CSDM - Dynamic CI Groups use in Change Mgmt vs Change Management - Mass Update CI

[Mary Vanatta]

Pre-Paris there is the Change Management - Mass update CI plugin. -  which allows change requesters to propose and apply updates associated with a change request to one or more configuration items in scope for a change.

However with the advent of Dyanmic CI groups will this eliminate the need for the above plugin.  
I can select a "Dynamic CI Group" from the Change Record - Configuration item field.  What would I need the plugin for? 

[christopher cre]

Hi Mary,

ServiceNow provides a clear description of this requirement in the CSDM model:

Manage Technical Services domain

"

Dynamic CI group

[...]

• As a way to manage patches for your CIs

  In Change Management, you can select the Dynamic CI group for the CIs you need to update and use a business rule to auto populate the Affected CI field.

" 

Here is how the Business Rule would look like: 

// set this business rule ASYNC on insert and update
// Condition: if the cmdb_ci changes and the cmdb_ci class is Dynamic CI

(function executeRule(current, previous /*null when async*/ ) {

    // function to get all CI from CMDB Group CI linked to the selected Dynamic CI
    var getAllCIFunc = function(groupSysId) {
        var parser = new JSONParser();
        var response = sn_cmdbgroup.CMDBGroupAPI.getAllCI(groupSysId, false);
        var parsed = parser.parse(response);
        if (parsed.result) {
            return parsed.idList;
        } else {
            gs.print("output: nothing");
        }
    };

    var groupSysID = current.cmdb_ci.cmdb_group.sys_id;
    if (groupSysID) {
        var affectedCIs = getAllCIFunc(groupSysID);
        if (affectedCIs) {
            for (var i = 0; i < affectedCIs.length; i++) {
                if (!ChangeCollisionHelper.isCiInAffectedCis(affectedCIs[i], current.sys_id)) {
                    ChangeCollisionHelper.addCiToChangeAffectedCis(affectedCIs[i], current.sys_id);
                }
            }
        }
    }


})(current, previous);

I hope that comment helped you. If it did, please mark it as useful. 

Note: Your Platform Owner should be aware of this customisation. Indeed, I suspect ServiceNow to come up with an OOTB script in the up coming releases. Although I haven't found anything yet on Quebec. Keep an eye on the Release notes when upgrading and don't hesitate to mark this custom script as inactive when ServiceNow will propose an OOTB solution.

Best regards,

[Mary Vanatta]

Thank you Christopher, we have already determined this is the best path, with concern that the dynamic CI group was well, dynamic and still having to add in the affected CIs.   Thank you for the script.  

Lots of BPCs and TCs are still wanting to recommend the old plugin.

[Mary Vanatta]

Thank you Christopher for the script.  We have arrived at the same solution.  I am with a consulting partner and my goal is to help enable our BPCs and TCs on this change.  

[christopher cre]

This custom feature has been implemented in the Rome release as a standard and supported feature. I therefore, do not recommend applying this custom solution, instead have a look at the documentation below and try to revert to the OOTB (out of the box) behavior: 

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/rome-release-notes/page/release-notes/it-service-management/chang...

CMDB grouping capabilities inside Change ManagementLeverage dynamic CI groups when creating a change request and building change schedules. Some feature highlights are:

• Ability to consume dynamic CI groups while creating a change.
• Ability to consume dynamic CI groups while creating change schedules.

[Sebas Di Loreto]

Team, I think these feature comes with the Rome upgrade.

It is mentioned on the Rome release notes and I verified there is a new business rule called "Sync Affected CI Dynamic Group" in the task_ci table (affected CIs): /sys_script.do?sys_id=a77e5938231220101488dc1756bf65cc

Hope this helps.