Resource Mapping

You can add a data mapping between external resources and ASM Core CMDB item fields. Resources can be users imported from a directory server, or network discovery resources.

Mapping a New Resource

The import is iterative. This means that if you have people in more than one mapped group, each successive template will be applied to their person record and changes across each template will be applied. For example:

Agent A belongs to a System Administrator Group (with global access rights) and to an agent Group with IPK Access rights only. To import Agent A correctly, his System Admin Group mapping will need to appear at the bottom of the groups list and not at the top. This is because we want to create him first with his basic rights, and then let the import update him with the enhanced permissions.

Before you start

You must have Integration Setup selected in your General Access Security Role.

In the Groups table, select the group for which you want to define a mapping.
Complete the details.

Source	This field is prefilled with the application or directory server for whose resources you want to configure the mapping.
Resource Type	This field is prefilled with the category of the resource you are mapping.
Name	Type a name for the mapping. This name appears in the Mappings table. This is a mandatory field, and must be completed otherwise you will get a warning message on saving the mapping details.

Source

This field is prefilled with the application or directory server for whose resources you want to configure the mapping.

Resource Type

This field is prefilled with the category of the resource you are mapping.

Name

Type a name for the mapping. This name appears in the Mappings table. This is a mandatory field, and must be completed otherwise you will get a warning message on saving the mapping details.

Criteria Tab

Select the Criteria tab to specify the criteria for selecting the external resource to import.

Default Mapping

Select to specify that this is the default mapping for the resource type mapping you are working with.

Clear to set the conditions for applying this mapping to an external resource using the rules builder panel. These conditions are set through defining a rule. You can only select external resource fields or attributes as the criteria in your rule, since this is the criteria ASM Core must use to select external resources for importing.

You may wish to only import a resource, Computer, for a specific Manufacturer. In this case, you would select the criteria, “Manufacturer”, the operator, equal to (=), and the value as the name of the manufacturer.

It is useful to specify a default mapping so that resources that do not meet the criteria in any of the defined mappings for the resource type may still be discovered and updated.

Action Tab

Select the Action tab and select a CMDB template and set the rules for applying the template, when the defined mapping criteria is met.

Import

Select to enable the fields on this tab. If you clear this option, external resources will not be imported or updated for this mapping when a scheduled scan runs on the source

Import As

Select the entity type that will be created when the external resources are imported. An external resource can be imported as a Person, CMDB Item (Service, Config Item, Service Action, etc), Location, Organization, Contract, Knowledge Article, Subscriber Group, or Cost Center. Depending on the type of connector, not all the options may be displayed in this list.

Using template

Type the name of the template to apply to the CMDB items, People, etc created after the source is scanned for resources.

Only the templates/records for the entity type selected at Import As appear in this list.

For Person or CMDB Item, the relevant templates are displayed.

For other entity types, such as Knowledge or Organization, it is not possible to mark an item as a template, therefore all items that meet the search parameters are displayed in the search results. Select one to act as the template.

Apply template to CMDB Item or Person

Select when the template must be applied to the imported resource.

On creation only

applies the template to the imported resource only when the ASM Core record is created, that is, only if the resource does not match an existing item

On creation or update

applies the template to the imported resource when the ASM Core record is created, or when an existing (matching) ASM Core record is updated

When template is different to last applied

Applies the template to the imported resource only when the last template used on the matching ASM Core record is different to the current template set for this mapping (that is, if it is a different template altogether, or if it is the same template that has changed).

For a directory server integration connector, users may need to be imported under another Person template if their status changes on the directory server.

When mapping is different to last applied

applies the template to the imported resource when the last mapping used is different to this mapping

When a resource is discovered

Select the action to be taken on the CMDB if a new resource or person is discovered on the source.

Create linked CMDB Item or Person automatically

instructs the polling service to discover any new resources on the source and, when a new resource is found, automatically create a new record in ASM Core and link this record to the record in the Federated CMDB

Add to the Pending Imports list

instructs the polling service to take no immediate action. Instead, it records the detected definitive resource record, which you can review and then decide if you wish to create. You can review the items in the Pending Import View on the Federated CMDB Administration window

When a resource is deleted

Select the action to be taken on the CMDB if a resource or person is deleted on the source.

Delete linked CMDB Item or Person automatically

instructs the polling service to discover any deleted resources on the source and automatically delete the linked records

Add to the De-activated Resources list

instructs the polling service to take no immediate action. Instead, it records the detected differences for each definitive resource record, which you can review and then decide if you wish to delete. You can review the deleted items in the De-activated Resources List on the Federated CMDB Administration window.

Take no action

instructs the polling service to make no change to the data in ASM Core.

When a deleted resource is restored

Select the action to be taken on the CMDB if a resource or person item is restored on the source.

Restore linked CMDB Item or Person automatically

instructs the polling service to discover any restored resources on the source and apply that information directly to the linked CMDB items or people. The CMDB items or people are restored immediately

Add to the Activated Resources list

instructs the polling service to take no immediate action on the CMDB. Instead, it records the detected differences for each definitive resource record, which you can review and then decide if you wish to restore. You can review the restored items in the Activated Resources List on the Federated CMDB Administration window.

Take no action

instructs the polling service to make no change to the CMDB

Map to a Subscriber Group

Select this checkbox to allow a Subscriber Group to be mapped to a particular resource group.

When a scan is run, it will check against this resource mapping and either add a new record to the AR_SUBSCRIBER_GROUP_MEMBER table, or update a record already in there (for when a user is deleted or restored).

If you map, say, AD groups to Subscriber Groups, people are mapped to a subscriber group when an AD scan is run, rather than manually mapping them

Subscriber Group

Use the Search button to identify the Subscriber Group you want to use.

Fields Tab - Mapping Your Data

Select the Fields tab to map the fields to be updated through the import.
To add a field, select Add.
You can only map fields once you have selected an item in the Using template field in the Actions tab.
In the Add Fields window, select the ASM Core field you wish to map, and click OK.
To set the value for this field, on the fields browse table, click the cell in the Resource Field column
Select into the row. The available options appear in a multi-tier popup and are specific to the ASM Core field type.
You must select a resource field/value otherwise you will receive a warning message when you save the mapping details.
To set the condition for updating the field, make a selection in the Update column.

Always	populates the field automatically whenever this field mapping is picked up during a scheduled scan. This option is useful if the external source is the definitive place where this information resides.
On Initial Population Only	populates the field only when a new record is created in ASM Core during a scheduled scan. This option is useful if this item may be updated from integrations with various external sources.
Only When Blank	populates the field only when it is blank. This is useful if the field on the external source is not the definitive place where this information resides, and should not have the ability to overwrite the field value.
Create Discrepancy Report	does not populate the field automatically when the field mapping is picked up during a scheduled scan. Rather, an entry is added to the Discrepancy Report view in the Federated CMDB Administration window, allowing you to decide whether the field may be updated or not. This is useful to detect unauthorized changes on the source.

Always

populates the field automatically whenever this field mapping is picked up during a scheduled scan. This option is useful if the external source is the definitive place where this information resides.

On Initial Population Only

populates the field only when a new record is created in ASM Core during a scheduled scan. This option is useful if this item may be updated from integrations with various external sources.

Only When Blank

populates the field only when it is blank. This is useful if the field on the external source is not the definitive place where this information resides, and should not have the ability to overwrite the field value.

Create Discrepancy Report

does not populate the field automatically when the field mapping is picked up during a scheduled scan. Rather, an entry is added to the Discrepancy Report view in the Federated CMDB Administration window, allowing you to decide whether the field may be updated or not. This is useful to detect unauthorized changes on the source.

To delete a mapped field, select the field, click Remove and confirm the deletion in the warning dialog box.
To restore the default mapping that may be provided for some connectors, and overwrite any new mappings you may have added, select Restore Default.
Learn more about fields available for mapping a directory server user to a person record in the CMDB in Directory Server Fields.

Matching Tab

Set the criteria ASM Core will use to match a discovered external resource to an existing CMDB item. This step allows you to configure “rules” for importing and updating resources. This includes defining how users are imported through a directory integration source connector or other resources are imported through a network discovery connector. For example, by defining a rule using fields from the person details, you can match a new user discovered on a directory server to an existing person record in ASM Core.

Select the Matching tab.
Select On discovery match resource to enable the rules builder panel.
Specify the criteria that will be used to match a discovered resource or user to an existing CMDB item. This is done through adding a rule.
In the final part of the statement, select > 1 matching records are identified to add the discovered resource to the Pending Imports list in the Federated CMDB Administration window, if more than one record in the CMDB is matched to the resource based on the criteria. This allows you to manually match the resource to the CMDB item. Select No matching records are identified to add the discovered resource to the Pending Imports list in the Federated CMDB Administration window, if no record in the CMDB is matched to the resource based on the criteria.
Click Save. You are returned to the Resource Types Mapping window where you can add more mappings for this resource type if needed.

Mappings are applied only when a resource is imported or updated. Changing the resource mappings will not update existing CMDB items. Updates are made only when ASM Core detects changes to a resource.
Disabling scans for a connector or a specific resource type after a scan has been run will not delete CMDB items linked to the external resources for that connector. However, viewing any of these external resources (that may be linked to CMDB items) will display them as inactive.
Resources are imported automatically during a Federated CMDB scan, and these resources are checked for any links that correspond to the mapped resource link types. This relationship information is automatically discovered by the scan; it cannot be regulated. However, you can choose not to import the relationship information as links into the CMDB when you import resources with links to other resources.

Directory Server Fields

The person fields available for mapping a directory server user to a Person entity in ASM Core include the following:

allows you to link an analyst or User from a directory server to a person in ASM Core using the Login ID details.

When person record is deleted from ASM Core based on a disabled Active Directory record, their Login ID and Password fields are deleted within ASM Core will be available for reuse.

allows you to link a user from a directory server to a person record in ASM Core using the email details.

First Name and Surname

allows you to link a user from a directory server to a person record in ASM Core using the First Name and Surname.

Selecting Fields for Mapping

The table below provides a summary of the field types and values you can select when mapping Internal Fields and External Fields to fulfill the requirements for a particular type of integration.

When you click the field selector button various options are presented to allow you to configure the mapping between the external and internal field.

Field Type	Examples	Field selector available value types
String, text, float, decimal, integer, date-time, and Boolean number	Acquisition Price	(Value) allows you to specify a particular value for the field. For a Boolean field the options are True and False. The way the selected value appears in the field indicates the area in which you are working, for example, {Event: Is Problem} if mapping an event field, or {Resource: Office} if mapping a Federated CMDB resource. (Transform) allows you to define a property transform. The multi-tier list of fields allows you to select any data field on the source using the multi-tier list of fields.
Profile	Manufacturer, Model Type	(Value) allows you to select a pre-defined profile value for the field. (Profile Map) allows you to map a value in a profile field to the value in a list-based field on the source.
Entity Reference	User	(Value) allows you to select an existing ASM Core entity. In this case the field selector behaves like a standard search field. (Search) allows you to search for an existing ASM Core entity. (Resolution Rule) allows you to set up a resolution rule for importing or updating additional information about the entity. (External Resource) allows you to select a field defined for the external resource. The internal field will be set to the value of the external field. This option is only available when configuring a resource mapping to integrate with the Federated CMDB.

Field Type

Examples

Field selector available value types

String, text, float, decimal, integer, date-time, and Boolean number

Acquisition Price

(Value) allows you to specify a particular value for the field. For a Boolean field the options are True and False. The way the selected value appears in the field indicates the area in which you are working, for example, {Event: Is Problem} if mapping an event field, or {Resource: Office} if mapping a Federated CMDB resource.

(Transform) allows you to define a property transform.

The multi-tier list of fields allows you to select any data field on the source using the multi-tier list of fields.

Profile

Manufacturer, Model Type

(Value) allows you to select a pre-defined profile value for the field.

(Profile Map) allows you to map a value in a profile field to the value in a list-based field on the source.

Entity Reference

User

(Value) allows you to select an existing ASM Core entity. In this case the field selector behaves like a standard search field.

(Search) allows you to search for an existing ASM Core entity.

(Resolution Rule) allows you to set up a resolution rule for importing or updating additional information about the entity.

(External Resource) allows you to select a field defined for the external resource. The internal field will be set to the value of the external field. This option is only available when configuring a resource mapping to integrate with the Federated CMDB.

The fields that can be mapped include standard, custom, and extension fields.