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  • Welcome to ASM HERMES!
    • HERMES 10.6.8 Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14379 AUG 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14627 SEPT 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14701 OCT 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14800 OCT 24 2 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14879 NOV 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14901 N0V 24 2 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15038 DEC 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15097 JAN 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15121 JAN 2 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15289 FEB 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15348 FEB 2 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15509 MAR 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15572 APRIL 25 MR Release Notes
    • HERMES 10.6.9 RC Release Notes
      • 10.6.9.14735 OCT 24 RC Release Notes
    • ASM Video Library
  • ITSM Solutions
    • Example Solutions - Best Practices for a Successful Outcome
      • Managing Changes to your ASM Application
      • Business Continuity Planning
      • Capacity Planning
      • Change Management
        • Planning Change Management
        • Build Your Workflow
      • Dynamic Ticket Routing
      • Environmental Impact Analysis (for TBL Accounting)
      • Knowledge Management
        • Planning Knowledge Management
      • Major Incident Management
        • Configure Major Incident Management
        • Allow Users to Subscribe to MI
      • Project Management
        • ASM Project Management How-To Videos
      • Service Validation and Testing
        • Example Configuration
      • User Survey Systems
        • Planning and Implementing Surveys
        • Survey Fields and Configuration
      • Workforce and Talent Management
        • Example Configuration
      • 2-Part Call Close Process
      • Incident Management
        • Planning Your Incident Management Implementation
        • Setup IPK Management
        • Build Screens to Support IPK
  • Use ASM
    • About the Alemba Service Manager Family
      • URLs and Access Parameters
        • System Access URLs
        • ASM Self Service Portal URLs
        • Pre-Populating Search Fields
    • Using the Self Service Portal
      • Logging on to Self Service Portal
        • Forgotten User ID and Password (Self Service Portal)
        • Password Expiry
      • Self Service Portal Home Page
      • Self Administration in Self Service Portal
        • Updating Your Contact Details
        • Changing Your Password
        • Delegating Work
      • Logging and Reviewing Tickets and Tasks/Approvals
        • Using the Logging Forms in Self Service Portal
        • Suggested Knowledge in the Self Service Portal
        • Reviewing Your Tickets in the Self Service Portal
          • Cloning Tickets in Portal
          • Chasing Ticket or Request
        • Off-Line Conversations with Support
        • Closing Your Tickets
        • Reopening Your Tickets
        • Cloning Your Tickets
      • Following Tickets
      • Self-Help/Self-Diagnosis in Portal: Scripts
      • Searching the Knowledge Bank in Self Service Portal
      • Chat
        • Alembot - Chatbot
      • Service Request Catalog
      • Your Surveys
    • Using Nano
      • Nano Feature List
      • NANO Video Tutorial - Quick Start
      • Nano Application
        • Viewing Your Workload in NANO
        • Viewing Bulletins
        • Nano Matching Panel
        • Using the Call, Request, and Task Details window
        • Working with Entities in Nano
          • Followers
        • Using Resource Manager in NANO
        • Viewing Your Outstanding Tasks
        • Keyboard Shortcuts
    • Using ASM Core
      • Getting Started
        • The ASM Core Window
          • The Information Panel
          • The View Option
          • The New Option
          • Configuring search results
        • Changing your Password
        • Generating an ASM statistics report
        • Printable Reports from within Core
        • Searching for Items
          • Using Wildcards in Search
          • Outstanding Item Searches
          • Saved searches
          • Viewing Search Results in Graphs
          • Creating Reporting Views from Search Results
        • Indicators - Icons
      • View Your Consolidated Workload
      • Viewing Daily Stats
      • Chat
      • Managing Followers
      • Managing Your Tickets - Calls and IPK
        • Working with Calls
          • About the Call Details Window
          • Cloning Option
          • Log New Request from Call
          • Watch Call
          • Change a Call from an Incident to a Problem, Known Error, Major Incident, or Service Request
          • About the Service Window
          • About the Call Information Panel
          • About the Matching Panel
          • Add Notes - Updating Your Tickets
            • Notes: Offline Conversations with the User
          • Managing and Using Call Activities
          • Assigning Work Based on Skills
        • Call Details Explorer Options
          • Call Activities Explorer Option
          • Linking Explorer Option
          • Forum Analysts Explorer Option
          • AI Ops Explorer Option
          • Viewing Event Transactions from a Call or Request
          • Email All Explorer Option
        • Overview of CTI in Alemba Service Manager
          • Storing Telephone Numbers for CTI
        • Logging a Call
        • Using Quick Solutions
        • Using Quick Forms
        • Deferring a Call
        • Reassigning/Forwarding a Call(s) Internally
        • Forwarding a Call Externally
        • Creating an Outage from a Call
        • Closing a Call
        • Global Updates
        • User Chased Tickets
        • Escalating Tickets
      • Sending Ad-Hoc Surveys
      • Requests and Tasks
        • Viewing your Request Workload
          • Viewing Outstanding Requests
          • Searching for Requests
        • Submit a New Request
        • Escalate a Request
        • Searching for Tasks
        • Suspending a Task
        • Completing a Task
        • Sending email from a task
        • Forwarding a Task Internally - Reassignment
        • Completing an Approval
        • Managing Change Calendars
        • Managing Resources
          • Preparing to Use Resource Manager
          • Using Resource Manager
          • Allocating Tasks in Resource Manager
      • Ordering Service Actions within ASM Core
      • Adding Attachments
      • Managing your CMDB
        • Managing CMDB Items
          • Cloning CMDB Items
          • Completing CMDB Item Details
          • CMDB Linking Diagram
          • Freezing CMDB Items
          • Linking CMDB Items
        • Managing Your Assets
          • Managing Inventory Items
          • Managing Software Products
          • Thresholds Explorer Option
          • Managing Transactions
            • Purchasing Items
            • Reserving Items
            • Allocating Items
            • Transferring Ownership of Items
            • Retiring Items
            • Changing Availability Status of Items
            • Adding an order from a search field
          • Specifying Usage Criteria
        • Managing your Service Portfolio
          • Managing Services
          • Managing Service Actions
            • Defining the Outcome of Selecting a Service Action
          • Managing Service Bundles
        • Managing Organizations
        • Managing Locations
        • Managing Cost Centers
        • Managing Jurisdictions
        • Managing Subscriber Groups
        • Managing Stakeholders
        • Options in the CMDB Items Explorer Pane
        • Allocating Change Windows to CMDB Items
        • Managing People
        • Managing Contracts
        • Managing Availability
          • Managing Outages
          • Impact Criteria
          • Displaying Outages
        • SLM - Managing Agreements
          • Defining Agreement Thresholds
          • Linking Service Items to an Agreement
          • Attaching Selection Criteria to Agreements
          • Agreement Measurements
      • Configuring AI Ops
        • Using the AI Ops Wizard
        • Managing AI Ops Rules
      • Knowledge Management
        • Managing Knowledge Entries
        • The Knowledge Bank Explorer
        • Viewing Knowledge Entries
        • Knowledge Administration
      • Configuring Reminders
      • Using IPK Workflow Rules
        • Part 1 - Building the Workflows
        • Part 2 - Defining Workflow Criteria Rules
          • Defining Call Fields for IPK Rules
        • Part 3 - Assigning Workflows to Rules
        • Configuring Call Auto Close Rules
        • Running Multiple Workflow Types on a Call
      • The Bulletin Board
        • Viewing Bulletins
        • Managing Bulletins
      • Using Timesheets
      • Scheduling Calls and Requests
      • Using Quick Forms
      • Using Call Scripts in Core
      • Instant Messaging/Internal Messages
      • Sending an Email
        • Finding Recipients
      • Delegation Setup
      • Purging Data
  • SetUp & Configure ASM
    • Licensing
      • Licensing model
      • ASM Person Licenses
    • Installation and Patching
      • Alemba Service Manager On-Premise Architecture
      • HERMES Installation Guide
        • HERMES Prerequisites
        • Upgrading/Installing ASM to HERMES Step by Step Guide
      • Installation PowerShell Parameters
        • Administration Using PowerShell Scripts
      • Installation Guide for Syncfusion Dashboards
        • Part 1-Syncfusion Dashboard Server Installation
        • Part 2-Syncfusion Server Check HTTPS Binding has been Configured
        • Part 3-Syncfusion Server User Management Server (UMS) Configuration
        • Part 4-Syncfusion Server Configure the Dashboard Server
        • Part 5-Syncfusion Server Patching the Scheduler Service
      • Upgrading from vFire 9.2 or Below
      • Installing and upgrading on Multiple Web Servers
      • Patching where downloading files is not possible
        • Installation Using Setup.exe
      • Configuring external network access to ASM
      • About the Polling Services
      • Uninstalling ASM Core
    • Setting Up your System
      • On-Premise: System Console Configuration Settings
      • Logging in as Administrator
      • ASM Nano
        • Enabling Nano
        • Request Phases
      • Setup IM (Internal Messaging)
      • Setup Email
        • Setting Up Incoming and Outgoing Email
          • Email Server Configuration
          • Methods of Authentication for Mail Servers
          • Incoming Email
            • Recognized Incoming Email Subject Headings
            • Incoming POP3, and IMAP Email Server Settings
            • Incoming Email via API
            • How the Logging Analyst is Determined on an Incoming Email
          • Outgoing SMTP Email Server Settings
          • Outgoing Email via Webhooks
          • Configure Azure MS Graph API
          • Configuring Exchange Web Services (EWS)
            • Prerequisites
              • Web Redirect URL Configuration
              • Creating an Azure Client Secret
            • EWS - Configure Outgoing Email
            • EWS - Configure Incoming Email
            • EWS - Authorize the Connection
            • EWS - Troubleshooting
        • Mail Message Access (MMA)
      • Setup Chat
    • Configuring your System
      • Accessibility Features
      • ASM Solutions
      • Call Template Administration
      • Configuration Post Go-Live
        • Preparing Production for Sys Admins and Developers
        • ASM Application Configuration Change Management
          • ASM Application Configuration Change Screens
          • ASM Application Change Workflow Template
      • Configuration Post Go-Live using SDLC
      • Configuring Escalations and Chase
      • Configuring the Data Purge Service
      • Configuring Screens
        • Creating New Screen Sets
        • Screens Available for Configuration using ASM Designer
        • Building Screens in ASM Designer
          • Configuring Fields
          • Creating a Custom Field
          • Deleting & Unlinking Fields
            • ASM System Fields for Call Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Request Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Task Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Approval Screens
            • ASM System Fields for CMDB Item Screens
          • Screen Widgets
            • Data-Grid Widgets
            • Self Service Portal System Widgets
          • Knowledge Article Screens
          • Configuring Message Templates
          • Importing/Exporting Screens
          • Troubleshooting Screens: The Screen's Dead Zone
        • Dynamic Screens
          • Deep Linking Field Data Across Screen Sets
          • Field Calculations
          • Using Rules
          • Adding Images and Progress Indicators to your screens
        • Deleting a Custom Screen
        • Configuring Button Labels
      • Conversation History Widget For Nano
      • Customizing Options for the Self Service Portal
        • Add Me: Set up "Add-Me" for Subscribing to or Following Issues
        • Styling the Self Service Portal
        • Enable Request Correction and Resubmission
      • System Administration Settings
        • Custom Global Profile Fields
        • System Settings Menu
          • Your Organization
          • Partitioning
            • Configuring Partitions
            • Partition Settings
          • System Settings
          • Security Profiles
          • Server Time Zone
            • Storing Time Zone Information
            • Time Zone Settings
          • Defining Working Hours
          • Defining public holidays
          • Reset References
          • System Source Titles
          • Browse Limits
          • Messaging
          • Message Types
            • Message Type Definitions
          • Pager Settings
          • Pager Types
          • Activity Log
          • Stored Procedures
          • System Titles
          • Quick Launch
          • Quick Notes
          • Auditing
            • Administration Audit Trail
          • User and Analyst Search Field Settings
          • Email Header and Footer
        • Security
          • Security Settings
          • Security Settings (Partitioned)
          • IPK Groups
          • Workflow Management Groups
          • Controlling log in
          • Email and Pager Options for IPK and Workflow Groups
        • Security Roles
          • General Access Security Role
            • Admin Tab
            • Timesheets Tab
          • IPK Management Security Roles
            • IPK Management Role: Options Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Groups Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: IPK Streams Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: IPK Statuses Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Forms Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Quick Launch Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Fwd Groups Tab
          • Workflow Management Security Roles
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Shared Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Requests Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Tasks Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Processes Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Groups Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Request Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Task Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Appr. Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: User Approval Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: External Supplier Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Closure Task Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Forms Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Template Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Request Quick Launch Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Task Quick Launch Tab
          • Configuration Management Security Roles
            • Configuration Management Security Role: CMDB Items Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: People Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Roles: Organizations Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Locations Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Contracts Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Subscriber Groups Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Cost Centers Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Jurisdictions Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Forms Tab
          • Service Level Management Security Roles
            • Service Level Management Security Role: Options Tab
            • Service Level Management Security Role: Forms Tab
          • Availability Management Security Roles
          • Knowledge Management Security Roles
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Options Tab
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Content Access Tab
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Statuses Tab
          • Bulletin Board Security Roles
          • Dashboard Management Security Role
          • Integration Security Role
        • IPK and Workflow
          • Incident, Problem & Known Error (IPK) Management
            • Configuring IPK Settings
            • IPK Settings (Partitioned)
            • Action Type
            • Call Attributes
            • Call History Types
            • Call Impact
            • Call Physical Statuses
            • Call Priority
            • Call Screen Sets
            • Stakeholder Roles
            • Call States
            • Call Status Titles
            • Call Urgency
            • Closure Groups
            • Custom Call Profiles
            • User Survey
            • User Survey Screen Set
            • IPK classes
            • IPK Streams
            • IPK Statuses
            • Link Stream/Status to Call Screen Set
            • Link Type/Stream/Status to Call Screen Set
            • Link Screen Set to Reasons
            • Link Type to Reason
            • Limit Type by IPK Status
            • Link Type to Call Screen Set
            • Priority Matrix
            • Quick Forms
            • Quick Solutions
            • Reasons
            • Call Scripts: Scripting
            • Type Tiers
          • Workflow Management
            • Workflow Management Settings
            • Workflow Attributes
            • Approval Types
            • Request Action Types
            • Request Implementation Profiles
            • Request Implementation States
            • Request Link Types
            • Request Physical Statuses
            • Request Phases (Nano)
            • Request Priority
            • Request Risks
              • Request Risk Assessment
              • Request Impact
              • Request Complexity
              • Request Risk Assessment Matrix
            • Screen Sets for Requests, Tasks and Approvals
            • Request Stakeholder Roles
            • Request Completion Statuses
            • Request Types
            • Task Action Types
            • Task Phases
            • Task Physical Statuses
            • Task Priority
            • Task Status Titles
            • Task Types
            • Workflow Management History Types
            • Request History Filters
            • Workflow Processes
            • Workflow Export and Import - Workflow Porting
            • Linking Approval Screens to Partitions
        • Service Level Management
          • SLM Settings
          • Agreement Attributes
          • Agreement Selection Priority
          • CMDB Selection Priority
          • Agreement Stakeholder Roles
          • Agreement Statuses
          • Exclusion Reasons
          • Agreement Types
          • Event Activity Types
          • Agreement Matrices
          • Measurement Types
          • Payment Types
        • CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
          • CMDB Settings
          • CMDB Service Levels
          • CMDB Item Classes
          • CMDB Item Criticality
          • CMDB Item Physical Statuses
          • CMDB Item Types
          • CMDB Link Status
          • CMDB Link Types
          • Contract Support Type
          • Contract Types
          • Cost Center Category
          • Custom CMDB Profiles
          • Person Profile
          • External Contact Type
          • User VIP Statuses
          • Disposal Methods
          • Financial Statuses
          • Financial Category
          • Freeze Statuses
          • Link Manufacturer to Model Type
          • Manufacturers
          • Model Types
          • Organization Profiles
          • External Supplier Statuses
          • Purchase Method
          • Service Link Types
          • Service Portfolio Statuses
          • Service Cost Types
          • Service Periods
          • Asset Management - Asset Lifecycle Status
          • Asset Management - License Type
          • Asset Management - Transaction Status
          • Self Service Portal Display Categories
          • Stakeholder Roles
          • Auditing Configuration Items
        • Availability
          • Configuring Availability Management
          • Outage Types
          • Schedule Definition
        • Depreciation
          • Batch Run Parameters
          • Depreciation by CMDB Item Type
          • Depreciation Methods
          • Depreciation Schedules
        • Knowledge Bank
          • Knowledge Bank Settings
          • Knowledge Base Types
          • Knowledge Entry Types
          • Knowledge Profiles
          • Knowledge Ratings
          • Knowledge Statuses
          • Knowledge Document Import
        • Bulletin Board
          • Configuring the Bulletin Board
          • Bulletin Board Priorities
          • Bulletin Stakeholder Roles
        • Text Retrieval
          • Common Words
          • Keywords
          • Synonyms
        • Analytics
          • Analytics Settings
          • Classic Syncfusion Dashboard Server Configuration
        • Self Service Portal
          • Self Service Portal Settings
          • Self Service Portal Settings (Partitioned)
          • Self Service Portal Roles
            • Options Tab
            • CMDB Tab
            • Content Access Tab
            • Workflow Templates Tab
            • Call Templates Tab
            • IPK Status Tab
            • Dashboard Management Tab
          • Self Service Portal Systems
          • Self Service Portal My Options
          • Self Service Portal Tables
          • Service Order Status Titles
          • Question Mappings
          • Catalog Promoted Items
          • Suggested Knowledge in the Self Service Portal
          • Creating Custom Pages
          • Link Organization to Portal Key
        • Nano
        • Preview Features/Advanced Options
          • Settings
            • Multi Language
              • Languages
                • Portal Label Language Updates
                • Service Title Language Updates
            • Call Activities
            • Enable Active Directory Mappings to Sub Groups
            • CTI
              • Setting up the Alemba Service Manager CTI
            • SignalR Scale Out Options
            • External Chat tool Integrations
          • Portal Settings
          • Global Search
          • Chat Bot
      • Workflow Template Administration
        • Basic Process for Building a Workflow
          • Task List for Workflow (Request Template) Creation
            • Create a Service Action and Attach a Workflow to it
        • Managing Tasks - Adding Tasks to the Dependency Diagram
          • About Tasks - General
          • Task Types in the Task Palette
            • Defining Request Start Details
            • Creating a Standard Task
            • Create Request Task
            • Creating an Approval Task
            • Creating a User Approval Task
            • Conditional Branching Tasks
              • Defining a Dependency Rule
              • Defining Dependency Actions
            • Creating a Messaging Task
            • Creating a Delay Task
            • Creating a Manage CMDB Task
              • Recursive CMDB Task
              • Adding Transactions to a Manage CMDB task
              • Asset Management Transactions in a Manage CMDB Task
              • Mapping Fields to be Updated by a Transaction
            • Creating an Outbound Action Task
            • Creating an SLM Start Clock/Stop Clock Task
            • Creating an External Supplier Task
            • Creating a Run External Procedure Tasks
            • Creating a Change Window Task
            • Creating a Closure Task
            • Creating an Activation Task
        • Component Workflows
        • Setting Up Amendable Requests
        • Troubleshooting Workflow and Service Action Linking
        • Sharing Parent Request Items with Child Requests
    • Dashboards and Reporting
      • Dashboard Configuration and User Learning Guide
      • Descriptions of Default Reports and Dashboards (SDI Classifications)
        • 8.3 Number of Incidents and Service Requests
        • 8.4 Average Time to Respond
        • 8.6 Average time to resolve incidents or fulfill service requests
        • 8.7 First Contact Incident Resolution and Request Fulfilment Rate
        • 8.8 First Level Incident Resolution and Request Fulfillment Rate
        • 8.9 Reopned Incident Rate
        • 8.10 Backlog Management
        • 8.11 Percentage of hierarchic escalations
        • 8.21 Percentage of Functional Escalations copy
        • 8.23 Average incident resolution time by priority
        • 8.24 Average request fulfilment time by priority
        • 8.25 Average resolution time by incident category
        • 8.26 Average fulfilment time by service request type
        • 8.27 Comparison of service level targets to performance
        • 8.28 Service Desk Knowledge Usage
        • 8.29 Customer Facing Knowledge Usage
        • 8.30 Service Desk Knowledge Quality and effectiveness
        • 8.31 Customer facing knowledge quality and effectiveness
        • 8.33 Monitoring Incidents caused by changes measured against target
        • 8.34 Total cost of service delivery
        • 8.35 Average cost per incident by channel
        • 8.36 Average cost per service request by channel
        • 8.43 Problem records created through proactive problem management
        • 8.44 Incident reduction through problem management
      • Install SDI Reporting Pack
      • Dashboards and Reports (.sydx Files)
      • Connecting to Other Data Sources
      • Sample SQL Queries
      • Migrating your Syncfusion Dashboards to a New Server
    • FAQ
      • Limited Support/End of Life Capabilities
        • Configuration Portability
          • Overview & Best Practices
          • Porting Configuration Data
          • Viewing the Export and Import Logs
        • Server Console
          • Accessing the Server Console
          • Creating a New ASM System
          • Server Console system tasks
          • Customization nodes
          • SQL Server and Table Ownership
          • Updating Scripts
          • ASM Core Registry Keys
        • Concurrent Licensing
          • License Corrals
        • Alemba Classic API
          • Programming with the Classic API
            • WCF Client
          • Code Examples
          • Return Values
          • API Message Types
          • API Lookups
          • API Transactions
            • Availability Transactions
            • Call Transactions
            • CMDB Item Transactions
            • Contract Transactions
            • Cost Center Transactions
            • Jurisdiction Transactions
            • Location Transactions
            • Organization Transactions
            • Person Transactions
            • Subscriber Group Transactions
            • Knowledge Transactions
            • Bulletin Transactions
            • System Transactions
              • Session Transactions
              • Add Note Transactions
              • Attribute Transactions
              • Development Transactions
              • Message Transactions
              • Object Transactions
              • Stakeholder Transactions
            • Workflow Transactions
              • Workflow (Request) Transactions
              • Task Transactions
          • API Classes
          • API WSTester Application
      • Configuration or Customization
  • Integrate
    • Integration Overview
    • Managing Integration
      • Setting Up the Integration Platform
        • Defining Connectors
        • Defining Sources
        • Configuring an Integration Source
        • Resource Mapping
        • Defining Property Transforms
        • Defining Profile Maps
        • Defining Resolution Rules
        • Defining Link Type Mapping
      • Single Sign-On using SAML
        • Integrated Security vs. Single Sign On
        • Technical and Access Requirements
        • Configuring ASM for Single Sign-On
        • Importing Identity Provider Metadata
        • Service Provider Signing Certificate
        • Configuring the Service Provider
        • Exporting Service Provider Metadata
        • Importing Service Provider metadata into the Identity Provider
        • SSO Troubleshooting
        • SSL Binding
        • Creating a Self Signed Certificate
        • Extending the Single Sign-On Connector
      • Configuring Azure Active Directory discovery
      • Azure Multi-factor Authentication
      • Viewing Integration Activity
        • Viewing Integration Log
      • Connectors to ASM Core
        • Connector Matrix
        • Installing Connectors
        • CMDB Connectors
          • Altiris Network Discovery Connector
          • CA Cohesion Connector
          • Centennial Discovery/FrontRange Connector
          • EMC Smarts NCM Connector
            • Service Assurance Manager Connector
          • LANDESK Connector
          • Microsoft Azure Connector
          • Microsoft SCOM Connector
          • Microsoft SMS and SCCM Connector
          • Snow Connector
          • SolarWinds Connector
          • VMware Application Discovery Manager Connector
          • VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Connector
          • VMware vCloud Director Connector
          • vRealize Orchestrator Connector
        • LDAP Connectors to ASM Core
          • Microsoft Active Directory Server Connector
          • Novell eDirectory Server Connector
        • Generic Connectors to ASM Core
          • Email Event Connector
          • External Process Connector
          • Stored Procedure Connector
          • ASM to ASM Connector
          • Jira Connector
            • Developer Notes for the Jira ICNF
          • CSV File Connector
          • MS Azure DevOps Connector
          • Connector Suite for MS SQL Server Tables
          • Resource Databases Connector
            • Tutorial for Configuring the Database Resources Connector
        • Microsoft Alemba ITSM Connector
      • Build your Own Connector
        • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) - Connector Builder
        • Microsoft Intune - Connector Builder
      • Managing the Federated CMDB
        • Managing Scheduled Integration Scans
        • Auditing Configuration Items
      • Managing External Resources
      • Selecting Fields for Mapping
      • Managing Inbound and Outbound Actions
        • Configuring Inbound and Outbound Actions
          • Configuring Outbound Actions
            • Using Outbound Actions
          • Configuring Inbound Actions
        • Inbound or Outbound Action Source Parameters
      • Managing Events
        • Configuring Event Management
          • Event Management Source Parameters
          • Viewing Event Types
          • Managing Event Type Mappings
        • Using Events
      • Webhooks
        • Webhook Payloads
      • Canvas App Widgets
      • Microsoft Teams Chat Integration
      • Microsoft Project Integration
      • Connector Diagnostics
    • API's
      • Alemba RestFul API
        • Alemba API Architecture
        • Installing the Alemba API
        • Logging In to the Alemba API Explorer
        • Navigating the Alemba API Explorer
        • Alemba API Programmers’ Guide
        • Alemba API Programmers' Cookbook
          • Recipes
        • Alemba API Related Database Tables
        • Using API Reporting Views
        • Authentication
          • Configuring Authentication for the Alemba API
          • Configuring Windows Authentication for the Alemba API
          • Configuring Single Sign On using SAML for the Alemba API
      • Azure/ Web API/Logic Apps
      • ASM API Quick Reference Guide
        • Getting Started: The ClientId
        • Postman for Testing
        • Search for Existing Calls
        • Locking and Updating Calls
        • Creating New Calls
  • Earlier Versions of ASM
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On this page
  • The Integration Platform
  • Connectors
  • Federated CMDB Connectors
  • Event Management and Inbound/Outbound Actions Connectors
  • Authentication and Login Credentials
  • Version of Third-party Applications
  • Installing Connectors
  • Specifying Connection Parameters
  • Connecting with a SQL Database Connector
  • Specifying a Connection String

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  1. Integrate
  2. Managing Integration
  3. Connectors to ASM Core

Installing Connectors

Before reading this document, it is important to understand how the Integration Platform module is configured and define the future use of the information imported from third-party applications. Setting Up the Integration Platform provides more information.

The Integration Platform

The ASM Core Integration Platform encompasses three capabilities that require specific connectors to act as an interface between the Integration Platform and the third-party vendor application:

  • The Federated Configuration Management Database (CMDB) enables integration with third-party applications that discover and manage wide range of resources or persons, and then imports those resources into the CMDB.

  • The Event Management platform allows ASM Core to capture events produced by network monitoring tools and then log calls or create requests in relation with these events.

  • The Inbound/Outbound Actions capability enables third-party applications and ASM Core to trigger predefined actions into the opposite system.

Connectors

Each connector is a .NET assembly that is developed to support a specific version of the third-party application for which the connector provides an interface. Typically, each application requires its own connector to provide the common interface. However, these connectors are also designed to be highly customizable.

The ASM Core connectors can be classified in two broad categories:

  • Connectors that ensure communication to third-party resources and persons discovery and management application. These connectors plug into the Federated CMDB component of the Integration Platform.

  • Connectors that allow third-party tools to perform actions inside ASM Core or that enable ASM Core to trigger actions in third-party application.

Federated CMDB Connectors

Several third-party applications are used within organizations to discover, catalog and manage a wide range of physical and virtual resources and persons. ASM Core sites that run these applications often need to represent these resources and persons as CMDB items and persons within their ASM System. The Federated CMDB provides some periodic retrieval and synchronization capabilities designed for resources and persons imported from third-party applications.

A Federated CMDB connector:

  • Establishes a connection with the third-party application.

  • Declares available resource and link types, as well as their properties.

  • Retrieves resources or persons and their properties, as well as the linkage information between resources.

A Federated CMDB connector only provides data to the Federated CMDB, after which the ASM Core code analyzes and imports data into the CMDB. It does not create, update, or delete CMDB items, create discrepancy reports, process ASM Core screens or use ASM Core SQL queries or HTML templates.

The Federated CMDB connector is a read-only interface to the third-party application data. Therefore, the connector is not required to:

  • Perform actions on external sources or resources

  • Update external resources so that they are synchronized with the ASM Core CMDB

The Federated CMDB can use any number of connectors, which users are free to develop. Each third-party application requires a specific connector because the way in which data is stored and exposed is different for each application. Therefore, the connectors vary for each application and each connector uses a different technology. Some of the technologies that have been used include:

  • SQL

  • LDAP

  • SOAP/HTTP/Web Services

A particular connector has also been created to read source exported data from comma separated value (.CSV) files.

The methodology for accessing data exposed by an application is the methodology that the tool vendor recommends.

Event Management and Inbound/Outbound Actions Connectors

Event Management connectors or Inbound/Outbound Actions connectors present characteristics and settings that are very specific to the function they perform. This is particularly obvious for the Inbound/Outbound Actions connectors, whose functionalities strongly rely on the third-party capabilities.

From a technical point of view, these connectors are more likely to use API and Web Services to communicate. The definition of operation period also follows a different approach. For Federated CMDB connectors, operation schedules need to be set up by an administrator. These schedules have to specify a precise running time and a possible recurring pattern. For an Event Management or Inbound/Outbound Actions connector, these timing and recurring notions are irrelevant: the connector is either continuously running, or is switched off by an analyst (provided the analyst has appropriate credentials). They cannot be activated according to a predefined schedule.

Event Management requires a constant monitoring of the third-party events in order to log calls or create requests in a timely manner. As for Inbound/Outbound Actions connectors, the actions they handle can be triggered by appropriately designed workflows, which can be created at any time. This makes it impossible to forecast when the connector will be called into action. Hence, the continual background operation of these two types of connectors is required.

Difference between the Use of Event Management and Inbound/Outbound Actions Connectors

An Event Management connector only allows a third-party network monitoring tool to create calls and/or log requests in ASM Core. This behavior does not require a lot of settings as it is quite rigid in the proposed outcomes, that is, calls and requests creation.

An Inbound/Outbound Actions connector allows the third-party application or ASM Core to perform diverse actions on one another. In this sense, it is more bidirectional and generic. These actions have to be predefined in both systems before any work can begin. This flexibility in defining actions on both sides results in a higher number of settings.

Both Event Management and Inbound/Outbound Actions capabilities adhere to special communication protocols composed of precise transactions in order to ensure efficient communication throughout the lifecycle of an event or an action. These two protocols are illustrated below.

The Integration Platform Guide contains more information about these protocols.

Authentication and Login Credentials

Some connectors allow actions to take place in the third-party application or in ASM Core. For these actions to take place successfully, the connector ensures that the rights of the person specified in the connector source details are sufficient to perform the requested action. For example, triggering a job in Network Configuration Manager requires the login ID and password of a Network Configuration Manager user who possesses the proper rights to trigger a job. Similarly, one ASM System can create calls or requests in a second ASM System only if the rights of the person entered in the connector source details are appropriate (in this case, IPK and Change Management rights, respectively).

Version of Third-party Applications

Connectors are standard components of ASM Core and some of them require a particular license key to be specified in the server console. Moreover, each of these connectors has been developed against one or several specific versions and configurations of a particular third-party application. This information is documented for each connector.

Many applications rarely alter their data schemas drastically between releases. In most cases, a connector will be compatible with obsolete and future versions of a particular application. However, it is necessary to test the connector against the particular version. In instances where inconsistencies between versions exist, variations can often be accommodated by modifying the connector configuration file.

Similarly, larger applications are often divided into various suites and editions that include different subsets of the application components. A site may be running one or more of these variants depending on their business needs. Often these variants share a common data schema or at the very least share the same means to access that data. So, a single connector can often be used across multiple variants with only minor changes to the configuration file.

Installing Connectors

The following connectors are already installed with ASM Core, so the installation instructions are not relevant:

  • Microsoft Active Directory Connector

  • Novell eDirectory Connector

  • ASM to ASM Connector

  • Generic Database Resources Connector

  • MS SQL Table Entity Connector

  • MS SQL Table Event Connector

  • MS SQL Table Lookup Connector

  • MS SQL Table Outbound Action Connector

  • Atlassian JIRA Connector

  • Alemba® External Process Connector

  • Alemba® Stored Procedure Connector

  • CSV Connector

The EMC Smarts Service Assurance Manager (SAM) connector installation process differs from all the other connectors. See Service Assurance Manager Connector for more information.

All files for the connectors come standard with ASM Core. However they will not appear in the Integration module until the steps below are followed. The except are the connectors listed above.

Take the following steps to install all other connectors.

You may need to run an IIS reset to stop unnecessary processes that will prevent the installation from running. Go to Start > Run, and type iisreset. Be aware of other users before doing an IIS reset.

  1. Open the ASM Core Server Console.

  2. For each system, right-click the system name. From the menu that appears, select Database Tasks > Run Custom SQL Script .

  3. In the Run Custom SQL Script dialog box, navigate to the Config folder in your system directory

  4. Select the appropriate SQL installation script. For example, to install the CSV Connector select Infra.Connector.CSV.Install.scp

  5. Open the file to run the script.

  6. Select No when prompted if other any other scripts need to be executed. The Server Console then parses the query files. When completed, close the Server Console.

  7. Go to Start > Run, and type iisreset.

  8. Select OK. This completes the installation of the connector that is now ready for use within ASM Core.

Installation with Powershell

For Servers without Server Console, you can install using Powershell. Installation of the connector with PowerShell involves the command Invoke-SQLScript

  1. Access the Application Server for ASM.

  2. Open Powershell and execute the following (replace [system name] with the name of your system):

Invoke-SQLScript -System [system name]- Alemba.Connector.Azure.DevOps.Install.scp ".\script.sql

Additional Considerations

  • You need the permission Integration Setup in the General Access Security Role, to configure and use the Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector.

  • To create calls in ASM from work items in Azure DevOps, the DevOps project must have Service Hooks configured for ASM.

Specifying Connection Parameters

The Connector service must be running so that the connector operates properly.

Connecting with a SQL Database Connector

Most applications store their data in a relational database. These databases are also called SQL databases because they can be queried by using the Structured Query Language (SQL). Other examples of SQL databases include Oracle, Access, MySQL, DB2, and Sybase. Connectors that interface with a third-party application’s SQL database typically use ODBC.

SQL databases are not to be confused with Microsoft SQL Server, which is a specific example of a relational database.

To establish a connection between ASM Core and a third-party application, three common connection parameters are required. They are:

DB Connection

The connection string that specifies the database server

DB Login ID

This and the password are credentials that authenticate the connector against the database

DB Password

This and the Login ID are credentials that authenticate the connector against the database

Some connectors require an additional connection parameter DB Type. This is required in those cases where a connector is expected to interface with more than one kind of relational database. For example, LANDESK can use either an Oracle or an SQL Server database. Although most SQL databases are very similar, each one can support different variants of SQL syntax and require different logic to perform operations. Specifying a DB Type instructs the connector to use a particular SQL syntax and logic to communicate with the application.

When configuring a source by using an SQL Database Connector, consult the administrator of the third-party application or the Database Administrator or both to determine the server location, catalog, credentials, and any other relevant database parameters to access the data source.

Some applications use an embedded database — that is a database that is stored locally among the application files and managed by the application itself. This approach can be limited because the connector has to access the embedded database files directly by presenting some network and security hurdles to be cleared. Such applications frequently offer a data export utility, whereby data can be periodically exported to a more accessible data source such as an SQL Server or Oracle, which can make the data more accessible.

Note the following when attaching the connector to an exported data source:

  • The data will be as up-to-date as the most recent data export.

  • If more frequent scans than the scheduled data exports are scheduled, they would perform redundant work.

Specifying a Connection String

The syntax of a database connection string varies in relation to the data source.

Here is an example of SQL Server connection string by using SQL Server authentication that uses Login ID and Password provided in the appropriate fields:

Server=Server;Database=Catalog;Persist Security Info=True

Here is the same string when Integrated Security is activated:

Server=Server;Database=Catalog;IntegratedSecurity=SSPI; Persist Security Info=True

Here is an example of Oracle connection string by using Login ID and Password provided in appropriate fields:

Persist Security Info=True;DataSource=Server TNS Entry;Extended Properties="PLSQLRSet=1"

DB Login ID and DB Password can also be incorporated into the connection string. However, it is recommended that the password is stored in the dedicated DB Password field where it can be stored in an encrypted format.

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**You must install the AlembaUtils function to use the Invoke-SQLScript command.

See Administration Using Powershell for more information.