Managing the Federated CMDB

The Integration Platform allows you to configure the Federated CMDB so that you can manage external resources discovered in and imported from the Federated CMDB into the ASM Core CMDB.

ASM Core can also be integrated and synchronized with widely used Directory Server technologies. By configuring the appropriate connector, you can import analyst and User databases from other directory servers such as Microsoft Active Directory into ASM Core. This means the person details for analysts, Users, and external contacts from an external database can be imported into the CMDB.

ASM Core uses Microsoft.NET Directory Services library to integrate with a directory server technology. This technology supports communication with directory servers compliant with the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and other technologies.

Federated CMDB Configuration Process

The process for configuring the ASM Core for Federated CMDB integration includes the following main steps:

1. Enable the Federated CMDB by selecting it in the Integration Platform Settings window

2. Define connectors.

3. Define sources.

4. Set up scheduling times for integration.

5. Add resource mappings.

6. Add link type mappings.

Integration Platform Terms

Before you configure the Integration Platform on your ASM System, it is important that you become familiar with the following terms and concepts.

Source	A source is a third party application to which ASM Core can connect in order to integrate with a third party system. For integration with a Federated CMDB, this is the system to which ASM Core can connect to import objects discovered by a network discovery tool into ASM Core, or users on a directory server. For Event Management, this is the system from which events are received by, for example, the network monitoring tool. For Inbound and Outbound Actions, this is the system to or from which actions are sent, such as a procurement system, service desk system, or another ASM System.
Connector	A connector provides an interface between ASM Core and an external application. Each application to be integrated with ASM Core requires a connector
Federated CMDB Definitions
Primary or External Resources	These are the principal objects that a Connector is responsible for discovered on a Source. A Primary Resource can possess child objects, or Secondary Resources, that represent the components of that Resource. An External Resource may include a person record discovered on a directory server source.
Definitive Resource Record	For each Primary Resource discovered, the ASM database stores a cached replica of that object known as a Definitive Resource Record. Neither Secondary Resources nor their properties are cached.
Cached Resource Search	This is a search for external resources that returns only those external resources that have been imported into ASM Core and are not excluded.
Event Management Definitions
Event	An Event is the alert or notification generated on the source which may lead to a call or request being logged in ASM Core.
Incoming and Outgoing Transactions	Events are managed by Transactions. A Transaction is incoming when it is received by ASM Core from the Source or outgoing when it is sent from ASM Core to the Source.
RECEIVE	An Incoming Transaction in which the Event generated on the Source is sent to ASM Core. ASM Core may then log a call or request depending on how the event is mapped.
ACKNOWLEDGE	An Outgoing Transaction in which ASM Core acknowledges the Event received from the Source.
NOTIFY	An Incoming or Outgoing Transaction in which a note is added to the call or request logged in ASM Core. The Outgoing Transaction can be configured to no action is taken on the call or request.
UPDATE	An Incoming or Outgoing Transaction in which a call or request is updated in ASM Core by an analyst who takes action on the call or request. The Outgoing Transaction can be configured to update the call or request, add a note to the call or request, or take no action on the call or request.
RESOLVE	An Incoming Transaction to inform ASM Core that the Event has been resolved on the Source. This transaction can be configured to close the call or request, add a note to the call or request, or take no action on the call or request.
DELETE	An Incoming Transaction to inform ASM Core that the Event is no longer valid. This transaction can be configured to close the call or request, add a note to the call or request, or take no action on the call or request.
CLEAR	An Outgoing Transaction to inform the Source that the call or request has been closed in ASM Core.
Inbound and Outbound Actions Definitions
Action	An Action is either initiated by ASM Core or the Source with which it is integrated, and results in various actions in ASM Core or the Source. The lifecycle of an Action consists of Messages.
Outbound Action	This is an action initiated by ASM Core which triggers a response on the Source (for example, when a call or external supplier task is forwarded externally).
Inbound Action	This is an action initiated by the Source which triggers a response in ASM Core (for example, when the source triggers a call or request in ASM Core).
Message	A Message is the way information about an Action is exchanged between the message Creator or Receiver for the duration of an Action’s lifecycle. There are different types of Messages: CREATE, UPDATE, NOTIFY, CANCEL, COMPLETE, NOT COMPLETE. Each Message has a “creator”, that is, the system which sent the Message, and a “receiver”, that is, the system which received the Message.
CREATE	This type of Message can be sent by a Creator to initiate an Action. For Outbound Actions, this message is sent when a call or External Supplier task is forwarded to the external supplier linked to the Outbound Action, or when an Outbound Action task is activated in a request. For Inbound Actions, this message logs a call or request in ASM Core.
UPDATE	This type of Message can be sent by both the Creator and the Receiver. For Outbound Actions, this message is sent when fields are updated on the call or request initiated by the Outbound Action. For Inbound Actions, the data contained in the message can update the fields on call or request, add a note, or take no action.
NOTIFY	This type of Message can be sent by both the Creator and the Receiver. For Outbound Actions, this message is triggered when a note is added to a call or task that initiated the Outbound Action. For Inbound Actions, the message can lead to ASM Core adding a note to a call or request, or taking no action.
CANCEL	The Creator sends this message to stop further processing of the Action by the Receiver.
COMPLETE	This message is sent by the Receiver when an Action is successfully performed.
NOT COMPLETE	This message is sent by the Receiver when the Action failed.