Correct process in SeviceNow for reuse of hardware assets

[Sam Ogden]

Hi All,

We are trying to use the OOB hardware asset management which comes as part of the ITSM product.

I understand that there is a link made when a CI is created to an Asset record based on the model.  We have instances though where we will have a server in use for a period of time, then the server is no longer required for that use.  The server is decommissioned - (the CI retired), but in some instance we will re-purpose the server (asset) for a new purpose so it will have a new host name (a new CI).  How is this meant to work with the asset record?

I was expecting that we will have the asset record linked to both a retired CI and the new in use CI, but from what I can see the relationship is only 1 to 1?  Does that mean on retirement of the CI if we are going to re-purpose the asset we should remove the link with the original CI and replace it with the new CI therefore leaving the original CI with no linked asset?  Is there a way to link an asset to multiple CIs instead?

Any help on best practice around this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Sam

[AndyB5000]

You are correct as the Asset to CI relationship is 1:1, but in my experience if you plan or may re-deploy the server you would not decommission it, rather you can move it into an 'In stock' state which would allow for reuse.

If your process is to retire it as a decomm device than I would suggest leaving the record (both CI and asset) in a retired state and creating a new CI and Asset.  But assuming the serial number is going to be the same it wold create a duplicate record issue.  Or to prevent potencial duplicates you can always re-activate the retired CI/Asset record.  Especially if the initial intent at decomm was that it would no longer be used.

[Sam Ogden]

Hi,

Thanks for your response.  Can I just clarify something.  You mention about not decommissioning and rather moving to an 'In stock' state.  This is was I was expecting for the asset record, but the CI I was expecting would retire.  Example:

A server created for use by Team A  with host Name 'Server 1' (name of the CI) and on insert creates the asset which is a HP DL380 Gen9 - (which is the display name of the asset).

After sometime Server 1 is not needed by Team A so server so is retired by team A, but the actual HP DL380 Gen 9 is still fully functioning and we decide to re-purpose the server for Team B.  So it is rebuilt with host name 'Server 2'.  

In this example I was expecting on retirement by Team A the CI state would be 'Retired' but the Asset state would be 'In stock'.  Then Server 2 is created with the same serial number so a new CI is created for server 2 but linked to the same asset that Server 1 was and the asset changed back to 'In use'.

Are you suggesting that we should have an 'In stock' state on the CI and instead of retiring at the decommissioning of Server 1 the CI and Asset both change to state 'In stock', and then when Server 2 is created it actually updates the CI state to 'deployed' and the name to 'Server 2' and the asset state is updated to 'In Use'?

Thanks

Sam

[Greg90]

Sam, good day, did you ever get a solution for this? We just experienced something similar where we reused an Asset and the CI information attached to it was updated causing a slew of issues with past tickets and current tickets that were in-flight.

[Sam Ogden]

Hi Greg,

Unfortunately I moved organisations so this task was passed onto another member of the team and I'm unaware of the progress on this.

Apologies couldn't be of more help

Thanks

Sam