ServiceNow integration virtual machines

[jaalstead]

We have the integration set up between FNMS and ServiceNow. It looks like the Flexera Asset Import is creating Assets for all machines with an Asset Type = Workstation.

The OOB business adapter doesn't map anything to the Asset Type. Therefore, my assumption is Workstation is the "default" Asset Type on any new asset if one is selected.

How have people fixed this issue so servers don't get created as Workstations? And what about virtual machines?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks,
Jason

[jaalstead]

Support just confirmed my findings - it is NOT mapped and it does default to Workstation. Has anyone modified their Business Adapter to better select the asset type? If so, which fields did you use to determine? There isn't anything obvious that I could see. Most likely lots of "if" logic.

[ChrisG]

It looks like Flexera Support and your earlier self-reply beat me to it, but you're spot on: the sample business adapter to import asset data from ServiceNow will create all asset records in FlexNet Manager Suite as "Workstation" assets.

I generally treat that adapter as a sample starting point to use as inspiration to configure an import to suit your own needs and particular data that you store in ServiceNow.

I've worked on one integration where the FlexNet Manager Suite asset type was determined based on the CI Class and Model Sub-category in ServiceNow according to the following rules:

• If CI Class like "%Server" then use asset type "Server"
• Else if Model Sub-category = "Laptop" then use asset type "Laptop"
• Else if Model Sub-category = "Mobile device" then use asset type "Mobile device"
• Else use asset type "Workstation"

What an appropriate mapping may look like for you will depend on your particular data held in ServiceNow.

You may also want to consider now to map CI statuses in ServiceNow to asset statuses in FlexNet Manager Suite, especially if you have any custom statuses. This provided sample adapter uses the following mapping which may or may not work for your use of ServiceNow:

ServiceNow hardware install status (ahrdwr_install_status)	FlexNet Manager Suite asset status
On order	Purchased
In stock	In Storage
In transit	Purchased
In use	Installed
Consumed	Installed
In maintenance	Other (this might appear as Installed or something else)
Retired	Retired
Missing	Other (this might appear as Installed or something else)

[jaalstead]

Chris,

I'm finally getting back to setting this up. Thanks for the reply but I have a couple questions for you, if you don't mind???

Where / How do you apply the "IF" logic on the Class/Sub-Category using the OOB adapter? Is there a 'staging' step? OR do you utilize Data Transformation somehow? I'm curious how you look at 2 different fields as the source for the Asset Type!

Would you be able to send me a sample .xml that includes this?

Lastly - it looks like the OOB .xml already is doing a mapping on the Asset Status. But I will confirm with my Asset Management Team the Find/Replace that is set up.

Thank you!

Jason

[ChrisG]

If you have a mapping where you know the exact set of source values to be mapped, you can use the Find and Replace by fields on the property in the Business Adapter Studio to specify the "map from" and "map to" values. For example, see the screenshot below which shows how the status values are mapped by the out-of-the-box sample adapter:

If you want to do a more complex mapping (such as, using wildcards or some other logic) and you are using FlexNet Manager Suite On-premises you can set the property source to "SQL Value" and use a SQL expression of your choice to do the mapping:

I've attached a sample adapter showing this.

If you are using FlexNet Manager Suite Cloud then you would have to do any complex data transforms like this as a pre-processing step before the business adapter is run, as you can't include SQL expressions in adapters to be run in FlexNet Manager Suite Cloud.