ALTIRIS CMDB Solution 6.5 Product Guide

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A

LTIRIS®

CMDB Solution™ 6.5

Product Guide

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Notice

Altiris® CMDB Solution™ 6.5

Information in this document: (i) is provided for informational purposes only with respect to products of Altiris or its subsidiaries (“Products”), (ii) represents Altiris' views as of the date of publication of this document, (iii) is subject to change without notice (for the latest

documentation, visit our Web site at www.altiris.com/Support), and (iv) should not be construed as any commitment by Altiris. Except as provided in Altiris' license agreement governing its Products, ALTIRIS ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE USE OF ANY PRODUCTS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT OF ANY THIRD-PARTY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. Altiris assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions contained in this document, and Altiris specifically disclaims any and all liabilities and/or obligations for any claims, suits or damages arising in connection with the use of, reliance upon, or dissemination of this document, and/or the information contained herein.

Altiris may have patents or pending patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights that relate to the Products referenced herein. The furnishing of this document and other materials and information does not provide any license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any foregoing intellectual property rights.

No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express written consent of Altiris, Inc.

Customers are solely responsible for assessing the suitability of the Products for use in particular applications or environments. Products are not intended for use in medical, life saving, life sustaining, critical control or safety systems, or in nuclear facility applications.

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Chapter 1: Introducing Altiris® CMDB Solution™ . . . 3

Recommended Altiris Solutions for Integration with CMDB Solution . . . 3

CMDB Solution Features and Tasks . . . 3

Terminology. . . 4

Chapter 2: Installation . . . 6

CMDB Solution Requirements. . . 6

Installing CMDB Solution . . . 6

CMDB Solution Licensing . . . 6

Chapter 3: Resource Types . . . 8

Predefined and User-Defined Resource Types. . . 8

Base Resource Types . . . 8

Data Classes . . . 9

CMDB Data Classes. . . 9

General Data Classes . . . 10

Creating and Configuring a Data Class . . . 10

Adding Data Class Attributes to a Data Class . . . 11

Data Class Attribute Parameters. . . 11

Data Input Masks . . . 13

Resource Association Types . . . 14

Resource Type Relationships . . . 15

Creating a Resource Association Type . . . 16

Working with Resource Types. . . 16

Editing a Resource Type . . . 16

Creating a Resource Type . . . 17

Exporting and Importing Resource Type Definitions . . . 17

Setting Default Values for Resource Type Fields . . . 18

Resource Type Interface Items. . . 19

Edit Resource Type Page . . . 19

List Resources Page . . . 20

Resource Association Type Page. . . 20

Resource Data Class Page . . . 21

Resource Data Class Summary Page. . . 22

Chapter 4: Resources . . . 23

Resource Categories . . . 23

Asset Types Category . . . 23

Asset Types Category Fields . . . 24

Asset Life Cycle . . . 31

Retiring vs. Disposing of an Asset. . . 31

Computer Resource Type . . . 32

Renaming Retired and Disposed Computers. . . 32

Contract Types Category . . . 33

Service Types Category . . . 33

Datacenter Types Category . . . 33

Bulk Editing . . . 34

Merging Resources . . . 34

Creating and Editing Collections from Resource Lists . . . 35

Resource Association Diagram . . . 36

Resource List Page . . . 36

Creating User-defined Item Tasks. . . 38

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Chapter 5: Configuration and Use . . . 41

CMDB Global Settings . . . 41

Ownership . . . 42

Allowing Assets to Have Multiple Users . . . 42

Transfer Ownership of an Asset . . . 42

Percentage Ownership of Resources . . . 43

Clean Up Ownership Relationships . . . 43

Assigning Computer Ownership to the Primary User . . . 44

Setting Default Values for Resource Type Fields . . . 44

Cleaning Up Computer Data. . . 45

Disabling the Computer Purge Feature . . . 45

Synchronizing Hierarchy Collections . . . 46

Assigning Asset Location Based on . . . 47

Changing Display Names . . . 47

Changing the Order of the Resource Display Page Tabs . . . 48

Synchronizing Inventory Solution Computer Data. . . 48

Viewing a Resource Change History . . . 49

Merging Duplicate Computer or User Resources Automatically . . . 50

Merging Duplicate Resources . . . 50

Configuring CMDB Rules . . . 51

Chapter 6: Security . . . 52

Role-based Security . . . 52

Predefined Security Roles . . . 52

Viewing and Configuring Role-based Security. . . 53

Role Creation Considerations . . . 54

Scope-based Security . . . 54

Setting Permissions for Resource Types and Data Classes . . . 54

Security Scoping for Reports . . . 55

Associated Security Reporting . . . 55

Report on Owned Resources . . . 56

Chapter 7: CMDB Scenarios. . . 57

Creating a CMDB Rule for Retired Assets . . . 57

Dell Computer Manufacturer Normalization Example. . . 58

Missing Barcode Remediation Example . . . 60

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Chapter 1 Introducing Altiris® CMDB Solution™

Altiris® CMDB (Configuration Management Database) Solution™ lets you model configuration items and the relationships between them in a single, central database, to facilitate identification of all components and relationships, and to instigate any required changes.

CMDB Solution

The following Altiris solutions work tightly with CMDB Solution:

z Altiris® Asset Management Solution™ 6.5 includes a number of ready-made

predefined resource types. Examples: Computer, Department, Cost Center, and so on. This solution helps organizations maximize existing IT investments by

eliminating unnecessary software and hardware costs, managing contracts and entitlements, and aligning service resources with IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) standards. Asset Management Solution also supports the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, COBIT, and HIPAA.

z Altiris® Inventory Solution® 6.1 (or later). If you want to add computer inventory

data to your resource management system, you will need Altiris® Inventory Solution® for Windows, Altiris® Inventory Solution® for Mac, and Altiris® Inventory Solution® for UNIX as applicable to your environment.

Inventory Solution is also required to take full advantage of the software licensing features of Contract Management.

z Altiris® Application Metering Solution™ 6.0 (or later). If this solution is used, you

can collect additional computer asset and software licensing data.

z Altiris® Connector Solution™ 6.5. Connector Solution lets you transfer data

between numerous external data sources and the Notification Database. Any number of resources and items can be imported or exported.

z Altiris® Barcode Solution™ 6.6 (or later). Barcode Solution populates the database

with information on managed resources from a handheld barcode scanner.

CMDB Solution Features and Tasks

1. Organize your resources.

Resources are organized using resource types. You can use predefined resource types or create your own resource types. Whenever possible, use predefined resource types because they leverage other resource types, provide summary data on the resources entered with them, include associated reports, and include functionality not available in custom resource types.

If none of the predefined resource types meet your needs, you can create a new resource type. Before creating the resource type, you will probably need to create

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data classes. For more information, see Creating and Configuring a Data Class

(page 10) and Creating a Resource Type (page 17). 2. Add initial data to the Notification Database.

As you set up a resource management system, there is certain data that makes sense to enter before other data, such as organizational data, since most other resources rely on the availability of this data. Also, as you initially set up your system, some of the data you will want to add is available from other sources, in which case, you will want to import the data.

3. Clean up and configure data management with ready-made configuration items. See

Configuration and Use (page 41).

4. Create customized item actions and CMDB Rules to manage and manipulate data. You can create CMDB rules where you target a group of assets based on their type and properties, and then make changes to them.

5. Configure security.

If multiple users will be working with resources (entering data, editing data, running reports, and so forth), you will want to configure security. CMDB Solution includes predefined security roles which you can modify, or you can create your own roles. You can also configure access to resource types and data classes.

6. Configure default resource type values.

7. When you manually enter data for asset types, certain fields will have the same value for many assets of a particular asset type. You can populate these fields with a default value. Example: Many users in a particular location will have the same phone number prefix. You can save time by having the prefix already entered into the appropriate field. See Resource Type Interface Items (page 19).

Terminology

To better understand CMDB Solution, it is important that you understand the

terminology. The following are terms with which you should be familiar as you use these solutions:

z base resource type: The resource type on which another resource type is based. A

resource type inherits all of the data classes of its base resource type. If data classes are added to the base resource type, the same data classes are added to all resource types that are based on it.

z data class: The building block of a resource type; data classes represent the data

you want to record about resources. Data classes are made up of one or more data class attributes.

z data class attribute: A component of a data class, which is represented as a

column of a table (in a multi-row data class) or field.

z data class attribute parameter: Parameters of a data class attribute, which

specify the characteristics of the attribute such as name, description, and maximum length of the attribute.

z item task: An action that can be performed on a resource. Examples: Setting the

owner, setting the cost center, retiring the asset, and cloning.

z resource: Items with which Notification Server works and stores data, such as

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z resource association type: A template for creating a child-to-parent relationship

between two resource types. This association lets you link a child to one or more parent resources for more convenient access to associated data.

z resource type: A template for entering resource data into the Notification

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Chapter 2 Installation

CMDB Solution Requirements

Before you install CMDB Solution on the Notification Server, you must do the following:

z Install Notification Server 6.0 Hot Fix 4 (or later). For information on installation,

see Altiris Notification Server 6.0 SP3 Help.

z If you are using Internet Explorer 7, you must set Tools > Internet Options >

Security to medium, add the Altiris Console to Trusted Sites, and set Automatic prompting for downloads (in the Custom Level Security Settings dialog) to Enable.

Several other Altiris solutions are designed to integrate with CMDB Solution. They are not required but greatly enhance functionality. They can be installed before or after CMDB solution is installed. See Recommended Altiris Solutions for Integration with CMDB Solution (page 3).

Installing CMDB Solution

Before installing CMDB, be sure you have met the requirements for the solution (see

CMDB Solution Requirements on page 6). Note

For Beta install instructions see the CMDB Solution 6.5 Beta release notes.

To install CMDB Solution

1. In the Altiris Console, click the Configuration tab.

2. In the left pane, select Upgrade/Install Additional Software. 3. In the content pane, select Solutions.

4. Select Altiris CMDB Solution.

5. Follow the installation wizard instructions.

CMDB Solution Licensing

CMDB Solution includes a 7-day trial license. You can register and obtain 30-day evaluation licenses through our Web site at www.altiris.com or purchase full product licenses. For more information on registering your solution, see the Altiris Getting

Started Guide.

CMDB licenses are counted based on the number of concurrent users.

To check license usage

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2. Select Configuration > Solutions Settings >CMDB Solution > License Usage. 3. This page lists the number of licenses available and the number currently in use.

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Chapter 3 Resource Types

Resource types are the templates for entering resource data into the Notification Database.

Resource types consist of the following components:

z Base resource types. This is the foundation on which a resource type is built. A

resource type inherits the data classes of the base resource type. All resource types, except Asset and Contract, are based on another resource type. See Base Resource Types (page 8).

z Data classes. These are the building blocks of a resource type. Each data class

defines attributes that are used for storing data by a resource type. See Data Classes (page 9).

z Resource association types. These create associations between resources and allow

related data to be linked together. See Resource Association Types (page 14). Resource creation and editing tasks are performed by a person with administrator rights.

Predefined and User-Defined Resource Types

We advise using predefined resource types whenever possible. They contain relevant associations, fields, and reports for a particular type of resource. You can also add custom fields to predefined resource types. Most importantly, they include features and reports not available in user-defined resource types.

Commonly used resource types have been predefined, but they might be known by a name than you are unaccustomed to. Example: In your organization you have a “Mail Stop”. There is no predefined Mail Stop resource type; however, the predefined Location resource type is the Mail Stop equivalent and provides the needed functionality. You can change the name of any resource type throughout the solution using the Display As rule. See Changing Display Names (page 47).

Base Resource Types

A base resource type is the resource type on which another resource type is based. A resource type inherits all of the data types of the base resource type. Any resource type can serve as a base resource type. If it changes, the resource type that uses it as a base resource will also change.

Specifying a base resource type is an effective way to create and manage resource types.

Example: Create a general invoice type that includes the attributes used in all invoices. Then you can customize specific invoices for the companies with which you work regularly that require unique attributes specific to that company. Simply add additional data classes for the unique attributes.

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There is nothing special you need to do to a resource to allow it to be a base resource type. Simply specify a resource type as the base resource type for another resource type as you create it (for more information, see Creating a Resource Type on page 17). For predefined asset types, the base resource type is the Asset resource type, or they are based on a resource type that is based on this resource type. For contract types, most of the predefined resource types are based on the Contract resource type or a resource type that is based on the Contract resource type. Basing asset and contract types on these two resource types takes advantage of built-in features, such as asset

aggregation, reporting, accounting data, and so on.

Data Classes

Data classes are the building blocks of a resource type; they specify the type of data you want to record about resources. Data classes are defined by data class attributes that appear as fields when entering data.

Parameters specify the characteristics of attributes. See Data Class Attribute Parameters

(page 11).

To use a data class, you create the data class (see Creating and Configuring a Data Class

on page 10) and then add it to the resource types (see Creating a Resource Type on page 17 or Editing a Resource Type on page 16) in which you want to use it.

CMDB Solution includes predefined data classes you can use, or you can create your own. The predefined data classes simplify the process of creating resource types and provide many of the elements needed by resource types.

Note

Predefined data classes cannot be modified or deleted. User-defined data classes can be edited or deleted.

CMDB Data Classes

These classes are accessed in the Altiris Console by clicking the Configuration tab and selecting Resource Settings > Data Classes

CMDB Data Class Description

Asset Events folder Contains data classes for tracking, asset merges, concurrent licensing, and upgrades of receiving items. Datacenter Classes Contains data classes for all Datacenter resource types. Contract Details Details pertaining to a contract such as which computers it

applies to, if the contract is renewable, the contact for the contract, and so forth.

Contract Rates Rates for the contract.

Cost Center Ownership See Percentage Ownership of Resources (page 43). Currency Details Currency code.

Currency Rate Currency rates.

Identity Barcode details.

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General Data Classes

These classes are accessed throughout the Altiris Console by clicking the Configuration tab and selecting Resource Settings > Data Classes.

Creating and Configuring a Data Class

To create and configure a data class

1. In the Altiris Console, select the Configuration tab.

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Data Classes > User Defined.

3. Right-click User Defined and select New > Editable Data Class. 4. In the content pane, enter values for the fields.

For a description of the fields, see Resource Data Class Page (page 21). 5. Add data class attributes to the data class.

See Adding Data Class Attributes to a Data Class (page 11). 6. Click Create.

Manufacturer Manufacturer and Model name fields.

Ownership Details Owner and ownership percentage.

Phone Details Phone number.

Serial Number Serial number.

Service Details Date of initial service and the desired period between services. Service Level Agreement Details Support parameters. Standard Contract Information

Standard contract information. Start date, end date, and so forth.

Software Purchase Cost Center Ownership

Ownership details for cost centers.

Data Class Description

Associated Documents Associated Documents.

Audit History of inventories run on a computer.

Comment Comment.

Cost Center Details Cost center codes and descriptions. Employee ID Employee ID for user resource type. Location Details Location address.

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Adding Data Class Attributes to a Data Class

Data class attributes define the data stored by data classes.

Notes

z After you add a data class attribute to a data class, you can edit certain aspects of

the attribute, such as the description and if it is hidden, but you cannot delete it from the data class.

z A data class attribute cannot be added to a predefined data class.

To add data class attributes to a data class

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Data Classes > User Defined > data class.

3. Click Add New Attribute.

4. Specify parameters for the newly created data class attribute. See Data Class Attribute Parameters (page 11).

5. To add additional data class attributes, repeat the previous two steps. 6. Click Apply.

Data Class Attribute Parameters

Data class attribute parameters specify the characteristics of a data class attribute. For each data class attribute, you must specify values for each of the parameters. See Data Classes (page 9).

Data Class Attribute Parameters

Description

Name Name of the data class attribute.

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Type The data type of the data class attribute. The options are:

z String. A value containing a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. z Integer. An integer value.

z Decimal. A real number.

z Boolean. A value that is either “True” or “False”. z Date. A date and time value.

z Currency. A currency value.

z Resource Foreign Key. A resource from a particular resource type. When this is

selected, a Resource Type field lets you select the resource type. The user will be able to select a resource of that resource type. We recommend that this be used only with multi-row data types. To associate a value of a particular resource type with a resource, use a resource association type. See Creating a Resource Association Type (page 16).

z Item Foreign Key. A value of a particular item type. When this is selected, an

Item Type field lets you select the item type. The user will be able to select an item value of that item type. This can be used to associate any item with a resource, such as a report or collection related to the resource.

z Static List. A static list of values. When this is selected, an associated edit button

opens a dialog that lets you create a list of possible values. Static lists are helpful when there are only a few possible values for a field and the possible values are not based on any other values.

z SQL Query List. A dynamically generated list of values that is based on a SQL

query of the Notification Database. When this is selected, an associated edit but-ton opens a dialog for entering the query. The SQL query entered should return a single column only. This creates a list of possible values for the field based on other data values.

z URL. A URL value.

Maximum Length The maximum data length for the data class attribute.

In the case of a string data type, this value affects the size of the resulting field on the tab. If the value is:

z Less than or equal to 100, the field is a single row long.

z Greater than 100 and less than or equal to 1000, the field is four rows long. z Greater than 1000, the field is large. If there is more than one field this size, the

tab will resize to display multiple large fields. Thus, we recommend only two or three large fields on a tab.

Key Specifies if the attribute is used in creating the key for the resource. If more than one field is designated as a key field, all fields designated as keys are used in creat-ing the key. The key can be changed for a resource type if wanted, except in the case of the predefined Computer resource.

Required Specifies if the attribute is a required value (the user must enter a value for this attribute).

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Data Input Masks

Data input masks help prevent errors as data is entered for a resource and ensure that data is in the wanted format. Masks specify the data that can be entered and the format of the data. Example: A data mask can ensure that a phone number is entered in a specific format. Data masks can specify the following about the data in a field:

z Character types in a field: letters, digits, special symbols, spaces, and so forth z Number of characters in a field

z Order of characters in a field z Actual characters in a field

Note

Data input masks are ignored when data is imported into a field and in static lists. Auto-Generate Select this checkbox to automatically generate a value for the data class attribute.

Use the associated Mask field to specify the format of the generated value. The mask format is:

nnn[suffix] OR [prefix]nnn Where:

nnn = one or more 0s (value will have same number of digits) or 9s (value will have up to the number of digits)

prefix OR suffix = any character (to use 0 or 9 as a character, proceed with “\”) Examples:

ABC000 = ABC001, ABC002, ABC003, ... ABC999 = ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ... 000XYZ = 001XYZ, 002XYZ, 003XYZ, ... 999XYZ = 1XYZ, 2XYZ, 3XYZ, ...

X\0Y\9Z000 = X0Y9Z123, X0Y9Z124, X0Y9Z125, ...

The Start specifies the starting value for the numeric part of the automatically gen-erated value.

Prompt (String type only) Specifies if an icon is added next to the field that lets you search the database for the field value. Values in the database that match the string are listed for selection as the field value. This lets you enter part of a wanted value (such as a first name) in the field and find the rest of the value in the database (full name). Data Mask (String type only) Specifies the data mask to use for entering data into this field. A

data mask lets you specify which characters, how many, and the order of characters in a field. See Data Input Masks (page 13).

Hidden Specifies if this attribute is a hidden value.

Display Order Specifies the order in which the fields are ordered on the Resource Display page. The lower the number, starting with “1”, the higher the field will be placed on the page.

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With each data class attribute, you can specify a data mask using the Data Mask parameter. See Data Class Attribute Parameters (page 11). The following table lists and describes the characters that can be used in defining a data mask and their meaning.

The following table gives examples of data masks.

Resource Association Types

A resource association type defines a child (to) to parents (from) relationship between one resource type to one or more resource types. This association lets child resources be linked to a parent resource. Example: A computer monitor can be associated with a computer, a cell phone can be associated with a user, and a lease with several pieces of equipment. Associations make it easier to keep track of and find data about related resources.

Data Mask Characters Character Meaning

A Any letter. Entry required.

a Any letter. Entry optional.

9 Any digit or space. Entry optional; “+” and “-” not allowed. 0 Any digit (0 through 9). Entry required; “+” and “-” not allowed). * Any letter, digit, space, “+”, or “-”. Entry optional; spaces are removed

when data is saved.

# Any letter, digit, “+”, or “-”. Entry required.

\ Treat the masking character following the “\” as a regular character with no special masking properties.

All other characters

All other characters not in the data mask must be as listed in the data mask.

Data Mask Examples

This mask Result in

########## Pty Ltd

Any string containing exactly 10 letters or digits followed by the string “Pty Ltd”. Example: “A123456789 Pty Ltd”. (000)9999-9999 Telephone number. Required 3 digit area code surrounded

by “(“ and “)” followed by up to 4 digits, a “-”,and followed by up to 4 more digits. Example: “(801)224-5700”.

0000-0000-0000-0000

Credit card number (not American Express). Exactly 16 dig-its in groups of exactly 4 separated by a “-”. Example: “0111-3456-8989-0001”.

09/09/0099 Date with 1 or 2 digit month and day separated by a “/” and followed by a “/” and a 2 to 4 digit year. Example: “1/1/ 2001”, “1/17/2001”, “10/11/2001”, and “12/2/01”.

AAAaaa000999 A string containing 3 to 6 letters followed by 3 to 6 digits. Example: “Com002”, “Comput002”, or “Comp00002”. \000\# A string that starts with a “0” followed by exactly 2 digits

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After a resource association type is created, a field is added to the child resource, letting you select a resource or resources of the type specified by the parent in the resource association type. Example: if you create a resource association type that links the Monitor resource type to the Computer resource type, the Monitor resource type will include a field that lets you select the computer with which the monitor is associated. CMDB Solution includes numerous predefined resource association types, and you can also create your own.

Resource Type Relationships

Understanding the relationships between various resource types, especially the crucial organizational resource types, helps you understand dependencies within the

Notification Database. Not all resource types can be directly associated with each other, but most can be indirectly associated with each other. This is important for reporting purposes. Example: A computer asset is associated with a user and the user is

associated with a department. Although the asset cannot be directly associated with the department, the asset will be reported as one of the department’s assets, due to the indirect relationship created through the user to the department.

The following table shows direct resource type relationships. The Resource Type column is the child (from) and the Creates Association With column is the parent (to).

The following table shows indirect resource type relationships, including the path taken to create the association. The Resource Type column is the child (from) and the Creates Indirect Association With column is the parent (To).

Resource Type Direct Relationships

Resource Type

Creates Direct Association With

Asset Cost Center, Location, User, Department, and Asset Company Creates no direct associations

Cost Center Location and Manager (User)

Department Cost Center, Location, and Manager (User) Location Cost Center and Manager (User)

User Company, Department, Location, and Manager (User)

Resource Type Indirect Relationships Resource

Type

Creates Indirect Association With

Asset User > Company

User > Department User > User

Company Creates no indirect associations Cost Center Creates no indirect associations Department Cost Center > User

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For information on how to view a resource’s existing associations, see Resource Association Diagram (page 36).

Creating a Resource Association Type

To create a resource association type

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Associations > Asset Association Types or Contract Association Types > User Defined.

3. Right-click User Defined and select New > Editable Association Type. 4. In the content pane, specify values for the fields. See Resource Association Type

Page (page 20). 5. Click Apply.

Working with Resource Types

z Editing a Resource Type (page 16) z Creating a Resource Type (page 17)

z Exporting and Importing Resource Type Definitions (page 17) z Setting Default Values for Resource Type Fields (page 18)

Editing a Resource Type

After a resource type has been created, you can add additional data classes to the resource type, but you cannot remove existing data classes or change the base resource type.

To edit a resource type

1. In the Altiris Console, select the Configuration tab.

2. In the left pane, click the resource type you want to edit under Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types > resource type category.

3. In the content pane, click Edit Data Classes List, select the data classes you want to add, and then click OK.

For information on how data classes work, see Data Classes (page 9). 4. Click Apply.

Manager Existing Users can be specified as Managers

User Department > Cost Center

Department > Location

Resource Type Indirect Relationships Resource

Type

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Creating a Resource Type

Creating a resource type can provide you with increased flexibility because the resource type is defined exactly as you want it. However, you should create a new resource type only as a last resort if there are no predefined resource types that meet your needs. Because the predefined resource types are linked to numerous reports, summary data, and other features, if there is a predefined resource type that you can use or modify to fit your needs, we recommend using it. See Predefined and User-Defined Resource Types (page 8).

Note

Most resource type categories allow user-defined resource types. You can add resource types to an existing folder or create your own. Some categories have a User Defined folder that can be used for resource types. The Financial Types and Organizational Types categories do not allow user-defined resource types.

To create a resource type

Before you begin creating a resource type, be sure you create the needed data types first.

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types >

resource type category.

3. Right-click resource type category and select New > Resource Type. 4. In the content pane, enter a name and description for the resource type. 5. Click the Base Resource Type link, select the base resource type in the Items

Selector dialog, and click Apply.

For information on how base resource types work, see Base Resource Types

(page 8).

6. If you want to add data classes, click Edit Data Classes List, and select the data classes you want to add, and then click OK.

For information on how data classes work, see Data Classes (page 9). 7. Click Apply.

Exporting and Importing Resource Type Definitions

You can share resource type definitions with other Notification Servers. This eliminates the need to redefine types that you have already defined on another Notification Server. The resource type exporting feature exports all of the necessary XML code to create a resource type on another Notification Server, including any data classes that are associated with the resource type. CMDB Solution is not required to export a resource type, but it is to import one.

To export resource type definitions

Perform this procedure on the Notification Server from which you want to export the resource type definition.

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2. In the left pane, right-click the resource type definition you want to export, and select Export.

To export all of the resource type definitions within a folder, right-click the folder and select Export.

3. Specify the name and location of the .XML file. 4. Click Save.

To import resource type definitions

CMDB Solution must be installed to perform this procedure. Note

If you import a resource type into a Notification Server that already has a resource type with that name, you will end up with two resource types with the same name. Only the ID number (GUID) associated with the resource type needs to be unique between resource types. If you import a resource type with the same GUID as a resource type already in Notification Server (it is the same resource type), the imported resource type will replace the one that is already in Notification Server.

1. Place the .XML resource type definition file you want to import in a location accessible from the Notification Server computer.

3. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types >

resource type folder.

4. Right-click resource type folder and select Import. 5. Select the .XML file you want to import.

6. Click Open.

Setting Default Values for Resource Type Fields

You can set and edit default values for resource type fields. When you use the resource type to add a resource to Notification Server, the default values you specified will automatically be entered into the appropriate fields.

Using default values for fields that do not change from resource to resource saves data entry time. Example: If your company uses the same cost center for most purchases, you can set that cost center as the default. Then, you only need to change the value when a different cost center is used.

When data is imported, default values are not applicable.

To set default values for resource type fields

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Solutions Settings > CMDB Solution > Default Values.

3. In the content pane, select the resource type for which you want to set default values.

4. In the page that opens, enter default values for the wanted fields of the resource type.

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5. Click OK.

6. In the content pane, click OK.

Resource Type Interface Items

z Edit Resource Type Page (page 19) z List Resources Page (page 20)

z Resource Association Type Page (page 20) z Resource Data Class Page (page 21)

z Resource Data Class Summary Page (page 22)

Edit Resource Type Page

This page specifies the base resource type and data classes of a resource type.

For information on creating or editing a resource type, see Working with Resource Types

(page 16).

To access the Edit Resource Type page

2. If you are creating a new resource type, in the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types > resource type folder.

3. Right-click resource type folder and select New > Resource Type.

If you are editing a resource type, in the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types > resource type category > resource type

to edit.

Edit Resource Type Page Items Item Description

Name Name of the resource type. After the resource type is

cre-ated, this value is not editable.

Description Description of the resource type. After the resource type is created, this value is not editable.

Base Resource Type The resource type upon which this resource type is based. All of the data types of the base resource type are included in this resource type. After the resource type is created, this value is not editable.

See Base Resource Types (page 8).

Association Types Display associations inherited from the Base Resource Type.

View Details (Editing only) A checkbox lets you switch between viewing the base type data classes and the base type associations. A table displays a list of the applicable data classes or associa-tions.

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List Resources Page

This page lists the resources associated with a resource type. This page contains a subset of the functionality provided by the Resource List Page (page 36).

Double-clicking a resource launches the Resource Manager console.

To access the List Resources page

2. In the tree view pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Types > resource type category > resource type.

3. In the content pane, click the List Resources tab.

Resource Association Type Page

This page lets you create and view associations between resource types.

Each association forms a child-to-parent relationship between two resource types. The association adds a field to the child resource for specifying a parent resource. Example: To associate a non-network printer with a computer, create an association where the printer is the child resource and the computer is the parent. The association will add a field to the printer resource that lets you specify the associated computer.

For more information see Resource Type Relationships (page 15).

To access the Resource Association Type page

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Resource Associations > resource associations group > resource association.

Data Classes List of data classes that define the resource type. This list is not displayed until at least one data class is added to the definition of the resource type.

Editable: Display all editable data classes. All: Display all existing data classes.

Show inherited data classes: Display all data classes inherited from the Base Resource Type.

Allow Edit: Show or hide the data class in the resource page.

Edit Data Classes List Opens a dialog that lets you select the data classes used to define the resource type.

Resource Association Type Page Items Item Description

Name Resource association type name.

Description Description of resource association type.

Edit Resource Type Page Items Item Description

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Resource Data Class Page

This page defines the attributes of a data class. For information see Adding Data Class Attributes to a Data Class (page 11).

Tab Name The Resource Display page tab on which the field

for selecting the parent resource is added.

From Type The child resource type in the association.

To Type The parent resource type in the association.

Allow Association to Itself Allow the asset to be associated with itself.

Minimum Cardinality Specifies the minimum number of relationships that must be established between the child and parents. Maximum Cardinality Specifies the maximum number of relationships

that can be established between the child and parents. If you do not want to limit the number of relationships, select the Unlimited checkbox. Enable Editing From Specifies the mechanism style used to select an

associated resource. The options are:

z Computer Type Association Picker z Contract Assigned User Picker z Generic Picker

z Hierarchy Picker (for hierarchal parent

resource types)

z Hierarchy Picker Showing Children (for

hierarchal parent resource types)

z Asset List z List

z Resource Association Picker for Asset z Resource Tree Picker for Asset z Software Purchase Association

Selecting the checkbox with the same name as the resource association type allows a reverse resource association to be created between two resources. Example: Selecting the User checkbox for the Owners resource association lets you create an association from a user (parent) to an asset (child). Unless you select this box you can create

associations only from a child resource to a parent resource.

Resource Association Type Page Items Item Description

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Note

This page is applicable only to data classes that can be edited. For data classes that cannot be edited, see Resource Data Class Summary Page (page 22).

To access the Resource Data Class page

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Data Classes >

data class folder > data class.

Resource Data Class Summary Page

This page includes a list of resource types that use the data class, the number of resources that reported data, the last time a resource reported data, and a list of the attributes that define the data class.

Note

This page is applicable only to predefined data classes that cannot be edited. For data classes that can be edited, see Resource Data Class Page (page 21).

To access the Resource Data Class Summary page

2. In the left pane, select Configuration > Resource Settings > Data Classes >

data class folder > data class.

Resource Data Class Page Items Item Description

Name Name of the data class.

Description Description of the data class.

Multiple Rows Checkbox to specify if the data class has multiple rows. Each attribute in a multiple row data class is a cell in a table row. An invoice where there can be multiple items that need to be added requires a multiple row data class. For more information, see Data Classes (page 9).

Data Entry Tab Name Name of the Resource Display page tab on which the data class attributes are added as fields.

Data Class Definition List of the data class attributes associated with the data class and their parameter values. For a description of the parameters, see Data Class Attribute Parameters (page 11). Add New Attribute Opens the Data Class Attribute Configuration dialog, which

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Chapter 4 Resources

Resources are items that can be managed by the Notification Server, such as computers, phones, contracts, and users. Resources are based on templates called resource types. Predefined resource types are provided for commonly used resources and you can also create your own. Whenever possible, use the predefined resource types. For information on the benefits of predefined resource types, see Predefined and User-Defined Resource Types (page 8).

Note

With all resources, you can manually enter data or you can import it from an external source. To manually enter data, see “Adding a Resource” in Altiris Asset Management

Help. To import data, you will need Altiris Connector Solution or an Altiris connector for a

specific application.

Resource Categories

Resource types are grouped into categories for convenience. Resource types within a category have similar characteristics, a common purpose, or other similarities. The following are the main resource categories:

z Asset Types Category (page 23) z Contract Types Category (page 33) z Service Types Category (page 33) z Datacenter Types Category (page 33)

Asset Types Category

Assets represent physical items, whose data is added to the Notification Database using a resource type. CMDB Solution tracks and manages any asset. Each asset can be associated with a user, cost center, location, and department.

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The following table lists and describes the Asset Types category resource types.

Asset Types Category Fields

Many asset types are defined with the same data classes, which results in the same fields. The following tables list and describe these fields and the asset types that include them.

Asset Types Category Resource Types Resource Type Subcategory Resource Type Description

--- Asset A dual-purpose resource type. First, it lets you

enter generic asset data. Second, the

resources displayed in the list of resources are an aggregate of all asset category resources. All predefined asset types are based on this resource type. If you are creating a resource type, we recommend basing it on an existing asset type to take advantage of built-in func-tionality.

Furniture and Fixtures

Furniture and fixtures, such as chairs, desks, file cabinets, bookcases, artwork, tables, and lamps.

IT Computer Works with inventory data from Inventory

Solution to let you associate additional data with the computer data collected by Inventory Solution, such as a barcode value. For infor-mation, see Computer Resource Type

(page 32). Common fields for this resource type are picked up automatically when the resource is added through the Notification Server.

Fax Machine Fax machines.

Monitor Computer monitors.

Network Printer Networked printers. Network

Resource

Network resources, such as hubs, switches, routers, and bridges.

Peripheral Any peripheral device connected to the net-work.

Scanner Image scanners.

Virtual Machine Virtual machines. Office

Equipment

Cell Phone Company cell phones.

Desk Phone Company desk phones.

Office Equip-ment

Company office equipment, such as calcula-tors, photo copiers, paper punches.

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Asset Type Category General Tab Fields

Field Data Class Description Resource Types

System Number

Identity Value on the asset tag attached to the resource. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures

Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equipment

Barcode Identity Barcode value for the resource. Used

with Barcode Solution, the barcode can greatly simplify the way assets are tracked and updated in the con-sole. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equipment Color ID Network Printer Details (fixed data class)

Color printing. Network Printer

DoubleSided ID Network Printer Details (fixed data class)

Double-sided printing. Network Printer

Last Barcode Scan

Identity Last time an asset barcode was scanned. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures

Location N/A Resource

Association Click the _{asset with a location. To use reports} button to associate an including cost center information about the asset, it must be associ-ated with a location.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures

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Manufacturer Manufacturer Free text field for entering the name of the manufacturer of the resource. If you are creating a new asset type and want to use reports including manufacturer, model, or system number information, the new asset type must include the predefined Manufacturer data class.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equipment Max Resolution ID Network Printer Details (fixed data class)

Maximum resolution. Network Printer

Model Manufacturer Free text field for entering the model name of the asset.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equipment Name (ID Network Printer) ID Network Printer Details (fixed data class)

Network ID for the printer. Network Printer

Serial Number

Serial Number Serial number for the resource. The individual serial number for each asset is an important feature of the overall solution. Use Inventory Solu-tion to track hardware and gather data, including the serial number.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fix-tures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equipment ServerName ID Network Printer Details (fixed data class)

Name of the printer’s server. Network Printer

Speed ID Network

Printer Details (fixed data class)

Printer speed. Network Printer

Asset Type Category General Tab Fields (Continued)

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Asset Types Category Accounting Information Tab Fields

Field Data Class Description Resource Types

Asset’s Status N/A Resource Association

Lets you define an asset’s status. Impor-tant for tracking the lifecycle of your assets and used in several reports.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Available for Use Accounting Information

The date entered in this field will by default be the date of the purchase order for the item.

This field appears only if the resource is a Purchase. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Book Depre-ciation Custom Depreciation Tax Deprecia-tion Accounting Information

The three depreciation fields: Book, Cus-tom, and Tax, all have the same function-ality and are designed to be linked to Depreciation Schedules, but for different purposes. Example: The government specified depreciation timeframe on a monitor may be 5 years and thus a Depreciation Schedule will be linked to the Tax Depreciation field. But the company may have a policy of replacing monitors every 3 years, and thus a Depreciation Schedule will be linked to the Book Depreciation field.

These fields appear only if Expense Type is set to Depreciate.

Used in depreciation reports under Reports > Assets and Inventory > Asset Management > Accounting.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Business Use Ratio Accounting Information

Percentage for the extent the resource is used for business purposes. This will automatically be entered as 100% when the resource is entered through a Pur-chase and by default this field will appear blank. Enter a number in this field only if you wish to lower the percentage. This field appears only if Expense Type is set to Depreciate.

Used in depreciation reports.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment

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Cash from Disposal

Accounting Information

Cash recouped from sale of asset. This is a static field and does not automatically update the original purchase order. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to Disposed. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Cost Items Cost Items Items that are expenses associated with

a resource. Example: Ink cartridges for a printer.

Type: The type of cost.

Cost Code: Links to predefined Account-ing Codes.

Description: Free text description. Purchase Order: Links to a Purchase Order. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Date Discov-ered Missing Accounting Information

Date asset was discovered missing. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to Missing. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Date of Res-ervation Accounting Information

Date the item has been reserved for. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to In Stock. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Disposal Date Accounting

Information

The date the asset was disposed. Used in disposal reports (Reports> Assets and Inventory> Asset Management > Disposal).

This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to Disposed. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment

Asset Types Category Accounting Information Tab Fields (Continued)

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Disposal Rea-son

Accounting Information

Reason for disposing of the asset. Useful for tracking lifecycle.

This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to Disposed. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Expense Type Accounting

Information

Gives you the option of defining the resource as a depreciable asset or an expense. If the resource has associated non-depreciable expenses, enter the expense as a Cost Item rather than a separate resource.

This field appears only if the resource is a Purchase. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Planned Dis-posal Date Accounting Information

Planned date for disposal of the resource. This field appears only if the resource is a Purchase. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Purchase or Lease Accounting Information

Define if the resource is a purchase or on a lease agreement. If the asset is a pur-chase, extra fields appear including Expense Type, which lets you use depreciation fields and functionality.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Reserved Accounting Information

Select if the item has been reserved. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to In Stock. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Return Date Accounting

Information

Date the materials were returned. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to RMA. Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment

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RMA Number Accounting Information

Returned materials authorization number. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to RMA. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment StockRoom Details Accounting Information

Free text field for stock room details. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to In Stock. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Warranty Period Accounting Information

Enter a whole number for the number of days the resource is under warranty.

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Work Order Accounting

Information

Details of the Work Order for the RMA. This field appears only if Asset’s Status is set to RMA. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment

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Asset Life Cycle

You can track assets through all stages of the asset life cycle, from procurement to retirement. The following is the life cycle of a laptop computer:

1. Request Laptop: Purchase data is entered in the Notification Database using a purchase order. The asset status is set to “On Order”.

2. Acquire laptop: Specifics about the laptop are entered into the database. The asset status is set to “In Stock”.

3. Deploy and inventory laptop: The laptop is issued to a user, connected to the network, and appears as an active asset as a result of inventory scans. The asset status is set to “Active”.

4. One of the following events:

Laptop breaks and cannot be repaired

Laptop is used for 3 years and becomes obsolete Laptop is lost or stolen

5. Laptop is retired/end of life: The laptop is disposed of and no longer an active asset in the database. The asset status is set to “Retire” or “Disposed”. See Retiring vs. Disposing of an Asset (page 31).

Retiring vs. Disposing of an Asset

After an asset can no longer be used in the enterprise, you must deactivate it. When you deactivate an asset, it no longer appears in reports and is no longer considered an asset. Depending on the age and usefulness of the asset and the reasons for deactivating it, you can choose either retirement or disposal.

If an asset is broken beyond repair or has become obsolete, dispose of it. You can record any costs associated with the disposal and remove the asset from the Notification Database. If an asset is salvageable and can be recycled within your company, retire it. The asset will remain in your company and appear in the Notification Database but is no

Asset Types Category Associations Tab Common Fields

Field Description Resource Types

Associated Assets

Lets you associate other assets with the asset. With assets you can also use the Resource Association Diagram

(page 36) to view all associated assets and resources. See

Resource Type Relationships (page 15).

Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment Owners Lets you associate Users with the asset. Once you have

created associations between different resource types and assets or other resource types, use the Resource Associa-tion Diagram (page 36) to view all the associations for the particular item. Computer Fax Monitor Network Device Network Printer Network Resource Peripheral Scanner Virtual Machine Furniture and Fixtures Cell Phone Desk Phone Office Equip-ment

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longer considered active. If a retired asset is reassigned to another user, change its status back to active.

Computer Resource Type

The Computer resource type provides a large amount of built-in functionality for managing computer resources. This resource type also integrates tightly with data provided by Altiris Inventory Solution.

A benefit of the Computer resource type is being able to enter data associated with a computer that is not collected by Inventory Solution, such as a location or cost center. This resource type also lets you override data about a computer that is collected by Inventory Solution. See Renaming Retired and Disposed Computers (page 32). To make working with computer resources easier, there are several features that help you maintain your data. See the following:

z Renaming Retired and Disposed Computers (page 32) z Synchronizing Inventory Solution Computer Data (page 48) z Disabling the Computer Purge Feature (page 45)

z Cleaning Up Computer Data (page 45)

z Assigning Computer Ownership to the Primary User (page 44) z Assigning Asset Location Based on (page 47)

Notes

To track computer assets without Inventory Solution or to work with computers that are not included in data provided by Inventory Solution, do not use this asset type; instead, create a new asset type for the computer data.

When you add computer data to the Notification Database, the combination of Name and Domain for a computer must be unique.

Renaming Retired and Disposed Computers

There are situations where a computer is retired or disposed of and you want the replacement computer to have the same name. However, two computers with the same name can cause errors. To avoid this, rename the retired or disposed of computer in the Notification Database before adding the replacement computer to the network.

To rename a retired or disposed computer in the Notification Database

1. In the Altiris Console, select the Resources tab.

2. In the left pane, select the resource type of the resource you want to rename. 3. In the content pane, find the resource you want to rename in the list of resources

and select it.

4. Click the button on the toolbar.

5. Enter a new name for the computer in the Edit Computer Name field of the dialog that opens.

If the name of the computer is not editable, the status of the computer is not set to Retired or Disposed. To change the status of the computer, select the Accounting

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Information tab, change the status in the Asset Status field to Retired or Disposed, and click Apply. The computer name is now editable.

6. Click Done.

Contract Types Category

CMDB Solution lets you track almost any type of contract data, including the location of contract documents, payment data, service data, and contract details. A contract, which is a type of resource, can be associated with other resources such as a computer, printer, and monitor.

The predefined contracts included in CMDB Solution are Service Level Agreements and Contracts. All other contract resource types are installed with Altiris® Asset

Management Solution™. Contract are found in the Resources tab under Resource Management > Resources > Contract Types.

Service Types Category

These resource types—Services and System—are a way of helping you track your critical infrastructure. They show the roles that machines play. Example: If you have an Exchange Server, that machine is providing an e-mail service. The Exchange Server itself will be listed as a System resource type, while e-mail will be listed as a Services resource type. They are found in the Resource tab under Resource Management > Resources > Contract Types > Service Types. For an example of service types in a scenario, see Creating an E-mail Service (page 60).

Datacenter Types Category

These resource types, used for tracking IT management resources, are found in the Resource tab under Resource Management > Resources > Configuration Items > Datacenter Types.

Datacenter Types Category Resource Types Resource

Type

Description

Computer Type Includes three default resources (Server, Test, and Workstation) to let you specify what type of function or role a computer has. You determine the computer type in the Type tab when editing or creating a new computer resource.

Power Power sources used by the network. These are intended to be associated with UPS resources.

Rack Network resource racks. You can specify which network resources (example: servers, power switches, hubs, and so on) are included in each rack.

UPS Uninterrupted power supply resources. Includes details on volt-age, input/output frequencies, currents, and so on.

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Bulk Editing

Lets you edit the common fields of multiple resources simultaneously.

To bulk edit

2. In the left pane, select the resource type of the resource you want to edit. 3. In the content pane, select the resources you want to edit.

4. Right-click the resources and select CMDB Functions > Bulk Edit. 5. Make the wanted changes in the page that opens.

Note

To edit resource associations and dataclass attributes from a list of resources, select the relevant checkbox and then make the wanted changes in the Click to select field. If you want to remove resource associations, select the relevant checkbox and click OK without making other changes. Example: When bulk editing a list of computers, select the Location checkbox, leave Click to select blank, then click OK, and you will remove all location resource associations.

6. Click OK.

Merging Resources

You can merge any two assets or contracts together into a single record, even if they do not contain the same fields. However, you cannot merge an asset with a contract. This feature is useful if you have duplicate entries.

The data you merge does not need to be from the same resource type. Example: You can merge a Printer and a Network Printer.

When data is merged between resources, you select which resource’s data classes to keep. For data types common to both resources, you select which resource’s data class to keep. If a data class exists only for the resource that is not being kept, the data for that data class will be discarded.

Associations from the resource that is to be deleted are transferred to the new resource. If there is more than one of the same type of association, the older association is deleted.

Notes

Tasks are supplied for common merge functions in the Tasks tab under Tasks > Assets and Inventory > Merge Assets.

To automatically merge duplicate users or computers, see Merging Duplicate Computer or User Resources Automatically (page 50).

To merge two resources

2. In the left pane, select the resource type of the resources you want to merge under Resource Management > Resources.