Asset Management

Install: Asset Import

This article applies to: Cireson Asset Import app, version v8.2.5.

Overview

The Cireson Asset Import app takes the guesswork out of importing external data into SCSM. This app allows user or computer data (or data for any CI class) to be imported from external CSV files or Microsoft SQL Server, exposing an intuitive interface that provides the ability to map columns and schedule imports when required. The following instructions will walk you through how to install and configure the Cireson Asset Import app.

Aset Import uses a Product Key and the Cireson Licensing App to license your Cireson application. This can be done automatically through an internet connection to the license server from the admin settings below. In cases where internet access is not allowed or restricted, license keys can be generated manually by accessing the License server website.

Note: A Product Key is designed for use with a specific environment only.  If you require additional Product Keys for use with TEST/DEV/STAGE environments, you can request these through our portal request offering.

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Prerequisites

First, make sure to right-click the downloaded Asset Management Import zip file, select Properties, and check the 'Unblock' box.  Then click OK.

Copy the following DLL’s to your Service Manager installation folder (C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center 2012\Service Manager) on your Service Manager Management Server from the Authoring Tool installation folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft System Center 2012\Service Manager Authoring\PackagesToLoad):

  • Microsoft.ServiceManager.WorkflowAuthoring.ActivityLibrary.dll
  • Microsoft.ServiceManager.WorkflowAuthoring.Common.dll

Step 1: Install Asset Import App

To install the Asset Import app, import the provided licensed Management Packs (MP) into SCSM and copy the provided “Cireson.AssetManagement.Import.Workflows.dll” to the Service Manager installation directory. To complete this installation, perform the following steps: 

  • Navigate to Administration\Management Packs
  • Select “Import” on the Tasks menu
  • Import the provided Management Pack labeled “Cireson.AssetManagement.Import.mpb”

 

  • Copy the provided “Cireson.AssetManagement.Import.Workflows.dll” to the Service Manager installation folder

 

Note: If the environment has more than one management server, copy the DLL to each management server to allow for failover of the workflow server if required in future

Step 2: Configuring Asset Import Settings

To complete the configuration, perform the following steps:

  • Navigate to Administration \ Settings
  • Select “Cireson – Asset Management Import Settings” and select “Edit” in the Tasks menu (or double-click)
  • Update the following fields within the Administration settings as required:


Default workflow log path when creating connectors - Specify a local or UNC path to use as the default log path when creating new connectors, this path must be valid from the Workflow Server and accessible to the Workflow Account

Test Mode is default when creating connectors - Set Test Mode to default when creating new Connectors
Note: In Test Mode, connectors will run but not commit any changes. Test Mode is used to check the connector configuration and input data validity before changing or creating any data.

Maximum workflow running time in seconds - Specify maximum workflow running time in seconds
Note: The default of 7200 is 2 hours and if you change this value, existing import workflows will not be updated until their connectors are edited and saved. There is no need to change this value unless you are creating or updating very large amounts of items and workflows are taking longer than 2 hours to run.

Remove mapped properties if they are blank in the input data - Set this to set properties to null or empty, depending on the data type, if the corresponding mapped value in the input data is blank

Enable connectors and workflows to process to-many relationships (CSV only) - Setting this allows you to select relationships on connectors that are "one-to-many" relationships, for example, related Configuration Items

Workflow commit batch size - Increasing the value can result in faster workflow execution, but may also require more RAM on the Workflow Server and more SQL tempdb resources.
Note: This is a performance tuning option. When data is being created or changed, the data will be committed in batches of this size.  This option typically only has a visible effect when importing large amounts of data.

Maintenance mode - no connectors will process - Set this to prevent all connectors from working
Note: Connector workflows will still trigger, but connectors will exit immediately and make no changes. This option also prevents the "Synchronize Now" task from starting connectors.