Software Product Docs

User Guide

Introduction

CMDB Visualizer for SCSM lets you visualize any object that lives in the CMDB including its relations to other objects. This enhances the visibility and transparency within the CMDB dramatically and helps you identify critical dependencies.

Main Features:

  • Visualize any CMDB object and its relationships
  • Enhance transparency of relationships, e.g. computer-to-business service
  • Expand/collapse relationships
  • Editor embedded in SCSM console
  • Create any number of custom CMDB visualizer views for your classes and define which relationships shall be displayed

Installation

Installation

The installation is performed using the management pack import functionality of SCSM. Please refer to the Microsoft TechNet Library for more information on how to import management packs:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh524269.aspx

Follow these steps to install itnetX CMDB Visualizer for SCSM:

  1. Log on to SCSM using an account with administrative privileges in SCSM.
  2. For SCSM 2012, import the itnetX.CMDBVisualizer.2012.mpb management pack
    For SCSM 2016, import the itnetX.CMDBVisualizer.2016.mpb management pack
  3. Import the itnetX.SCSM.Licensing.Library.mpb Management Pack into your SCSM environment.
  4. Import the itnetX.SCSM.CMDBv1.LicenseInfo.mp or the itnetX.SCSM.scsmProdPackv1.LicenseInfo.mp (bundle license for Productivity Pack) Management Pack into your SCSM environment.
  5. Restart the SCSM Console

Upgrade

Follow these steps to upgrade itnetX CMDB Visualizer:

  1. For SCSM 2012, import the itnetX.CMDBVisualizer.2012.mpb management pack
    For SCSM 2016, import the itnetX.CMDBVisualizer.2016.mpb management pack
  2. Restart the SCSM Console

How it works

In this section we will describe how to use itnetX CMDB Visualizer.

Create CMDB Visualizer Task

  1. In the console navigate to Library -> CMDB Visualizer Tasks
  2. Enter an ID (used as Internal name), a Display Name and optionally a Description.
  3. You can select an image from a management pack which should be used for this task
  4. You can specify some additional settings for the behavior:

    We’re going to describe these settings in detail here
  5. Select a class as the target for the task. For example: Service Request or Windows Computer.
  6. Specify a Management Pack where the task should be saved:
  7. In the Configuration tab you can specify the relationships and the properties you want to use.
  8. Click on the item where you want to create a new relationship and click on the Add new relationship button
  9. If you want to set the seed role as target, you need to check the Seed role is Target property (Described here). Select the relationship you want to use and press OK
  10. For the newly added item, you have the possibility to do some additional configuration:
    - Display Name Property
    - Other Properties
    - Select Image
    - Constrain relationship children to type
    - Enable recursion
    - Add custom tooltip
    - Seed Role Is Target

    We’re going to describe those settings in detail here
  11. Add the next relationship. Use the Remove selected relationship button to delete a relationship.
  12. When you’re all done you can save the task by clicking on OK.
  13. Restart the SCSM Console.

Now the task will be available to the selected class in the tasks pane.

Use CMDB Visualizer Task

After you created a new CMDB Visualizer Task it is available in the console under the previously selected class. In our case it is the class Service Request:

Select the Work Item or Configuration Item you want to visualize and click on your task in the task pane. Then a window will open and you can expand the items by using the + symbol. In the following you can see an example with a Service Request:

On the right side of the window you have the possibility to zoom in or out:

To revert the zoom level to the default value use the 100% button.

Configuration

itnetX CMDB Visualizer for SCSM is ready to use after the installation completes, however you can configure additional options.

General Properties

ID (Internal name)

The ID is the internal name used in the Management Pack.

Display Name

The Display Name is the name of the task in the Action Pane. You can use any characters.

Description

Description for the task.

Behavior

In this section you can enable or disable options for the console task:

  • Multi Selection
    If this option is enabled, the task will be available if more than one item is selected in the view.
  • Run for each item
    This option is only available if Multi Selection is enabled. With this option a separate instance of the console task will be executed for each selected item.
  • Do not show in views
    The task will not be available if the object is selected in a view.
  • Do not show in forms
    The task will not be available on object’s form.

Configuration Properties

Display Name Property

Specify the property you want to use as Display Name.

Other Properties

Specify additional properties you want to display.

Select Image

Specify an image which should be used in the visualization for this relationship. Example:

Is recursive

When this option is enabled, the selected relationship will be treated recursively, i.e. you will be able to expand the relationship as many times as there are related instances. This is useful for relationships which have nested objects, such as System.WorkItemContainsActivity.

Custom tooltip

Here you can enter a custom tooltip which will be displayed when the cursor moves over the relationship image.

Constrain relationship children to type

Check this option and select the desired class if you would like to return items of a specific class type only. For instance, you can constrain the relationship System.WorkItemAboutConfigItem by the class type Windows Computer if you only want to see related Windows Computers of a request.

Seed Role Is Target

Select this option if you want to change the direction of the relationship to “Target-to-Source”. When unchecked, the relationship will be resolved from source to target.