Applying CI Identification and Reconciliation to Import Sets

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Applying CI Identification and Reconciliation to Import Sets

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can apply Configuration Item (CI) Identification and Reconciliation processes during Import Set operations to prevent duplicate CIs in the CMDB. Import Sets can inadvertently create duplicates when multiple imported records match existing CIs. Using the CMDB Identification and Reconciliation engine helps ensure data integrity by either inserting new CIs or updating existing ones appropriately.

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    Key Features

    • Transform Map Script Integration: Use the CMDBTransformUtil API in the onBefore transform map script. This API calls the identification engine to process each import record, preventing duplicates.
    • Duplicate Handling: The identification engine checks each source record before insertion. If a duplicate exists, it updates the existing CI; otherwise, it inserts a new record.
    • API Support for References and Source Scripts: The CMDBTransformUtil API supports reference fields and evaluates source scripts to determine target values, enabling flexible and accurate mapping during import.
    • Multiple Target Tables per Import Set: You can specify different target CMDB classes per record by adding a target table column in the data source. Corresponding field maps link these values to CMDB classes, allowing diverse CI types to be imported in a single operation.

    Process Details

    • Add the CMDBTransformUtil call in the onBefore script of your transform map.
    • Set ignore = true to prevent the Import Set from creating duplicate records after the identification engine processes the data.
    • Configure the import data source with a target table column if importing multiple CI classes.
    • Create a field map from the target table column to the CMDB Class field to route records correctly.

    Restrictions

    • Each import set must be associated with a single transform map, even when using the CMDBTransformUtil API.
    • The API does not enforce mandatory field validation during import; missing mandatory fields will cause import failures regardless of map settings.
    • Identification and Reconciliation cannot be applied to dependent CIs that have dependent identification rules.

    Practical Benefits

    By applying CI Identification and Reconciliation to Import Sets, ServiceNow customers can maintain a clean and accurate CMDB, avoiding duplicate records and ensuring that imported data is correctly matched or updated. This leads to better CMDB data quality and more reliable service management processes.

    You can apply CMDB Identification and Reconciliation processes when Import Sets are used to import CIs into the CMDB. CI identification can prevent duplicate CIs in the CMDB, which Import Sets might otherwise cause.

    Populating CMDB tables using Import Sets can inadvertently result in duplicate CIs when multiple imported records are identical to an existing CI. To minimize this duplication, you can apply CMDB Identification and Reconciliation processes to Import Sets when importing new records into CMDB tables.

    Transform map script

    In the onBefore transform map script for an import set, add a call to the CMDBTransformUtil API, similar to the following code sample:
    (function runTransformScript(source, map, log, target) {
// Call CMDB API to do Identification and Reconciliation of current row
var cmdbUtil = new CMDBTransformUtil();
cmdbUtil.setDataSource('ImportSet');
cmdbUtil.identifyAndReconcile(source, map, log);
ignore = true;

if (cmdbUtil.hasError()) {
        var errorMessage = cmdbUtil.getError();
        log.error(errorMessage);
} else {
        log.info('IE Output Payload: ' + cmdbUtil.getOutputPayload());
        log.info('Imported CI: ' + cmdbUtil.getOutputRecordSysId());
}

})(source, map, log, target);

    The ignore = true code phrase prevents Import Sets from creating the same record again after it is processed by the identification engine.

    Process

    The identification engine performs identification of each source record before it is inserted into the CMDB. The identification engine determines if the record is a duplicate of an existing CI, and then:
    • If not duplicate: Inserts the record to the target table.
    • If duplicate: Updates the existing CI in the CMDB, with data from the source record.

    The CMDBTransformUtil API pre-processes the source data, then passes the input values to the identification engine with import set being the data source by default. The CMDBTransformUtil API supports a target field that is a reference field in the same manner that Import Sets supports it. The CMDBTransformUtil API also supports a source script, evaluating source scripts to determine the target value which is then passed to the identification engine. For more information, see Creating a field map.

    Specify multiple target tables for an import set

    You can configure each record in an import set with its own target table. Then, instead of inserting all the transformed records into a single target table, the records are inserted into the different target tables that are specified per record. For example, you might need to insert some records from the import set to the Computer class and other records to the Server class.

    When importing data using Import Sets, incorporate the following steps:
    • In the data source file, add a target table column. Use a string such as "MyTable" to label the column header. In each record row, enter the target table for the record, as a valid CMDB class name such as "cmdb_ci_computer".
    • After you Auto Map Matching Fields on the Table Transform Map form, add a field map for the added target table column to establish a relationship between classes and the target tables in the CMDB.
      1. In the Field Map related list on the Table Transform Map form, click New.
      2. Set Source field to the header of the target table column that you added in the data source file, such as MyTable.
      3. Set Target field to Class.
      4. Click Submit.

    When you configure an import set with multiple target tables as described in the steps above, the Target table that is specified on the Table Transform Map form is not used.

    Restrictions

    The following restrictions apply:
    • An import set should be associated with a single transform map. While adding a call to the CMDBTransformUtil API, ensure that still a single transform map exists for the import set.
    • The CMDBTransformUtil API does not check if mandatory fields have values when used with Import Sets . Regardless of how enforce mandatory fields is set in the transform map, data import fails if a mandatory field does not have a value.
    • CI Identification and Reconciliation cannot be applied to Import Sets for dependent CIs (CIs with dependent identification rules).