Is Discovery Tool supposed to create hardware models or "product models"?

[bjmcdonald]

Is Discovery Tool supposed to create hardware models or "product models" when it discovers a new item that is not set up as a hardware model?

Seems that both our bulk load processes and discovery processes create "product models" - and do not associate the model category and such when it runs and doesn't find a match.   Can someone explain how this SHOULD work - and maybe point me to some recommended governance on models / model management, please?

[Chuck Tomasi]

Hi BJ,

This sounds more of an Asset Management question than a Discovery question... or is it both?

[jake_mckenna]

Like my favorite commercial would say, "Why not both?"

To learn more about models i would check out some great blog post: Models vs. Model Categories: Model Management, Part 2

But seriously when it comes to the product models we should see something for hardware using the extended model class of either software, hardware, or consumables based on the items coming in. If you are utilizing a bulk load process of transform maps i would caution to understand that the model_id field that is used on the CI class is pointed to the base product model table and not the extended class of hardware.

Discovery takes an approach to try to setup the models as hardware by invoking a script include known as MakeAndModelJS. Within the sensors that deal with the hardware information you will see it invoke the MakeAndModelJS.fromNames(Manufacturer, modelName, "hardware"). This will help find a model by that manufacturer and that name within the Hardware model class, but if not found it will create it. **FYI this is also used by SCCM plugin if you would like to see an example for a transform map.

Now I will say that when it comes to SNMP classification the models created automatically seem to be created at the base class of product models. In this case i try to advise to create the mode prior or updating them for these items.

[bjmcdonald]

ok - so, YES - been through that blog - LOVED IT

Today it seems that product models are being created without identifying the right model category - so the CI and assets are not created properly.   So - HARDWARE models are not created - PRODUCT models are created.

I was thinking that discovery should create HARDWARE MODELS - and it should identify and populate the appropriate model category so that the assets / CIs are created correctly.

So, I think your answer was to check to see if it is the SNMP classification is the one creating the product model vs hardware model?

and then also to check to see if the script include "MakeAndModelJS" is properly being invoked, right?

Thank you so much for any help,

bj

[jake_mckenna]

Exactly.

This is where understanding where information is coming in from with discovery is key. Since everything in discovery comes from a phased approach and review the history of those devices on what was found during discovery we can start to also understand our outputs from these phases.