MS Azure DevOps Connector

The Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector connects ASM to Azure DevOps using API methodology.

The Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector connects ASM to Azure DevOps using API methodology, enabling you to create work items in DevOps from Calls in your ASM System, and create calls in your ASM System from work items in DevOps. The Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector enables you to integrate with any type of work item across all DevOps projects.

You can use Azure DevOps to update calls in ASM, and calls in ASM to update work items in DevOps.

Installing the Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector

For information about installing the Microsoft Azure DevOps Connector, contact your Account Manager.

For information about versions and licensing, see the ASM Connector Matrix.

After installation, the Alemba.Connector.Azure.DevOps.dll file should exist on your server.

Connection parameters

Alemba Service Manager™ uses the following connection parameters:

Parameters	Description
Endpoint	The Azure DevOps system web address.
Access Token	Personal Access Token for the Azure DevOps system.
API Version	The version of the Azure DevOps API that has fields and functions you want the DevOps Connector to use. This does not need to be the latest version. If your API version is not available for selection, contact your Account Manager.

Required permissions

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

Additional Considerations

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

Configuring Service Hooks for ASM

1. Navigate to the Project Settings in Azure DevOps, and select Service Hooks from the menu on the left.

2. Press the Add button in the toolbar. The New Service Hook Subscription window appears.

3. Select Web Hooks from the menu on the left, and then press the Next button.

4. Select a value for the field Trigger on this type of event. These values are supported for ASM:

   • Work item commented on

   • Work item created

   • Work item deleted

   • Work item restored

   • Work item updated

5. Complete the trigger configuration by selecting filters as needed, and then press the Next button.

6. In the URL field, enter the URL for ASM in this format:

   https://Server_Name/System_Name/alemba.api/api/v1/webhook/azuredevops

   (where Server_Name is the ASM server name, and System_Name is the ASM system name)

   https://AlembaServer/Production/alemba.api/api/v1/webhook/azuredevops

7. The Basic authentication username field requires the Login ID of an analyst record in ASM that has an IPK Management Security Role with permissions to create and update calls.

8. Enter the corresponding password for that analyst record in the Basic authentication password field, and then select Finish.

For more information, visit the official Microsoft page Create a service hook with WebHooks under Azure DevOps / Marketplace & extensibility / Service hooks / How-to Guides

Configuring ASM for Azure DevOps Service Desk Actions

Configuration is comprised of these steps:

1. Configuring Service Hooks for ASM

2. Enabling Service Desk Actions

3. Creating an Integration Source

4. Configuring Service Desk Actions

Enabling Service Desk Actions

1. Select ≡ > Admin > Integration.

2. In the Explorer pane, under Integration, select Integration Platform Settings to view the window.

3. Under section heading Service Desk Actions, select the Enabled checkbox, then save the changes.

4. In the Explorer pane, under Integration, select Connectors.

5. On the Integration Connectors window, locate the Azure DevOps Connector, and ensure that the Service Desk and Visible checkboxes are selected.

Creating an Integration Source

1. In the Explorer pane, under Integration, select Sources to view the window.

2. Select the button on the toolbar. In the pop up window, select Azure DevOps Connector from the drop-down list.

3. In the Integration Source Details window, complete the details. Refer to Connection parameters for more information.

4. Select the Test Connection icon on the toolbar to test the connection.

5. Save the details.

Configuring Service Desk Actions

An Integration Source for Azure DevOps must exist and connect successfully in ASM.

1. In the Explorer pane, under Integration, select Service Desk Actions to view the window.

2. In the Filter by Source field, select the Integration Source you created for the connector.

3. All Azure DevOps projects and work item types are listed in the browse table. Select the one you want to work with and then select .

4. The Service Desk Action Type window appears.

5. Select the New button to add a new mapping. The Mapping window appears.

6. Select the Action tab and complete the details:

Name	Type a name for the mapping. This name appears in the Mappings table.
Screen Set	Select a call screen set from the multi-tiered list. The screen set determines: the fields that will be available for this mapping the calls that create and update work items in DevOps.
Action Type	Select the type of action this mapping performs: Create work items in DevOps, and calls in ASM Update work items in DevOps, and calls in ASM To create and update the same work item type and project in DevOps, you must create a mapping for Create and another for Update. The same applies to creating and updating calls in ASM from DevOps.
Unique Ref	Not applicable for the Azure DevOps Connector.
Last Modified	Not applicable for the Azure DevOps Connector.
Send Notify for system generated history messages	Select this option to update the work item in DevOps whenever a system-generated entry (such as an agreement escalation) is added to the history of the call that resulted in the creation of the work item from this service desk action. Unselect this option to update the work item in DevOps only when an Analyst or User action is added to the call history.
Only process if Visible in Portal	Select this option to update the work item in DevOps only when the Analyst or User action added to the history of the call is visible in the Self Service Portal. Unselect this option to update the work item in DevOps whenever an Analyst or User action is added to the history of the call.

Select the Criteria tab to specify the criteria for creating or updating work items in DevOps.

Default Mapping

Select to specify that this is the default mapping for all calls with the screen set defined in the Actions tab. Clear to set the conditions for applying this mapping. These conditions are set through defining a rule. You can only select internal fields or attributes as the criteria in your rule, since this is the criteria ASM uses to select calls to create or update work items in DevOps. You may wish to only create work items in DevOps from calls assigned to a specific IPK Group. In this case, you would select the criteria, “Assigned Group”, the operator, equal to (=), and the value as the name of the IPK Group.

1. Select the Fields - Outgoing tab to map fields to be updated in the DevOps work item created from the call that activated this mapping.

2. Select the Outgoing - Response tab to map fields to be updated in the call when it creates the work item in DevOps. This tab can be ignored if this service desk action performs an Update.

3. The DevOps field Work Item ID must be mapped (in the Action column) if this service desk action performs a Create.

4. Select the Fields - Incoming tab to map fields to be updated in the call created from the DevOps work item that activated this mapping:

5. Service Hooks for ASM must be configured in the Azure DevOps project before mapping incoming fields. See Configuring Service Hooks for ASM.

Default Incoming Field Mapping	Select to flag this as the default field mapping for calls created or updated in ASM from this DevOps project and work item type. This mapping will apply to an incoming service desk action if no other mapping for the project and work item type can be applied.
Using Template	Select the Call Template that ASM Core will use when creating the call, and determines the fields available for mapping.
Reference Field	Select the DevOps field to update with the number of the call created in ASM from this mapping. If the field is not blank in DevOps, the connector attempts to find the matching call in ASM, and creates the call if no match is found. This field is required for mappings that create and update.
Fields Mapping browse table	Map fields to be updated in ASM when a call is created or updated from a work item in DevOps using this service desk action mapping.

6. Select the Attachment- Criteria tab to define conditions for sending call attachments from ASM to the work item in DevOps that was created from this mapping. Different criteria can be configured for the Update vs Create mappings.

There are no conditions for attachments on the DevOps work item, all attachments are sent to the call in ASM.