Add CIs for single application services using connection rules

Create rules for automatically adding traffic-based connections and the CIs they lead to in discovered application services. Add CIs to specific application services using connection rules.

Before you begin

• Analyze the infrastructure you are mapping to identify the most common connections. These common connections are good candidates for connection rules.
• Ensure that discovery based on Predictive Intelligence is enabled. Navigate to the System Property [sys_properties] table and check that the sa_ml.connection_suggestions.active property is set to True.
• Discover applications based on fingerprints.

Role required: sm_admin

About this task

Connection rules enhance the connection suggestions generated using Predictive Intelligence. Each rule contains a condition that describes an aspect of a traffic-based connection. The fields available in conditions come from the Connection Suggestion [sa_ml_connection_suggestion] table, which is only populated during top-down discovery. You can base your rules directly on the connection suggestions. For example, create a rule for any connection with confidence level High. Alternatively, if you know which CIs must be part of the application services, you can choose fields that point at these CIs.

You can create connection rules that apply to specific application services or to all application services. If the rule is for a specific service, but the rule condition points at a CI that is part of multiple services, Service Mapping adds this CI to all relevant services.

For information about Service Mapping evaluating and applying connection rules, see Traffic-based discovery in Service Mapping.

In addition to connection rules that add CIs to specific services, you can create rules for adding CIs to multiple application services.

Procedure

1. Navigate to Service Mapping > Administration > Connection Rules.
   Alternatively, from a service application map, select Suggestions > Local Rules.
2. Create a new connection rule by clicking New.
   Alternatively, customize an existing rule by clicking the rule name in the list.
3. Select Active to start using this connection rule.
   Service Mapping evaluates only active connection rules.
4. Enter a unique and meaningful name in the Name field.
5. Enter the value that Service Mapping uses for the sequence in the Order field.
6. Configure the filter condition in the Condition area.
   1. Select the field, operator, and the value.
      For example, to add outgoing connections for any Tomcat server, configure the following filtering condition.
      
      
   2. To create an additional filtering condition, click Add Filter Condition.
   3. To create an additional filtering condition using the OR operator, click Add "OR" Clause.
7. Select Local from the Scope list.
8. From the Discovered Application Service list, select an existing service to which this rule applies.
9. Click Update.

What to do next

Verify that Service Mapping added CIs as expected by performing the following steps:

1. Open the map for the application service you selected for this connection rule.
2. Click Discover at the top of the map window.
3. After the application service is rediscovered, check that CIs are added correctly based on the connection rule.