Configuration Item Relations Import
Configuration Item (CI) records can be related to each other. For each relation a relation type can be specified.
Configuration Item Relations can be imported into 4me using UTF-8 or UTF-16LE encoded comma-separated values (CSV) or tab-separated values (TSV) files.
Detailed information about the data that can be specified in the columns of a Configuration Item Relations import file can be found in Configuration Item Relations API - Fields.
CSV Example
Source,CI Source,CI Source ID,CI Label,Related CI Source,Related CI Source ID,Related CI Label,Relation Type
MS System Center,,,CMP00021,,,Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP3,child
MS System Center,MS System Center,65422389,,MS System Center,6503214,,redundancy
The import file below offers an example for relating a server to different CIs using different relation types. This example shows that server CMP00001 forms a server cluster with server CMP00002. This server is located in rack RCK00006, runs HP-UX 11i v3 as its operating system software, and is plugged into router RTR00012. When the data center in which server CMP00001 is located is struck by a disaster, server CMP00072 will be used to replace it (server CMP00072 is located at the recovery site).
,,,CMP00001,,,CMP00002,redundancy
,,,CMP00001,,,RCK00006,parent
,,,CMP00001,,,HP-UX 11i v3,child
,,,CMP00001,,,RTR00012,network_connection
,,,CMP00001,,,CMP00072,continuity
The following example focuses on establishing relations between software CIs. This example indicates that version 11.1.0.7 of the Oracle database software runs on one or more servers with the HP-UX 11i v3 operating system version. It also indicates that version 6.20.49 of the SAP ERP Central Component software relies on version 11.1.0.7 of the Oracle database software.
,,,Oracle 11.1.0.7,,,HP-UX 11i v3,software_dependency
,,,Oracle 11.1.0.7,,,SAP ERP Central Component 6.20.49,software_dependency
Updating Existing Relations
If one or more relations are defined for a Configuration Item in the import file and a Source is specified for these relations, then all existing relations of that CI with the same Source will be removed during the import.
Important: Make sure all relations for a Configuration Item are grouped together in the import file. Otherwise the last relation that is specified for a Configuration Item in the import file will cause the previous relations, which were added during the import for that same Configuration Item, to be removed.
If the Source is not defined for a relation in the import file, then the relation will be added during the import without removing any existing relations.
Syncing CI Relations in 4me to an External System
When one of the relations of a Configuration Item is updated, all relations of that CI will be added to the export.
When the last relation of a Configuration Item is removed, no relations will be present in the Configuration Item Relations export. To keep both systems in sync, the Has CI Relations column of the Configuration Items Export file can be used to detect that situation. When the value is FALSE all relations for that particular CI may be removed in the external system.
Discovery Tool Integrations
Visit the Discovery Tools page for more information about how the Import API can be used to import CI relations that have been discovered by system management tools.