How an asset is created for CI?

[rajeevhanda]

I am curious to know how a CI which is discovered through discovery creates an asset. Is there any business rule or something? Which classes of CIs are classified as assets?Can I do some customizations that allow certain CI classes to create assets?

For example: If I want to make our routers which are discovered through discovery to get added as assets. How to do this?

[gauravchoudhury]

Hi Rajeev,

Assets are tracked with the Asset Management application, which focuses on the financial aspects of owning property. Configuration items are stored in the CMDB, which is used to track items and make them available to users.

When an asset has a corresponding configuration item, the asset record and the configuration item record are kept synchronized with two business rules.

• Update CI fields on change (on the Asset [alm_asset] table)
• Update Assets on change (on the Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table)

Note: Assets and CIs can be synchronized only if they are logically mapped.

Source: Link

[rajeevhanda]

How ServiceNow decides whether a CI be categorized as an asset or not?

[gauravchoudhury]

Hi Rajeev,

After Discovery detects active devices in your network using a port scan (Shazzam probe), Discovery attempts to classify the devices so that it can gather additional information. Discovery launches classify probes that query devices to find out such things as operating system and version information. For information, see Data Collected by Discovery.

The following classify probes are included with the platform:

• UNIX - Classify: SSH commands for all UNIX operating systems. ServiceNow supports SSH protocol, version 2 only.
• SNMP - Classify: SNMP commands for all network devices, such as printers, routers, or UPS.
• Windows - Classify: WMI commands for all Windows machines

The configuration management database (CMDB) employs the following tables:

• The core Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table, which stores the basic attributes of all the CIs.
• The CI Relationship [cmdb_rel_ci] table, which defines all relationships between CIs.

The Configuration Item table is extended to other tables, such as Database [cmdb_ci_database] and Computer [cmdb_ci_computer]. The Computer table is extended to the Server [cmdb_ci_server] table, which is extended to the UNIX Server [cmdb_ci_unix_server] table, and so on.

You can use the schema map to view more details of tables and their relationships.

Reclassifying a CI

Reclassify a CI by modifying its 'Class' attribute. You can upgrade, downgrade or switch a CI's class. When downgrading or switching a CI's class, attributes that are unique to the current class, and are not defined in the newly reclassified class - are lost.

Each class in the class hierarchy is defined with a unique set of attributes. This set consists of attributes that were inherited from the parent class, and additional attributes specifically defined for the class. When you reclassify a class:

1. The set of attributes is adjusted to match the set of attributes of the newly assigned class. Attributes are added or removed as needed.
2. A new record, with the CI's sys_id, is inserted to the table of the new class, with the appropriate set of attributes for the class.

More specifically, depending on the reclassification that you choose:

• Downgrade: The newly assigned class is a parent of the current class, and has fewer attributes than the current class. For example, reclassifying a CI from the cmdb_ci_server class to the cmdb_ci_computer class.
• Upgrade: The newly assigned class is a derived child of the current class and has additional attributes. For example, reclassifying a CI from the cmdb_ci_computer class to the cmdb_ci_server.
• Switch: The newly assigned class is in a different branch in the class hierarchy and has a different set of attributes than the current class. For example, reclassifying a CI from the cmdb_ci_linux_server class to the cmdb_ci_win_server class.

In the example above for a reclassification downgrade, the cmdb_ci_server class has attributes that the cmdb_ci_computer class does not have. During the downgrade, these attributes and their respective values are not included in the new CI record that is inserted into the cmdb_ci_computer class.A switch is a combination of a downgrade and an upgrade. In the example above for a switch, the CI is downgraded to the cmdb_ci_server, and then upgraded to the cmdb_ci_win_server class. Therefore, attributes are lost in the same manner that they do in a downgrade operation.

1. Locate the CI that you want to reclassify. For example, if the CI is a server, then in the navigation search box, type cmdb_ci_server.list to display the CI in the Servers view.
2. Ensure that the Class attribute is displayed in the view. Use Personalize List to personalize the view if you need to.
3. Locate the CI that you want to reclassify, and click on the Class value of the CI.
4. Select the class that you want to reclassify the CI too, and click the green check box to confirm the change request.

In a downgrade or a switch reclassification, some CI data might be lost.

Source: Link

[rajeevhanda]

Thanks Gaurav for your response but my question still remains unanswered!

Let me ask with a simple example,

I just discoverd a new CI, say a Windows Vmware in CMDB. This should be an asset as well. How will it be added to the AMDB? What are the configurations that I will have to do in ServiceNow in order to have a windows server   be classified as an asset and its record gets created in AMDB?

Similarly, suppose If i want to add a new class of CIs into AMDB say, Switches. How will i make sure to get this CI added to both CMDB (yes, thsi can be done with discovery) and AMDB?

Please suggest.