CI Reconciliation rules for manual entry

[cloudyrobert]

I'm trying to use CI reconciliation rules to prevent users from manually updating a field that ServiceNow Discovery has set with a value. Mostly, I'm trying to understand how this works so that we can implement it for actual business cases, but take the example of IP. Let's say I want to prevent manual updates to a Windows Server's IP if the value has been set by Discovery. I've got this set up:

• Reconciliation Rules
• • Data source: ServiceNow
  • • Apply to all attributes: checked
    • Set to active w/ no filter condition
  • Data source: Manual Entry
  • • Attributes: Assignment group, Assigned to
    • Set to active w/ no filter condition
• Data Precedence Rules
• • Data source: ServiceNow
  • • Priority 100 & active
  • Data source: Manual Entry
  • • Priority 200 & active

It seems to do nothing. I can update the IP of a Windows Server manually with no problems. What am I missing?

[doug_schulze · Accepted solution]

I think it because reconciliation rules come into play for data only coming through the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE).

Its vague but this docs page states "..specify which data sources.."  As I read that its an import/discovery of information.

I've been working a similar issue around Help The Help desk (HTH) and discovery swapping general values, thought that these rules might help but quickly learned that HTH does not go through the IRE so those rules would not help.

Perhaps a BR that prevents (or allows) by attribute/class updates to that field?

[cloudyrobert]

Ah, OK. Well, this is disappointing, but it does explain it. I wonder why the "Manual Entry" option is even included?

[doug_schulze]

I'd have to think its because any data that is coming through the IRE will measure a manual entry, but a manual entry unto itself doesn't use the IRE so well,  you see what happens...

[Nathan Okh]

I would love to get more information, the links here seem to be broken or not leading to the place I expected. can you add them here?