Looking for best practice in enabling discovery in an existing environment

[Arno Reintjens]

Hi all,

I am looking for a best practice/advice how to introduce Discovery in an existing CMDB. Now we are manually recording all our CI's, using OOTB tables, but also user defined that were not yet available in earlier releases.

Especially interested in tips regarding matching CIs that are already in the CMDB and then also discovered, but not recognized. 

Thanks in advance for all tips.

Cheers,

Arno 

[Rahul Priyadars]

Hi Arno

make a list of CMDB CLasses where you have data present.

Check in Class Manager for Above CLasses - what are the attributes used in IRE

Once you have IRE Attribute List / Class then you can check your existing data - This will give you idea how many new CIs will come.

Start discovery with Server Cis you can control discovery using Application Configuration Console.

Hope it helps.

Regards

RP

[Arno Reintjens]

Hi Rahul,

Thanks for your input, I certainly will give it a go.

Question: for example, we are using MQ, now they are in a user defined table, would you move them first to the OOTB table and then start the discovery. Intention is to IRE do its work and use this CI instead of creating a new one.

Thanks again.

Arno

[Rahul Priyadars]

In My View for MQ - Run  discovery just for one such IP /Host and see the behavior.

See Which CLass it goes and also check for IRE attributes. Now in ur Custom table make sure those IRE attributes are present. Then Move these data from Custom Table to OOTB table.

My Approach will be like this.

Regards

RP

[knoxkf]

I agree with RP but would add:

  Start in a non production environment - start with a single Ip - say windows server - run discovery - check to see if the IRE works - does it create a duplicate - did it match to the existing.  Need to be concerned about your matching rules there (name/serial number etc.)  I would then move to UNIX (the different flavors).

  Then move to the different classes - like network stuff, vm management stuff (KVM's, Vcenters) then cloud...