Anyone tried to extend the Asset Hardware table (alm_hardware)??

[Damhoej]

Has anyone tried to extend the asset hardware table?

If so what where your reason?

[bevo]

I'm looking at this now, possibly to include new fields specifically for smart phones and tablets

[akash_mehta]

Damhoej:  What would be the purpose for extending the HW table?  One of the replies discusses maybe doing it for additional fields associated to Tablets/Smartphones...However, I think it would be better adding fields to a CI table if you really need those fields (depending on the type of CI).

Just trying to make sure the field adds are more Asset related then CI related.

-Akash

[Damhoej]

Sorry for the late answer I was skiing 🙂

My reason to extend the hardware table  (on AMDB) was that in my former job we had a need to register which USB harddrive was delivered to what person.
A USB hard drive should not be a CI but only an asset. 

And to track the relevant information on the drive and the owner (assigned to) with specific information, I then (2 years ago) had the thought of extending the alm_hardware with a USB harddrive class.

[akash_mehta]

Damhoej:  Not a problem...

So, my thought is you may just need a new Model Category of USB drive that has alm_hardware as the asset class and no CI class.  I still think if you just need to assign the asset and need model info (size and type of drive) then the alm_hardware table should get you what you need without having to extend it.

If all you care about is that is consumed against a person but don't need to track them individually, then maybe you can get away with just using the Consumable model category.

If there are very specific fields you need that feel like more configuration fields then maybe look into the cmdb_ci_disk table and either extend from there or use that table with the fields for Device interface = USB and Storage Type = Disk...

At the end of all this, my recommendation would be to NOT extend the alm_hardware table for something like this.  I feel it will be the beginning of a bad practice.

Regards,

Akash