How to create new CI from an existing asset

[abusch]

I can't seem to find OOB UI actions for this use case, I can hack it together, but it seems like I'm missing something.

An existing database service was retired.   We re-purposed the hardware for another service entirely.   I would like to keep the old CI around for historical record keeping with it's host name, while linking the asset to a new CI with a new host name.

What's the the canonical way of accomplishing this?

Thanks,

Tony

[Community Alums]

Hi Teri,

Have you already considered the possibility of trying the import of the Asset records again? You could try with just a handful first to verify your transform map is coalescing on the appropriate values to merge with the Asset records created by the discovery source. That might be the quickest way to get up and running here.

We should try to find out why your first import did not go well and didn't create corresponding CIs. A couple thoughts come to mind:

• Bad Model information
• Bad Model Category information

Did your imported records end up with blank values in either of these fields?

Thanks,

Ben

[angeliccharm]

Hi Teri,

So sorry to learn that you're dealing with this. Since you're current process is manual, it's best to just delete the assets and re-import all of them. More specifically, delete and reload the assets making sure to focus on two basic business rules that synchronizes data in the alm_asset and the related CI table.

• Create CI on insert
• Update CI fields on change

Another option that I'm happy to discuss with you further is unloading the 400-500 assets to us to handle as short-term Virtual Admin. We can get you where you need to be quickly and you can keep your focus where you need it, rather than on this tediousness. Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Phil32]

We haven't tried it yet, as we are doing a major CMDB overhaul, but I talked thru this same issue with a CMDB SME.   His suggestions was to create an Asset record and an VERY BASIC CI (basic information about the server such as make, model, serial number, CPUs, memory).  

Then link the database server CI to that basic asset CI.   When it is retired from being a database server, remove this linkage.  

Then you can link it to the ESX server CI (if you rebuilt it running ESX).

I'd love other people's input on this idea, as that is the direction I am planning to go.

[Teri Bobst]

Hi Philip, if you can figure out how to manually link and unlink CI records to Assets, please let me know. That is exactly what I need to do, but have been unable to accomplish.

Good luck to you , for both of us! (-;

[Teri Bobst]

Hi Ben, I did try using the "Receive Assets" catalog item that was built for us during our asset implementation to reimport the assets. Unfortunately it was coded to add only, not update - so when the serial number is found - the rest of the code is skipped. If I delete the asset, the Receive Assets item works to create the Asset, but it also creates a new, blank CI - instead of updating the asset information on the existing CI.

I do know why the initial import did not create CI's. When the list was imported by ServiceNow during implementation the model field was blank, so the assets were not associated with Models that were set up to enforce CI creation.