsoft SMS 2003 SP1 and Microsoft SCCM 2007

Spiceworks 4.0, 5.0

ZENworks Asset Management 6.5+

Zenworks Configuration Management 11.1

Export Configuration

Prior to importing Items, to define the parameters of the Items to be imported, the Item parameters must be exported to a file. To export the parameters file:

Customizing the XML File

To customize the Item import, the above exported configuration file will need to be modified. To modify the file:

<IMPORT_DEFN> Element

The first line within the XML file displays the following fields:

<IMPORT_DEFN SERVER="ZENworks Configuration Management" VERSION="11.1+" AUTHOR="Micro Focus">

They identify an entry for an Asset Management Server type. By modifying these fields, we can effectively create another configuration.

<IMPORT_DEFN SERVER="ZENworks Configuration Management" VERSION="11.1+" AUTHOR="Bob">

This newly configured name will be the Server Type listed as an option when setting up AMIE.

<CONDITIONS> Element

To support multiple versions of AMIE source with a single XML driver:

<CONDITIONS>

<QUERY NAME="versionQuery">SELECT zDevice FROM com.livetime.assetimport.ZDEVICE zDevice WHERE zDevice.PROPAGENTVERSION = (SELECT MAX(zDevice1.PROPAGENTVERSION) FROM com.livetime.assetimport.ZDEVICE zDevice1) </QUERY>

<CONDITION NAME="version113" QUERYVALUE="versionQuery.PROPAGENTVERSION" CONDVALUE="11.3" VALUETYPE="NUMERIC" COND="EGREATER" TYPE="LOOKUP" />

<CONDITION NAME="version112" QUERYVALUE="versionQuery.PROPAGENTVERSION" CONDVALUE="11.3" VALUETYPE="NUMERIC" COND="LESSER" TYPE="LOOKUP" />

</CONDITIONS>

<QUERY> Element

Define the 'Query' property to locate the table data.

For example, the query below will retrieve the ZENworks version data. The Query Name (versionQuery) is used to reference the property field as described later.

<QUERY NAME="versionQuery">SELECT zDevice FROM com.livetime.assetimport.ZDEVICE zDevice WHERE zDevice.PROPAGENTVERSION = (SELECT MAX(zDevice1.PROPAGENTVERSION) FROM com.livetime.assetimport.ZDEVICE zDevice1) </QUERY>

<CONDITION> Element

Get the actual condition value from the <QUERY> written for the <CONDITIONS>

<CONDITION NAME="version113" QUERYVALUE="versionQuery.PROPAGENTVERSION" CONDVALUE="11.3" VALUETYPE="NUMERIC" COND="EGREATER" TYPE="LOOKUP" />

<ITEM> Element

The configuration mapping file is divided into "blocks" of Item Categories. In each block, we define a number of instructions to execute during AMIE's import process.

Example1:

<ITEM CATEGORY="Hardware" ID_KEY_FORMAT="NC_Workstation.ZenWorksAgentId">

Example 2:

Defining the block based upon the condition retrieved from <CONDITION> Element

<ITEM CATEGORY="Software" ID_KEY_FORMAT="NC_SoftwareComp.ComponentOID" CONDITION="version113">".

“ITEM CATEGORY" instructs AMIE to import all items within the defined XML block, as generic “Hardware”. If you want to be more specific about import for Hardware, you can break down into sub-categories. For example, “Computer”, “Printer”, and “Network Peripheral”.

Assuming the selected Asset Management Server supports the inventory control of these individual categories, defining an XML block for each category would allow the Administrator to import each Hardware Item as a “Computer, “Printer” or “Network Peripheral”.

<ASSET_ID_LIST> Element

To get initial list of primary key of the assets to be imported. <QUERY> element will be called for each retrieved entries from this element and PARAM_NAME will be used in <QUERY> element while defining the query conditions.

For example,

<ASSET_ID_LIST PARAM_NAME="ASSETID" HEX_KEY="TRUE">

<SELECT>SELECT ncWorkstation.ZDEVICE.PROPZUID</SELECT>

<FROM>FROM com.livetime.assetimport.NCWORKSTATION ncWorkstation</FROM>

<WHERE>ncWorkstation.PROPMACHINENAME != 'Lost and Found' and ncWorkstation.PROPISDELETED is null</WHERE>

<SORT1 ASCENDING="true">PROPWORKSTATIONOID</SORT1>

<ALIAS>ncWorkstation</ALIAS>

<Sort1>,<Sort2>,<Sort3> Element

<RELATIONSHIP> Element

When defining multiple Item Category types to import, for example Hardware and Software, an Administrator can specify how they are related. Configuring these properties will allow Items to be imported with predefined relationships.

For example, Software to Hardware Relationship block

<RELATIONSHIP RELATED_TO="Hardware" TO="is a parent of" NAME="Parent of / Child of (Inherit Owner)" FROM="is a child of" CLASS="1000" INHERIT_OWNERSHIP="1">

<NATIVE_ID_QUERY>SELECT software.NCWORKSTATION.ZDEVICE.PROPZUID FROM com.livetime.assetimport.NCSOFTWARECOMP software WHERE software.PROPCOMPONENTOID = :SW_ASSETID</NATIVE_ID_QUERY>

</RELATIONSHIP>

This "Parent of/Child of" relationship already exists as one of the factory supplied relationship types. However any newly defined relationships can be mapped and created as part of the import process.

<QUERY> Element

Define the 'Query' property to locate the table data.

For example, the query below will retrieve the data for Hardware. The Query Name is used to reference the property field in the child elements.Example 1:<QUERY NAME="wsQuery">SELECT ncWorkstation FROM com.livetime.assetimport.NCWORKSTATION ncWorkstation WHERE ncWorkstation.ZDEVICE.PROPZUID = :ASSETID</QUERY>

Example 2:

<QUERY NAME="query1" CONDITION="version113"> SELECT ncProduct FROM com.livetime.assetimport.NCWORKSTATION ncWorkstation, com.livetime.assetimport.NCSYSTEMCOMP ncComponent, com.livetime.assetimport.NCPRODUCT ncProduct WHERE ncWorkstation.ZDEVICE.PROPZUID = :ASSETID and ncWorkstation = ncComponent.NCWORKSTATION and ncComponent.NCPRODUCTByProductoid = ncProduct and ncComponent.PROPPRODUCTTYPE = 22 and ncComponent.PROPISDELETED is null and ncProduct.PROPISDELETED is null</QUERY>

<OWNERSHIP> Element

Optional element to define the ownership of the assets.

For example,

<OWNERSHIP> <CUSTOMER FIELD="userName" VALUE="wsQuery.PROPLOGINNAME" TYPE="LOOKUP" /> <ORG_UNIT FIELD="displayString" VALUE="wsQuery.PROPDEPT" TYPE="LOOKUP" /> </OWNERSHIP>

<CUSTOMER> / <ORG_UNIT> Element

<ITEM_TEAMS> Element

Optional element to define field to define teams for the imported assets. Team can be assigned by either Team Name or Team ID as defined in Service desk.

<INCIDENT_TEAM> / < REQUEST_TEAM> / < PROBLEM_TEAM> / <CHANGE_TEAM> Element

Optional element to define field to define teams for the imported assets. Team can be assigned by either Team Name or Team ID as defined in Service desk.

<ITEM_TYPE> Element

Defines asset’s item type and manufacturer. Based upon the value existing/new item type and manufacturer will be used/created.For Example:

<ITEM_TYPE> <MANUFACTURER> <MANUFACTURER_PROPERTY FIELD="fullName" VALUE="query1.PROPMANUFACTURER" TYPE="LOOKUP" /> <MANUFACTURER_PROPERTY FIELD="name" VALUE="query1.PROPMANUFACTURER" TYPE="LOOKUP" /> </MANUFACTURER> <ITEM_TYPE_PROPERTY FIELD="itemTypeName" VALUE="query1.PROPPRODUCT" TYPE="LOOKUP" /></ITEM_TYPE>

<MANUFACTURER> Element

<MANUFACTURER_PROPERTY> Element

<ITEM_TYPE_PROPERTY> Element

<EXCLUSIONS> Element

<ITEM_PROPERTY> Element

Define the 'Item Property' to extract column data for the above Query.Each of these entries maps an Item property, from the Asset Management Server to the service management system. For example, the value in the SerialNumber field of the Asset Management Server will be mapped to the Serial Number (field10) field of the service desk database.

<ITEM_PROPERTY FIELD="field10" VALUE_PREFIX="" VALUE="wsQuery.PROPSERIALNUMBER" VALUE_SUFFIX="" TYPE="LOOKUP"/>

<SCHEMA> Element

Choose either <DROP> or <INCLUDE> to exclude unnecessary or to include only required.

Example 1: Using <DROP> to exclude unnecessary tables.

<SCHEMA>

   <DROP>
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="AccessControlList"/>
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="AccessType"/>
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="ACLAddress"/>
   </DROP>
</SCHEMA>
Example 2: Using <INCLUDE> to include necessary tables.
<SCHEMA>
   <INCLUDE>
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="NC_Component" />
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="zZENObject" />
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="zGroupings" />
     <MAPPING_FILE NAME="zMobileDevice" />
   </INCLUDE>
</SCHEMA>

<DROP>/<INCLUDE> Element

<RELATIONSHIP_MAPPING>

<MAPPING_FILE>Element

Upload / Edit the XML Configuration

Once the XML has been customized it needs to be imported back into the system to enable the application to import Items using the new specifications.

To import the XML:

Using the customized Server Type

Once a new Server configuration has been imported into the system, it can be selected as an option when configuring AMIE in the Setup tab.

To use the new Server Type:

For more information on importing Items via AMIE, see: Importing Items Using Database Mapping.

Importing Items Using Database Mapping

To import Items using Database Mapping, the following configuration steps need to be completed:

AMIE Import Alert

Alerts are generated for the Admin User after the AMIE synch is completed. The import alert summary displays:

Delete Options and AMIE

The options to delete AMIE configurations can be achieved through the List View on the AMIE Setup tab, or by clicking on the a hyperlink within the Server column within the List View, which displays the expanded Setup view for the specific asset management tool.

The Delete button clicked in the AMIE>Setup tab>List View results in Global level "delete" flags being applied to all AMIE-managed Items stored in the system, however it retains the server details configured in AMIE and their associated snapshots.

The imported Items that are deleted are not completely removed from the database but are flagged as not available . By not erasing the Items completely, the historical data is maintained and allows these Items to be re-enabled in the future. It should be noted that the Item Types associated with the deleted imported Items are not disabled in the application.

The Delete button selected within the expanded Setup tab view for the specific asset management datasource, results in Configuration level deletion of the configured server and any related AMIE snapshots.

To delete the server configuration within AMIE and related snapshots:

Re-enabling Deleted Items

To re-enable Deleted Items, initiate an Item search on deleted Items within the Configuration>Items screen of the Supervisor view.

Within the Supervisor view to search for a deleted Item:

Before Importing a CSV File

For an Item to be successfully imported, the following fields must be mapped:

The Teams within the .CSV file must be created in the system before they can be associated with an Item as part of a .CSV import. Teams are created by a Supervisor under the User>Teams tab.

Items are imported based on Category (i.e. Hardware, Software, etc.), which must be configured by the Supervisor within the Configuration>Categories tab before conducting a .CSV import. The Categories configuration defines the Details recorded in the Item to be imported into the system. The Administrator must create separate .CSV files based on the Categories configured, that are then individually uploaded into the application.

For Items imported with owners, the Username in the .CSV file must match the Username within the support system. If the owner does not exist in the system, the imported Item will become a Global Item.

Importing Items

To import a CSV File using the Import Wizard:

I = Information that needs to exist in the system before the import

I = Fields that are mandatory

Configuring Items after the Import

During the Item Import, elements that do not exist in the database are created. These are the fields marked with a blue line within the Field Mapping Wizard:

After an import, all Item Types that have been created will need to be further configured.

To complete Item Type configuration:

Assigning multiple Companies and Departments to an Item

The .CSV file import facility can also be used to assign more than one Company and Department to an Item, if required. To assign multiple companies within the Company column of the .CSV file, enter the company names separated by a semi-colon (;) If the Company or Companies do not exist in the system, or have been deleted, a new Company will be created.

When importing multiple Departments related to the multiple Companies, the Department related to the Company must be listed in the same order as the Companies and separated by a semi-colon. For example:

Company Field: comp1;comp2

Department Field: dept1:depart2 or ;dept2 or dept1;

Any departments that do not exist in the database or have been deleted, will be created as a result of the .CSV import.

To assign rooms to one of the locations of this multiple Company/Department assignment, the full details of the Company and Department must be entered into the column followed by a semi-colon and the Room number. An example of the Room import format is:

Company Field:CompName1;CompName2

Department Field:Dept1;Dept2

Room Field: CompName1 - Dept1;Room1

Updating Item Information via .CSV

To easily update multiple Items that already exist within system, information can be imported using a .CSV file. For the update to be successful, the Item number in the .CSV file must match the Item number in the system.

Follow the above Importing Items procedure and ensure the Item Number field is mapped correctly. If an Item Number is not included in the .CSV file, a new Item will be created.

To download and populate the CSV Template for the CMDB Item Import process:

I = Information that needs to exist in the system before the import

I = Fields that are mandatory

Configuring Items after the Import

During the Item Import, elements that do not exist in the database are created. These are the fields marked with a blue line within the Field Mapping Wizard:

After an import, all Item Types that have been created will need to be further configured.

To complete Item Type configuration:

Assigning multiple Companies and Departments to an Item

The .CSV file import facility can also be used to assign more than one Company and Department to an Item, if required. To assign multiple companies within the Company column of the .CSV file, enter the company names separated by a semi-colon (;) If the Company or Companies do not exist in the system, or have been deleted, a new Company will be created.

When importing multiple Departments related to the multiple Companies, the Department related to the Company must be listed in the same order as the Companies and separated by a semi-colon. For example:

Company Field: comp1;comp2

Department Field: dept1:depart2 or ;dept2 or dept1;

Any departments that do not exist in the database or have been deleted, will be created as a result of the .CSV import.

To assign rooms to one of the locations of this multiple Company/Department assignment, the full details of the Company and Department must be entered into the column followed by a semi-colon and the Room number. An example of the Room import format is:

Company Field:CompName1;CompName2

Department Field:Dept1;Dept2

Room Field: CompName1 - Dept1;Room1

Updating Item Information via .CSV

To easily update multiple Items that already exist within system, information can be imported using a .CSV file. For the update to be successful, the Item number in the .CSV file must match the Item number in the system.

Follow the above Importing Items procedure and ensure the Item Number field is mapped correctly. If an Item Number is not included in the .CSV file, a new Item will be created.

Working with SPM

Using the SPM functionality, organizations can create and publish all Service Offerings throughout the Service Lifecycle, which include the phases of:

Service Items are recorded against the different stages of the Lifecycle and easily accessed through the filter views, available within the Configuration>Items screen:

Consistent with the Lifecycle model used for all Configuration Items (CIs) throughout the application, Service CIs are created using the Service Category template, with a series of Lifecycle States customized to represent the different phases a CI can transition through (i.e., inception, design, implementation, operation or retirement phases).

Within each State of the Service Lifecycle, the relevant Users included in the Service Portfolio Team can be assigned, allowing them to manage Service Item information when the Item is allocated the State.

Using the SPM Functionality

The following outlines how the SPM Team define, analyze, authorize and charter a Service Offering in the system. This is achieved as a Supervisor User with Configuration and Service Level Management privileges enabled.

To begin:

Enable Financial Management Access

To access the Financial Management functionality a User must be assigned the Finance Role within the Information tab of their User Information screen. Assigning the Role within a system synchronized with an authentication server, the system administrator needs to include the User in the Finance group in LDAP.

To switch on the functionality for an existing User in a system not synched with an LDAP server, as a Supervisor:

Enable Functionality

Financial information can only be calculated for Service Items that are created using a Category, which has the Service Category option enabled. By enabling this option, the Costs Tab is made available with the Item Type where baseline figures can be recorded.

As a User with the Finance Role:

Charging for Service

If the service and support organization is to charge Organizational Units, that is companies or departments, for the ongoing service they provide the costing functionality for the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) needs to be enabled, and the Prices for the different Agreements need to be assigned to each of the SLAs.

As a User with Administrator access, within the Setup screen:

Forecast Service Costs

When proposing a Service as part of Service Portfolio Management, the investment and ongoing costs for offering a Service can be calculated. This information can then be used to project potential revenue for offering the Service and allow consumers of the Service to be charged for accessing the Service based on User access. For an example, we will use the Service Desk Service, considering the investment in hardware and software plus the ongoing SLA expense for offering the Service, when forecasting costs.

To forecast the cost of offering a Service, as a Financial User:

Calculate Actual Service Costs

To calculate the actual Service Costs, the relationships of the infrastructure Items that underpin the Service need to be mapped within the Relationships tab. Working with these relationships, it should be noted that the Service is considered a Child Item within the hierarchy.

To build the relationship map refer to the Relationships Tab.

After the underpinning infrastructure and its associated costs are related to the Service Item, the following financial information is available in the Service Item Costs tab:

Inherited Costs

Charging Organizational Units appropriately for a Service can be based on figures derived from the Items associated with the Service. For example, the Service Desk is hosted on a server and uses service management software. The costs associated with the server and software are combined to make the Inherited Capital cost, while any ongoing support contracts would be assigned as an Inherited Ongoing cost on a per month basis.

To derive the amounts from the related infrastructure and populate the fields within the Child Item, the Delegate Costs field must be enabled within the Inherited Costs for the Parent Items and the technique for deriving the cost must be assigned to the CI.

In the Service Desk example, for the server hosting the Service Desk Service it would be appropriate to delegate costs applying the Child Count technique as multiple software/service CIs may be associated with the server. While, the User Count would be used to delegate costs to the service management software.

After the relationships have been defined for the Service and the Inherited Costs applied, the Finance User can verify the forecast numbers by comparing the Inherited Costs within the Item>Costs tab, to the Capital and Recurring Costs recorded in the Item Types Costs tab. Any disparity between the figures should alert the Finance User as to whether the Service is within budget and if relevant, making or costing money.

Finance Reports

The Finance User can access the following Reports within the Reports>Finance tab, to assist with verifying the cost and revenue generated by a Service, and monitoring how a Service is used.