How to Identify asset source from where it's created whether its through discovery/manually/any business rule/cat item.

[chetanb]

To know asset source from where it's being created whether its through discovery/manually/any business rule/cat item.

Reg,

CB

[chetanb]

Asset Experts,

Any thoughts on this thread.

[chetanb]

@Scott Halverson @Jon Collins @colby.blakeman @Daniel Slocum 

Any pointers.

Thanks in advance.

[Scott Halverso1]

This is a bit tricky to track. 

Created via imports

Anytime the asset is getting created via an import process we like to make sure we stamp notes into the work_notes/comments field for the asset.  Examples included "Created by Advance Shipment Notice Import", created by bulk import receiving spreadsheet, created by Altiris manual import, etc....).  If this is a fully automated process we also like to use a service account so the created by is "cdw_servicenow_integration", etc.

Created by the logged in user

If the the ootb receiving against the PO process is being used then the logged in user can be trusted as @Daniel Slocum  mentions or if it's as simple as a user clicking the new button on the asset table.

Created by the CMDB sync to Asset

Similar to the created via imports, best practice is to run the Service Graph connector jobs with a service account, rather than generic System Admin or the developer that set up the jobs.  For example.  The CI will have a created by "jamf_servicegraph_integration" and that same created by will get carried over to the asset, if this is the first time the asset has been seen in the asset registry. 

[Daniel Slocum]

There is a "discovery_source" attribute on the related CI which identifies the discovery source. However, that may not be how the record was created. In a mature Asset Management Practice, most Assets will be created through receipt of a Purchase Order or through ingestion (import or integration) of an Advanced Shipping Notice. Your best bet is to identify the "created_by" user.  This value will be the user who created the asset if it was manually created. It will also reflect the user under which a system process was executed when the asset was created.