Implementing normalization data services using guided setup

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Implementing Normalization Data Services Using Guided Setup

    The implementation of Normalization Data Services in ServiceNow is facilitated through a guided setup that provides step-by-step tasks for configuring the Normalization Data Services plugin. This feature is essential for normalizing references to company records within the customer management database (CMDB) and Asset Management.

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    Key Features

    • Guided Setup Access: Navigate to Normalization Data Services > Guided Setup to access the setup interface.
    • Plugin Activation: The first task involves activating the Normalization Data Services plugin, which installs necessary schemas.
    • Data Download: Download a repository of enterprise vendor names and their normalized counterparts, viewable in the Normalized Company Names table.
    • Reference Qualifier Updates: Modify reference qualifiers in fields linked to the Companies table to restrict selections to normalized names.
    • Normalization Properties Activation: Choose which normalization properties to enable, particularly for existing canonical records.
    • Data Normalization: Complete normalization for various tables including Configuration Items and Software Asset Management.

    Key Outcomes

    By implementing normalization data services, customers can ensure consistent and accurate representation of company names across the system. This process minimizes data redundancy and confusion, leading to improved data integrity within the CMDB and Asset Management. Users will only see normalized names, enhancing the overall user experience when interacting with company records.

    You can implement Normalization Data Services using a guided setup.

    Normalization Data Services guided setup provides a sequence of tasks that help you configure the Normalization Data Services plugin on your instance. To open Normalization Data Services guided setup, navigate to Normalization Data Services > Guided Setup. For more information about using the guided setup interface, see Using guided setup.

    Note:
    Because the Normalization Data Services feature requires an internet connection to download mapping information, this feature isn’t supported for on-premise instances.

    Activating the plugin

    In the first task of the guided setup, you activate the Normalization Data Services plugin (com.glide.data_services_canonicalization.client). Activating the plugin installs all the necessary schema to support normalizing references to Company records in the customer management database (CMDB) and Asset Management.

    Downloading normalized data

    In this task, you download the repository of all enterprise vendor names and the mappings to their normalized counterparts. After the download finishes, you can view the downloaded data in the Normalized Company Names [cds_client_name] table. You can verify mappings in the Normalized Mappings [cds_client_mapping] table. For example, you can verify that “Dell”, “DELL”, “Dell (UK)” are mapped to “Dell Inc.”.

    Updating reference qualifiers

    This task modifies the reference qualifiers in reference fields linked to the Companies [core_company] table, helping to ensure that users can only select from a list of normalized company names. For example, when creating a Computer (cmdb_ci_computer) record, users can only select “Dell Inc.” and not “Dell” or “Dell Incorporated”.

    Some reference qualifiers may not get updated. To normalize these reference qualifiers manually, see KB0784201.

    Activating normalization properties

    In this task, select the properties you want to activate. See Normalization properties.

    Enable the Normalize existing canonical core_company records property if the Companies [core_company] table has two or more records that were both set to Normalized ("canonical=true") before any mapping. This option ensures only one [core_company] record is set to Normalized. When you normalize the CMDB tables later in guided setup, the normalization job reassigns the proper normalized value.

    For example, prior to mapping, both “DELL Inc” and “Dell Inc.” are set to Normalized ("canonical=true"). You define a new mapping for “DELL Inc” to “Dell Inc.”. If this property is true, guided setup denormalizes "DELL Inc", and updates the manufacturer field in the CMDB records to “Dell Inc." when the CMDB tables are normalized.

    Normalizing data

    To finish the guided setup, complete the remaining tasks by normalizing data in the following tables:

    • Configuration Items (CMDB)
    • Configuration Items (CMDB) Model
    • Software Asset Management tables