How do you handle mobile devices in asset management?

[HugoFirst]

My Service Desk manager needs to track mobile devices in the asset management app.   So I need to add a new category of "mobile device".

So far so good.   There is an issue however, because the category needs to be associated with a CMDB table, and I'm not entirely comfortable with the choices available.

And while I could create a new table to extend an existing table, I still need to decide which table to extend.

I have seen the article at this link: Re: CMDB, Mobile, Plotter, Monitor, Scanner

It recommends the use of the cmdb_ci_comm table.   While this table will certainly fill my immediate needs, I'm nor sure it's the best fit for my situation in the longer term.

I'm looking at the cmdb_ci_computer table because it tracks more information about the device than cmdb_ci_comm.

So I'd like to hear how other people are doing this and what worked well.

[Erik Stolberg]

cmdb_ci_comm = mobile phones and USB modems/mifi
u_cmdb_ci_tablet = tablets (extended from cmdb_ci_computer)

I honestly am not sure I'd do it that way if I was setting things up again. I'm sure I'll run into some additional configuration issues while deploying Discovery in the next couple weeks.

[eferringtonFP]

Recommendation for mobile device would be to leverage a single table for like devices:

Ci_comm for tablet and mobile phone.   Apply the device type field to the hardware model to identify the specific device.

issue you will run into is defining a tablet at the model level.   Is it a convertible laptop, is it a surface, is it an iPad?

My recommendation is to apply the class label based on something measurable/discoverable.

Full OS = computer   class

Thin OS = Tablet/mobiel device and model number will drive the routing.

You will not be able to discover midi's as they do not communicate on your discoverable network, they are independent.

Mifi's would be managed as assets only, thought best practice would be to separate the asset of the device and the asset of the account/dataplan.   that would apply to smartphones and wearables as well.

[Community Alums]

To add on to Eric's great suggestion here and add a little color: Something like a Microsoft Surface Pro runs a full OS, so it would be classified as a Computer [cmdb_ci_computer]. An iPad Pro would use the cmdb_ci_comm because it runs iOS, not the full MacOS.

I would set up a Form factor field on the Model to then "classify" the devices, such as tablet, laptop, desktop, etc. Because this is specific for the model and does not change from an operational standpoint. This allows you to report on this information easily and to track it without a lot of additional overhead.

[Paul Coste2]

Eric, I agree with your overall comments, though I differ slightly on the classes to use, but that is based on my own implementation needs.   See my comments above.   Excellent point about separating the service from the device.   Each is different from a vendor, asset management and overall CI lifecycle perspective.   This is also the approach I have taken.

[sach1]

Hi Erik,

What Asset table are you using to map the cmdb_ci_comm table ?