Thank you very much for the explanation. I think I'm getting there. Sometimes when it comes to mapping I feel like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW27kyh7PVM (sorry for the early Friday Humor)
You've answered my main question (do I HAVE to force my CI's to use only the Product Categories in the spreadsheet?) but, I will use the existing Classes. Should I try to follow the spreadsheet suggestions as much as I can (when it comes to CI's and Classes)? For example, on the spreadsheet the Telephone CI is under the Equipment class, but the Cell Phone CI is under the Computer System class. These are just suggestions correct? If I wanted to put cell phones under the Equipment class, that wouldn't hurt anything would it? Lisa ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Lisa,**** ** ** Welcome to the wonderful world of mapping….**** ** ** I have an x, where do I put it, what do I call it, how do I identify it, how do I name it, how do I ?????**** ** ** It is not a simple task.**** ** ** You seem to have the document that is available with some suggestions of where to map things. It cannot**** include everything and to some degree, there is a decision you need to make about what you want to do**** and how you want your data represented.**** ** ** Let's take a look at the different decisions you need to make. Note, that they are a series of decisions that**** build on each other but that are relatively independent of each other at the same time.**** ** ** First, what CMDB class should be used. This is the first decision whenever you have a new thing. I have an**** X and what class should I use (or do I need a custom class)? Generally, you should find a class that exists and**** is appropriate for the object. Only create a custom class if you really have something that doesn't fit.**** ** ** So, let's take this example, what class does it go into? Well, it is pretty clearly something that is a piece of**** equipment and so can go into the BMC_Equipment class.**** ** ** Second, but if everything like this is equipment? How do I tell it apart for what type of a thing it is within the**** class?**** ** ** That is where the Type attribute comes in. This is an attribute on BMC_BaseElement so every class contains**** this field. This field is a character field that you use to differentiate within a class between different subtypes**** of things that are within the class. For example, for the BMC_ComputerSystem class, you may have a type**** of Hub or Router or Laptop or Server or …. to tell different types of computer systems apart. NOTE: You can**** have different pictures show up on Atrium Explorer for the same class by having different pictures for each**** type within the class. So, you can differentiate graphically on the picture even within a class.**** ** ** So, let's take this example, we have it in BMC_Equipment, now it is time to set the Type field to something.**** This is where you now need to understand if you care about the distinction between a digital camera or an**** analog camera between a camcorder or a video recorder or a ….. You make the choice of how many type**** categories you want to have based on what type of data you are going to be entering and you list the types**** that are interesting to you and then assign a value for the object to the appropriate type within the set of**** types you are going to allow.**** ** ** In your case, call it a Video Recorder if that is what you want the type to be.**** ** ** NOTICE that the CI class is BMC_Equipment (not Camera and not Video Recorder), then the TYPE attribute**** tells what type of equipment it is.**** ** ** Now, we come to the Product Categorization attributes. These are really not dependent (although they are**** tied) to the Class and Type. These attributes should be used to record specific categorization and**** Manufacturer and models of the object.**** ** ** So, in your case, yes, the Manufacturer may be Panasonic and the Model/Version number would be whatever**** it is. A manufacturer/Model/Version is generally tied to a class and type in the foundation data definition so**** that you can tell if you find a Panasonic Model Q35R, it means it is a video recorder that goes into the**** BMC_Equipment class with a type of Video Recorder.**** ** ** There is never going to be able to be a complete and definitive list of everything that you may want to model.**** But, if you follow the guidelines given in this note, you should be able to find a clear and reasonable location**** for the objects you are putting into your CMDB.**** ** ** For example, we have a customer modeling airport gates. This is never something that would have been**** thought about from an IT modeling perspective. But, it has been modeled in the CMDB. It turns out they**** used the BMC_Equipment class with a Type of Airplane Gate.**** ** ** I hope this has helped and has not added further confusion.**** ** ** Doug Mueller**** _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org attend wwrug12 www.wwrug12.com ARSList: "Where the Answers Are"
