Adding a rule import task

This topic describes how to import rules. You can import rules that were exported from another BMC Network Automation application server (see Adding a rule export task).

Rule export and import operations must be done on BMC Network Automation systems with the same software version.

These rules are imported from a previous export file located on your desktop or from the BMC supplied sample rules available in the server installation directory (for example, BCAN_HOME\public\bmc\bca-networks\rules).

The following guidelines apply to importing rules and rule sets:

• The exported rule XMLs contain the excluded network spans and groups for rules. You do not need to reassign the excluded network spans and groups after importing the rules.

• If the import creates a new rule, then the rule's excluded spans are empty by default.
• If the import causes a new rule or modifies an existing rule, an event is generated in the event log.
• If the import causes a new rule set to be created, then that rule set is associated with the entire network, with no excluded spans.
• The rule set is disabled upon import. You must enable it to use it.
• If the import source does not specify a device type, then the rule is associated with all device types.
• If importing new rules and the import source specifies no models, then the new rule is associated with all models.
• If the import source file does not contain any rules, the import task is successful and the Rule Import Task Results page does not show any rules.
• When importing over existing rules, if the rule is currently associated with models and the import source specifies no models, then the current model associations are not changed. You cannot change a rule via import to make it associated with all models.
• If the import source for a rule contains an unknown type for the dynamic field, an error message is displayed and rule does not get imported.
• The XML schema being used for the rule set XML includes a full representation of each rule and its attributes within the rule set.

To add a rule import task

1. Open the Add Rule Import Task by navigating to Network > Import/Export > Rule Import > Add.
   
   

   Note

   A warning is displayed if any missing or invalid global substitution variables are detected during rule import.

2. Enter information in the following fields:
   
   • Name: Specify a unique name, up to 40 characters, for the import task.
   • Annotation: (Optional) Specify a comment or remark about the import task.
   • Enabled: (Optional) Select to enable the import task to run. By default the task is enabled.
   • Auto Purge: (Optional) Select if the import task should be purged after its scheduled execution. The default is to manually purge import tasks.
   • Import From: Select the import file containing one or more rules. The file must be named with the .xml extension (case-insensitive). You can choose to overwrite existing rules when importing to existing rule sets.
     • Overwrite Existing Rules (option selected): Deletes all existing rules from the system and imports all the rules from the file into the system in the corresponding rule set.
     • Overwrite Existing Rules (option cleared): Imports rules from the file into the system without deleting any existing rules from the system. The rule import task shows the status of existing rules in the system as ‘modified’, even if they are not actually modified in the file. The rule which do not exist in the file, but exist in the system remain as is.
   • Transform Input File Using: Specify how the source file from a vendor will be converted to an internal XML format for rules for processing:
     • No Conversion Necessary: Manually-generated source file that is already in the BMC Network Automation internal XML format for rules and does not need conversion.
     • Stylesheet: Source file contains XML, which will be converted to the internal XML format for rules by a stylesheet. 
       This file must contain legal XSLT 2.0 syntax, which is validated when you save the rule import task.
     • Endorsed program: Source file contains text that can be parsed and converted by a program or a script to the internal XML format for rules.
   • Import To: You can import rules to the rule sets specified in the import file or to a different rule set (for example, Misc Security Rules).
   • Import Time: Import the source file now or at a later date and time.
   • Dynamic Menu Fields: Select whether to accept or reject unknown menu values for dynamic fields that do not already exist during the import.
     Note that if the menu value already exists for the dynamic field, the Accept/Reject Unknown Values is ignored, and the rule is imported.
     However, if the menu value does not exist:
     • If Accept Unknown Values is selected, the new menu value is added to the list of available menu items and the rule is imported.
     • If Reject Unknown Values is selected.
       • If the field is required and has no default value, the rule is not imported.
       • If the field is required and has a default value, the rule is imported and that field is set to the default value.
       • If the field is not required, the rule is imported and that field is set to the default value (if any).
3. Click Save to save this rule import task.