Copying CIs from one dataset to another

As a configuration manager you use the Copy activity to copy instances from one dataset to another. You can use this activity to create datasets such as baselines and snapshots. To copy instances from one dataset to another, you must first create a reconciliation job.

Example

Calbro services wants to make changes to the CIs in BMC.ADDM dataset to run some tests. Instead of making changes to the production dataset directly, they want to copy the CIs to a test dataset and then run the tests. They choose to copy all those CIs in which 'Model' = $\NULL$ AND 'MarketVersion' != "1.2.3" from BMC.ADDM dataset into a new dataset.

Before you begin

• Create a qualification ruleset if you want to copy specific instances to the target dataset. For creating a qualification ruleset, see Creating qualification rules for reconciliation activities.
• Create a dataset into which the data from the source dataset is copied. To create a dataset, see Creating and editing a dataset.

To copy CIs from one dataset to another

1. On the Dashboard, open Jobs > Manage Reconciliation.

   • To add the Copy activity in a new job, click Create Job. 
     See Creating a reconciliation job.

   • To add the Copy activity to an existing job, on the reconciliation dashboard, select an existing reconciliation job from All Job Run Activities and then click Edit Job.
     
     
     

2. Create a Copy activity in the reconciliation job.

   1. In the Activities area, click Add activity and select Copy from the list.
      

   2. Enter the following information
      

      Field	Description
      Name	Type a unique name for the activity. The name must contain only those characters that the operating system of your server allows for file names. For example, on a Windows server, your job name cannot contain the following characters: \ / : * ? " < > |.
      Namespace	Select a Namespace from the list. Only classes in the selected namespaces can participate in the activity. For more information, see Namespaces and reconciliation.
      Status	Active - Runs the activity when the reconciliation job runs. Inactive - Does not run the activity when the reconciliation job runs.
      Continue on Error	Defines whether the job continues if the activity has an error. Selected - The job continues to run even if an error occurs in this activity. Cleared - The job is terminated if an error occurs in this activity.
      Sequence	Specify the sequence value for this activity in relation to other activities in a job. For example, if this activity has a sequence value of 2, it runs before an activity with a sequence value of 3. The sequence can be from 0 to 1000.

   3. Select Source Dataset and Target Dataset.

   4. Set the option combination for the Copy activity by using the information in the following table. 
      For possible combinations of the options available in a Copy activity, see Option combinations for Copy activity.
      
      

      Option	Description
      Copy Relationships	Determines whether to restore direct relationships to instances in the target dataset. For example, when a copied CI is a member of a relationship in the source dataset, and another member of the same relationship already exists in the target dataset without the relationship, the relationship instance is copied to restore the connection between those CIs in the target dataset. The other member of that relationship is not copied. By Qualifier — Copies only the relationships included in the Qualification Set. Copy All — Copies relationships included in the Qualification Set, and also restore direct relationships to instances in the target dataset.
      Collision Resolution	Determines the action when there are matching instances in the source and target databases. Overwrite - Replaces the existing instance in the target dataset with the instance from the source dataset. Display Error - Writes an error message to the activity log file and not copy the instance.
      Include Child CIs	Select whether to copy weak destination CIs. Select - Copies only the CIs included in the Qualification Set. Clear - Copies CIs included in the Qualification Set, the weak relationships, and the CIs related as destination members in the weak relationships. This option preserves composite objects.
      Identity Required	Select whether to copy instances with or without a reconciliation identity. Select - Copies only identified instances. Clear - Copies identified and unidentified instances.

   5. (Optional) In Qualification, add a qualification set to select the classes and instances to copy. 

      • Clear Use all classes and instances to restrict the Copy activity by using a qualification set.

      • Click Select qualification rulesest to select a qualification set. 

   6. In the Schedule area, select the frequency and condition to run the job.

3. Click Save to save the reconciliation job with the Copy activity.

4. (Optional) To run the job immediately, open the job from All Job Run Activities and click Start Job.

Option combinations for Copy activity

The following table describes the behavior of the Copy activity for each combination of options. Use the table filters to specify the options that you want to set to know the result of that combination.

The following video (3:00) shows an example for a copy activity and the steps required to create a copy activity in a reconciliation job:

https://youtu.be/LXFAZwOeOhk