client only applications and application services

[HMJ]

Hi all,

we are trying to find a solution to use application services as a key elemen in several ITSM processes. It is easy for server based applications as there are several methods to find out the currently used infrastructure (traffic based, tag based, ...) but it is difficult as soon as client components are involved or we face a client only application.
While dynamic CI group looks like a viable option, this approach has a boundary of 10.000 items. On the other side using SAM an SCCM we have the information, which software is installed on which client anyway via the related software product model anywaý that would be related to an application service.
We are therefore looking for a solution, that allows us to use client only application (services) in our processes the same way as we could use server based ones, as we can relate application services to business service offerings in CSDM.
If the intent is unclear, I'm happ to provide more context, but I would be very interested, how others solved this or might be able to provide me a more elegant solution  😉

[SteveMacWWT]

One caution I would make is: Don't sacrifice accuracy / clarity in the name of consistency. What is the business problem that is being solved by forcing the use of an App Service where it is not needed? 

As CMDB / CSDM geeks enthusiasts we want to make sure things are classified appropriately and consistently, but we still need to pay attention to the value it brings to the business. 

[Sven9]

What about using the "calculated Application Service" based on relationships and leave this one empty just with the supportive Information?

Mapping all clients (wheather if as DCG or not)  to one Client Based Application seems not to be the correct way as each application service should be seen as an independend runable stack of one Application - so in theory each client would need a separate Application Service, because the failure of on clients installation would not affect all the other clients

[Barry Kant]

Good day HNJ,

does it mean all individual references, or bundling eg to Software Packaging offering (or standard vs non-standard software)? Any idea on this?

BR,
Barry

[Jim Zeigler1]

Application Services are used to represent collections of CIs that have similar characteristics so the Service lights up when an alert occurs. in one the CIs it references.  For example, if you don't have a way to track all the client installs of Monitoring Tools, access Management or other frequently used clients, you can assign a subclass of Application so Discovery finds and classifies them all. Then use a query-based Dynamic CI group to easily locate them all.

 The beauty of this approach is that the Application Service maintains itself. When CIs are retired, they drop off the list. When new clients are added by Discovery, they show up as CIs in the service. It helps when you need to manage versions of the clients as part of a larger rollout of a new version of the Application they connect to.

The Dynamic CI Group form can only display the 1st 10,000 CIs OOTB, but the services will reference all that match.