Managing models

Models enable you to standardize key attribute values, such as model and manufacturer, in CIs and assets. When users select a model for a CI or asset, the model name and other attributes values that are specified in the selected model are applied to a CI or asset. Models are also applied to data that is imported from other sources. As a result, data is more likely to be consistent, making it easier to locate key information, analyze data, and generate relevant reports.

This topic contains the following information applicable to BMC Remedyforce CMDB 2.0:

See this video (10:23) for an overview of models and to understand how to create and use models in BMC Remedyforce.

https://youtu.be/BldMm7y13tI

Overview of models

While creating CIs and assets in BMC Remedyforce CMDB, users have to manually enter the required attribute data. Also, when importing CIs and assets from other data sources, attribute values that are created might not be consistent. Applying models to CIs and assets (whether created manually or imported from other data sources) restricts the creation of inconsistent attribute values in BMC Remdyforce CMDB.

For example, say that a specific laptop model is provisioned to the HR team members as per your company policy. System administrators can create a model record for that specific laptop model. In addition, say that a specific IT staff member provides support for that laptop model. While creating the laptop model record, system administrators can also select the Supported By attribute and specify the name of the IT staff. When a laptop CI or asset is provisioned for an HR team member, users can apply this model to the CI or asset. In this case, the Supported By attribute is also automatically populated with the IT staff member that is specified in the model record.

To create models in BMC Remedyforce, system administrators can use the Model form (Remedyforce Administration > Configure CMDB 2.0 > Models). The model records are stored in the Model object and can be applied to CIs and assets by using the Model Name attribute (data type: Lookup) in the Instance Editor.

System administrators can also generate models based on unique values in the Model attribute in CIs and assets in BMC Remedyforce CMDB. The generated models are automatically linked to the corresponding CIs or assets, but only if the Model Name attribute (date type: Lookup) in these instances is not already populated.

For information about applying models while importing CIs and assets from other data sources, see Applying models while importing CIs and assets.

Best practices for creating models

Before you start creating models, BMC recommends that you consider the following points:

• Identify all models that are used in your IT environment, such as laptops, desktops, routers, storage devices, and printers. For each identified model, create model records with the accurate model name and manufacturer. You can also specify other attribute values that you want to standardize in CIs and assets to which a model record is applied.

• Users cannot create instances of abstract classes, such as BMC_Mobile or BMC_System. Therefore, do not create models for abstract classes.

• When you select a class for a model, the model is available to users for instances of the selected class and its child classes. Consider the following points while selecting the class for models:

  Goal	Details
  Create models for specific classes	Select the specific class while creating a model. Note: If you create a model for a child class (for example, BMC_Transaction), that model is not available to users for an instance of the parent class (for example, BMC_Activity).
  Share models across parent and child classes	Select the parent class while creating a model. The model is available to users for instance of the selected class and its child classes. For example, say that you create a model for the BMC_Activity class. This model is available to users for instances of the BMC_Activity class and its child classes, BMC_Transaction and BMC_BusinessProcess. Important: In this case, users must ensure that they select the appropriate model while creating an instance.
  Create models for Rule Based Asset classes	Select a class while creating a model based on the following considerations:  Rule Based Asset classes are mapped to a parent CI class. For example, the BMC_Laptop and BMC_Desktop classes are mapped to the BMC_ComputerSystem parent class. If you create a model for a specific Rule Based Asset class (for example, BMC_Server), the model is available to users only for instances of that Rule Based Asset Class. The model is not available for instances of the parent class (for example, BMC_ComputerSystem). If you create a model for the parent class (BMC_ComputerSystem), the model is available to users for instances of the parent class and all its child classes, including Rule Based Asset classes (for example, BMC_Server). In this case, users must ensure that they select the appropriate model while creating an instance. For example, say that you want to create a model for servers. If you create the model for the BMC_Server class, the model is available to users only for instances of the BMC_Server class. To make the model available to users users for instances of the BMC_ComputerSystem class, you must create the model for the BMC_ComputerSystem class. However, in this case, the server model is also available to users for instances of other child classes (for example, BMC_Laptop or BMC_Mainframe), increasing the risk of users selecting an incorrect model.

  
  The following figure provides an example of the instances for which a model is available (in the Instance Editor) based on the class for which the model was created.
  

  
  

To create or edit a model

1. Click the Remedyforce Administration tab.
2. On the Home page, click the Configure CMDB 2.0 tile, and from the menu, select Models.
3. On the Models tab, perform one of the following actions:
   • To create a new model, click New.

   • From the Models list view, click the model that you want to edit.

4. In the Model form, type a unique model name and the description, and specify the following details:

   Field	Details
   Class Type	To filter the classes displayed in the CMDB Classes list, select CI Classes or Asset Classes.  The Asset Classes option is displayed in the list only if you have enabled asset management. Similarly, the CI Classes option is displayed only if you have enabled CI management. Note: After you save a model, this field is reset to All and cannot be updated.
   CMDB Class	Select the class for which you want to create a model. This model is available when you create an instance of the selected class or its child classes. For example, if you create a model for the Computer System class, this model is available when you create an instance of the Computer System and its child classes, such as Desktop, Mainframe, and Storage Subsystem. A model for a Rule Based Asset class is not available for the class on which rules are defined. For example, a model that you create for the BMC_Laptop class is not available when you create an instance of the BMC_ComputerSystem class.  Hidden classes of the Asset, CI, or CI and Asset type are not displayed in the list. Note: You cannot update this field for an existing model because the selected attributes are based on the CMDB class of the model.
   Manufacturer	Type the manufacturer name of the model that you are creating. This value is automatically mapped to the Model Manufacturer and Manufacturer Name attributes of the CI or asset to which this model is applied.
   Part Number	Type a unique part number of the model that you are creating. Note: While importing CIs and assets from other data sources, the system checks if the Model field (data type: Text) value of an imported record matches the Model Name field in all existing records. If no match is found, the system checks for a matching value in the Part Number field. In either case, if a matching value is found, the Model Name lookup field of the imported record is populated with the matching model record.

5. (Optional) In the Set Attributes section, select the attribute values that you want to populate when users select this model for a CI or asset in the Instance Editor.
   

   Consider the following points when you select attributes for a model:

   • Attributes of the Formula, Date, Date/Time, and Text Area (Rich) data type are not supported.

   • If you select an attribute of the the Picklist (Multi-Select) data type, you can select only a single value for the attribute.

   • You can configure values for all supported attributes from the selected class, including attributes that are inherited from parent classes.
     

   • Based on the data type of the selected attribute, the input type of the second field also changes.
     For example, if you select the Supported By attribute, this field displays a list that allows you to select the user who is responsible for supporting the CI or asset. 

   • The Manufacturer Name and Model Manufacturer attributes are not available for selection in the Set Attributes section. Instead, if you enter a value in the Manufacturer field of the model, the Manufacturer Name attribute and the value you have specified is displayed in the Set Attributes section.

6. Click Save.

To synchronize updated model attributes with linked CIs and assets

If you edit a model that has already been applied to CIs or assets, your changes to the model attributes are not automatically applied to the linked CIs and assets. Only your changes to the Model Name and Manufacturer fields are applied to the linked CIs and assets.

To synchronize your updates to the attributes defined in a model with linked CIs and assets, click the Sync Asset and CI Instances icon on the Model form. BMC recommends that you synchronize your changes with linked CIs and assets only after you define all appropriate attribute values in the model.

To view CIs and assets that are linked to a model

From the Supporting Information: Linked Configuration Items and Assets section of the Model form, you can view CIs and assets that are linked to a model.

To inactivate or delete a model

Based on your requirements, you can either inactivate or delete a model that is no longer available in your company. To perform either action, you must navigate to Remedyforce Administration > Configure CMDB 2.0 > Models.

To customize fields that are displayed on the Model form

The fields displayed on the Model form are defined in the Model Form field set of the Model object. Based on your requirements, you can customize fields that are displayed on the Model form.

1. Navigate to Setup > Create > Objects.
2. In the Label column, click the Model object name.
3. In the Field Sets section, in the Action column for the Model Form field set, click Edit.
4. Perform one of the following actions based on your requirements:
   
   • Drag the fields that you want to add to the In the Field Set section.
     You can also add any custom fields that you have created in the Base Element object. However, fields of the Text Area (Rich) data type are not supported.
   • From the In the Field Set section, for the fields that you want to remove, click the Remove icon.

   Note

   The Model Name, Class Type, and CMDB Class fields are always displayed on the Model form and are not available in the Model Form field set.

5. Click Save.

To customize columns that are displayed in the Models list view

The columns that are displayed in the Models list view are defined in the Column Headers field set of the Model object. Based on your requirements, you can customize columns that are displayed in the Models list view. The Normalized With Model column in the Model list view enables you to easily identify the models that have been normalized as aliases of other models. For more information, see Normalizing data.

1. Navigate to Setup > Create > Objects.
2. In the Label column, click the Model object name.
3. In the Field Sets section, in the Action column for the Column Headers field set, click Edit.
4. Perform one of the following actions based on your requirements:
   • Drag the fields that you want to add to the In the Field Set section.
     You can also add any custom fields that you have created in the Base Element object.
   • From the In the Field Set section, for the fields that you want to remove, click the Remove icon.
5. Click Save.

Related topics

Creating and updating assets

Creating and updating configuration items

Editing multiple configuration items and assets