CMDB Technical Reference

casm1401

HID_CA_CMDB_Tech_Ref

This article contains the following topics:

Introduction

This section is intended for implementers who perform the following configuration management database (CMDB) tasks:

Map your data into the CMDB.

Manage CMDB configuration items.

Use the Advantage Data Transformer (ADT) to write a Federation Adapter.

Use the CMDBf Web Services to interact with CMDB.

The information in this page can assist you as you plan your CMDB implementation. You can print and have the printouts handy while performing these tasks.

CI Families and Classes

Configuration item (CI) families
categorize your business assets by type and assign meaningful attributes for each CI in the family. Families are general categories of CIs, such as hardware, software, and services CIs.

CI classes
are specific categories within the family categories. For example, the Hardware family contains CI classes such as modem, router, repeater, and bridge.

You can organize your CIs into families and classes to make them easier to manage. For example, you can generate a list of CIs that belong to a particular family or class.

You use the following sequence to categorize your business assets:

Define CI families.

Define CI classes.

Define CIs.

List Configuration Item Families

You can list CMDB CI families and view their descriptions.

To list configuration item families

Log into CA SDM as an administrator.

The web interface appears.

Click Administration.

The Administration tree appears.

Navigate the folder structure by clicking CMDB, CI Families.

The CI families and their descriptions are listed.

(Optional) Click a CI family name.

CI family details appear.

Generate a Configuration Item Families Summary

You can list CMDB CI families and view their descriptions in a report format.

To list configuration item families

Log into CA SDM as an administrator.

The web interface appears.

Click Administration.

The Administration tree appears.

Navigate the folder structure by clicking CA SDM, CI Families.

The CI families and their descriptions are listed.

Click Reports, Summary.

A summary report appears in a separate window.

(Optional) Click Print to select a printer and print the report.

The report prints.

MDB Extension Tables

Each CI family has a set of family-specific attributes that reside in an extension table
in the MDB. The family-specific attributes describe the unique characteristics of each type of CI. For example, a CI in the Hardware.Server family has attributes that represent the following:

swap_size -- The size of the disk space allocated on a hardware or network device to store the state of a process that has been swapped out.

mem_capacity -- The total amount of memory that can be installed and made available.

slot_total_mem -- The total amount of memory available on memory cards in a hardware or network device.

When you implement CA SDM, you can determine the types of CIs that you want to manage and the attributes that you can track for them.

Common Attributes

The following attributes are common to various families.

Object Name	Description
acquire_date	Date the resource was acquired.
alarm_id	IP address. (hardware only)
asset_count	Resource quantity.
asset_num	Alternate resource identifier, for example, an alternate ID located on sticker placed on a computer.
class	In the object, this is the name of the class. In the table, this is a foreign key to a record in the ca_resource_class table (SREL integer to grc).
company_bought_for_uuid	In the object, this is the name of the company for which the CI was bought. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_company table (SREL uuid to ca_cmpny).
contact_1	In the object, this is a user-defined contact field. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_contact table (SREL uuid to cnt).
contact_2	In the object, this is a user-defined contact field. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_contact table (SREL uuid to cnt).
contact_3	In the object, this is a user-defined contact field. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_contact table (SREL uuid to cnt).
creation_date	Timestamp (pdmtime) indicating the date and time that the CI was created.
creation_user	User ID of the contact who created the CI
delete_flag	Active\|FALSE\|0 (zero)\|No: CI is active and displays in display lists (the default). Inactive\|TRUE\|1 (one)\|Yes: CI is not active and does not appear in display lists.
department	In the object, this is the name of the department. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_resource_department table (SREL integer to dept).
description	Longer name or description of the resource.
dns_name	The name by which this device is know in the domain name server.
exclude_registration	Exclude Registration.
expense_code	In the object, this is the CI cost center. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_resource_cost_center table (SREL integer to cost_cntr).
expiration_date	Date the license, lease, and so on, expires.
family	In the object, this is the name of the family. In the table, this is a foreign key to a record in the ca_resource_family table (SREL integer to nrf). Used to extend at a high level, for example, hardware.server, network.router, software.database.
financial_num	Financial number.
install_date	Date resource was installed in organization or network.
is_asset	Boolean flag that can be set to categorize an Asset for filtering purposes and to control display in CA CMDB or other products such as CA Asset Portfolio Management. CA CMDB does not allow the Asset flag to be changed to NO when an asset is managed by CA Asset Portfolio Management.
is_ci	Boolean flag that can be set to categorize a CI for filtering purposes and to control display in CA CMDB or other products such as CA Asset Portfolio Management. By default, a CI created by CA CMDB is flagged as a CI but not as an Asset.
last_mod_by	User ID of the contact who last modified the CI
license_number	License Information.
loc_cabinet	Cabinet location.
loc_floor	Floor location.
loc_room	Room location.
loc_shelf	Shelf location.
loc_slot	Slot location.
location	In the object, this is the name of the location. In the table, this is a foreign key to a record in the location table (SREL uuid to loc).
mac_address	MAC address. (hardware only)
manufacturer	In the object, this is the name of the company who manufactured the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to a record in the ca_company table (SREL uuid to ca_cmpny).
model	In the object, this is the model name for the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_model_def table (SREL uuid to mfrmod).
name	The name of the resource.
name_type	Foreign key to the ca_asset_type table to represent Hardware, Software, and so on.
org_bought_for_uuid	In the object, this is the name of the organization for which the CI was bought. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_organization table (SREL uuid to org).
priority	Enumerated value for this entry, it specifies ordering in lists and relative values (SREL integer to pri).
product_version	Product release.
repair_org	In the object, this is the name of the organization responsible for maintenance of the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_organization table (SREL uuid to org).
resource_alias	Resource alias.
resource_contact	In the object, this is the name of the contact responsible for the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca contact table (SREL uuid to cnt).
resource_owner_uuid	In the object, this is the name of the owner for the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_contact table (SREL uuid to cnt).
serial_number	Serial number.
service_org	In the object, this is the name of the organization ultimately responsible for the resource. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_organization table (SREL uuid to org).
service_type	Noneditable enum (SREL string to no_contract_sdsc).
sla	The SLA value for this usp_owned_resource.
smag_1	User-defined string field.
smag_2	User-defined string field.
smag_3	User-defined string field.
smag_4	User-defined string field.
smag_5	User-defined string field.
smag_6	User-defined string field.
standard_ci	Standard configuration for comparison.
status	In the object, this is the status indicator for the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_resource_status table (SREL integer to rss).
supplier	In the object, this is the name of the vendor responsible for supplying the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_company table (SREL uuid to ca_cmpny).
system_name	Computer name. (hardware only)
tenant	Tenant assignment for the CI
vendor_repair	In the object, this is the name of the vendor providing maintenance for the CI. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_company table (SREL uuid to ca_cmpny).
vendor_restore	In the object, this is the name of the company ultimately responsible for the resource. In the table, this is a foreign key to the ca_company table (SREL uuid to ca_cmpny).
warranty_end	Warranty end date.
warranty_start	Warranty start date.

Relationship Types

Relationships are directional
connections between CIs.

Provider/Dependent	Dependent/Provider	Relationship Description
administers	is administered by	A responsible entity, usually a person, performs day-to-day administration of other entities.
approves	is approved by	A responsible entity grants approval for another entity to proceed with a planned or desired activity.
authorizes	is authorized by	A responsible entity ratifies activities of other entities.
authors	is authored by	A responsible person writes/creates document CIs.
backs up	is backed up by	For data recovery and preservation, one entity's critical information is stored upon another entity.
communicates with	communicates with	A peer-to-peer relationship where two entities which have a logical or physical connection convey data or information back and forth.
complies to	is complied to by	One entity abides by regulations (COBIT, SOX, and so on) set forth by another entity.
connects to	connects to	A peer-to-peer relationship where two entities have a logical or physical connection.
contains	is contained by	If one entity physically or logically houses another entity, then it contains that entity. The contained entity provides a service to the container.
controls	is controlled by	One entity, typically an SLA, specifies the levels of service that another entity is expected to provide.
defines	is defined by	If one entity describes another's actual or desired state, then it defines the other.
deploys	is deployed by	A responsible entity assembles and distributes other entities.
documents	is documented by	One entity, usually a document, describes the operation or other aspects of another entity. The 'documents' relationship is primarily descriptive instead of normative.
fails over	fails over	A peer-to-peer relationship between two entities where one entity can replace the other, usually in response to a disastrous interruption in service.
fronts	is fronted by	An entity is responsible for accepting and responding to requests for another physical entity. For example, a web server fronts an application.
governs	is governed by	A governing body (NIST, SOX PCAOB, SEC) typically issues regulations and rulings to which a governed entity, usually a service, must comply.
has an assignee	is assigned to	An entity, usually a person, has been designated responsible for another entity.
hosts	is hosted by	One entity hosts another entity which is continuous. The hosted entity uses services provided by the host entity.
is business owner of	is owned by	An entity, usually a person, has been designated as the responsible business contact for another entity.
is gateway for	has for gateway	An entity, a hardware (computer) or network component, allows or controls access to another management device.
is high availability server for	has for high availability server	Uses clustering and database mirroring to provide very rapid recovery from system failures.
is location for	located at	An entity, in this case a physical location, has been designated as the place where another entity resides.
is primary contact for	has primary contact of	One entity is the primary contact for another entity.
is proxy for	is proxied by	An entity serves as a substitute pathway for connection to a network or remote storage device. For example, this gateway is a proxy for the clients on this LAN.
is recovery server of	has for recovery server	A service or application and a server that is configured to restore the specific service or application. Generally, recovery servers are an alternative to a cluster and are used when slower recovery is acceptable.
is required by	requires	An entity that cannot function properly without another entity.
is server of	is client of	A server-client relationship where the server responds to requests from the client. Alternative for "serves - is served by" relationship.
is source code for	source code is from	An entity, application code or an application library, provides the instructions that are executable in another entity.
is subscribed to by	subscribes to	An entity, either a group of users or a single user, "signs up" to have access to or use of another entity.
is the parent of	is the child of	One entity is the parent of another entity if the other entity cannot exist without the parent entity.
manages	is managed by	One entity manages another entity.
monitors	is monitored by	One entity monitors another entity if it tracks aspects of the other entity.
notifies	is notified by	An entity advises another entity that pertinent information of specific interest is now available.
provides to	is provided by	An entity is responsible for making another entity, usually a service, available to customers. For example, user, organization, or other entity provides a service.
regulates	is regulated by	One entity periodically adjusts some parameter of another entity. A time server which periodically regulates the time on other devices is an example.
runs	runs on	One entity runs another transient entity.
secures	is secured by	An entity guards another entity against risks.
serves	is served by	Alternative for "is server of - is client of" relationship.
services	is serviced by	An entity, typically a maintenance organization or vendor, is responsible for responding to service calls for a physical entity.
supports	is supported by	An entity, usually an organization, is responsible for responding to incidents that emanate from another entity, usually a service.
updates	is updated by	An entity brings another entity's data up-to-date.
is used by	uses	An entity consumes data or services from another entity.