Models and Model Categories are probably one of the most confused technology aspects related to Asset Management in ServiceNow. They are related, but they serve very different purposes in their function. It is best to understand what they do separately before you look at how their relationship affects your asset and configuration management processes.
My previous post in this series highlighted some benefits of Models, so here I focus on Model Categories.
When you work with Asset and Configuration Management in ServiceNow, gone are the days (or weeks or months) required to integrate these systems. Asset and Configuration Management speak natively to one another in the platform, and Model Categories identify how they match up.
Model Categories match up CI Classes and Asset Classes. If you create a CI of a particular type, ServiceNow knows to create a corresponding asset of the type identified. When you create an asset, you identify the Model Category so ServiceNow can create a corresponding CI.
CI Classes have a one-to-one relationship with Model Categories. Each CI Class should have its own Model Category. From an operational perspective, the information you need for a computer versus a printer versus a router are all very different, and the different CI Classes support these differences.
Most Model Categories point to the Hardware Asset Class. From an Asset Management perspective, you track the same information about computers, printers, and routers.
If you want ServiceNow to create corresponding Assets for a type of CI, be sure the Model Category identifies both classes.
Once the Asset and CI are created, they are linked, and the Model Category has done its job.
Ok, so how do Models fit in here?
Models may be associated with one or more Model Categories. Why more than one? Consider a rack server: you may run an end user OS on it or you may choose to use it as a server in your environment. You do not want to limit the model to be just a Computer, Server, Windows Server, or Linux Server. Computers of that particular Model may serve multiple purposes in your environment.
This provides some filtering capabilities when you create your Assets. For example, if you select the Model for a new Asset first, only the associated Model Categories display as options.
Additionally, you can override the creation of an asset for a particular model in the Model record. This is very useful if you know you do not purchase items of a particular Model, and is a prime example of how you can coordinate Model Categories and Model Management to meet the needs of your environment.
This is a quick primer on how Models and Model Categories relate; enough to continue the discussion on Model Management. For more details on Model Categories, be sure to check Model Categories in the ServiceNow Wiki or check out ServiceNow's Asset Management training.
Up next in the series on Model Management: Part 3: What's in a Name?
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