Creating SIs from discovered processes or services

Modeling a piece of running software as a Software Instance (SI) is a fundamental part of understanding and modeling business applications. SIs to represent off-the-shelf software are usually created using base patterns shipped with BMC Discovery, or subsequent TKU releases. For custom or in-house developed software, you can either write TPL patterns and upload to the appliance using the Knowledge UI.

If you do not want to write TPL, or are only interested in creating a particular SI, you can use the Generate Software Instance Pattern page to generate a pattern to create SIs from discovered processes or services. After the pattern has been generated and successfully activated, a new Software Instance is generated every time a process that matches that pattern is discovered.

You can find the discovered processes or discovered services from anywhere. Use the search box and enter a parameter, process name, or the host on which the process or service runs.

If you are creating SIs from Candidate SIs, follow the procedure in Using candidate software instances.

The Model Software page

The Model > Software page is not a true "start point" for SI modeling, rather it provides a page from which to track pattern definitions, which are the means to create SIs from discovered processes or services. It provides a pointer to the search box, from where you can find the discovered processes or discovered services. Use the search box and enter a parameter, process name, or the host on which the process or service runs.

The Pattern Definitions link shows the number of SI patterns that have been defined. Click to see a list.

The Created Software Instances  link shows the number of SIs that have been created from the generated patterns. That is, once the pattern has triggered on a process during a scan.

To create an SI pattern from a discovered process or service

1. From the search box enter a term to help locate the discovered process or service.
   
2. From the results, select the process or service you are looking for. You may need to refine your search.
3. From the Actions menu, select Generate Software Instance Pattern.
   The Generate Software Instance Pattern page for either processes or services displays pre-populated with details of the process or service selected.
4. Continue the procedure from Generate the SI pattern.

To create an SI pattern from the Model > Software page

From the main menu, select Model > Software.
 

1. The Model > Software page displays.
   
   

2. Click Create to see a find starting points message, which directs you to the search box. It also provides links for Discovered Processes or Discovered Services which open the Generate Software Instance Pattern page for discovered processes and services respectively. However, if you start from here, the dialog boxes are not pre-populated with information on the process or service in the same way as they are if reached from the Actions menu on the discovered process or service list.
3. Continue the procedure from Generate the SI pattern.

Generate the SI pattern 

1. The Generate Software Instance Pattern page opens.
   

2. In the Model Discovered Process as Software Instance section, specify the following information:
   

   Field	Description
   Type	The type of software being modeled. The value entered in this field becomes the name of the pattern, and is prefixed with software_instance_model for the pattern module name. It is also the name of any SI created by the pattern. This is pre-populated if accessed from the actions menu on a discovered process list.
   Publisher	Publishers of the SI.
   Category	From the drop-down list, select the category of the SI. The generated pattern is placed in the pattern module hierarchy according to this selection.
   Clustering	Select this if the SI may run on a cluster.

   The fields are the same for discovered services.

3. In the Query Constructor tab, select the attributes, their values, and a simple positive condition that identifies the processes of the SI and filters them out from other processes. 
   The Query Constructor tab in this page is simpler than the usual Query Builder. Traversals are not supported, and there is no refine search option for SI modeling.
4. To ensure that the pattern that is to be generated is valid and that you have included all of the necessary conditions, check the trigger condition in the Generate pattern section.
5. Ensure that the results preview display only the processes you need for the SI.
   In the Generate pattern section, click Generate TPL.
   
   The system generates the pattern for creating SIs of this type, loads it to the Knowledge Management module, activates it, and links the generated pattern to the model definition. From now on, a new Software Instance is generated every time a process that matches the rules is discovered.
   

To view generated SI patterns

1. Click Manage > Knowledge.
   The Knowledge Management page displays.
2. In the Pattern Modules section, filter the patterns to find the one you just generated:
   1. Select only active in the display option.
   2. In the Filter box, enter the SI type that you specified when created the pattern. 
   3. Ensure that the Generated option is selected.
   4. Click Apply.
   5. If necessary, expand the pattern module groups by clicking the + sign. 
   6. Expand the pattern details by clicking the down arrow to the left of the pattern.
      The following example shows an example filtered pattern module.
      
   Click the pattern module name in the left most column to see the details of the pattern. The right most column is a link to the Pattern Definition.

To modify generated SI patterns

1. Open the Generate Software Instance Pattern page.
   To do this, click the pattern module name link, labelled Software Mapping Definition. 

2. Modify the pattern details and triggering conditions and click Generate TPL in the Generate pattern section.

   The updated pattern is uploaded, activated, and linked to the module definition.

   Changing pattern name creates new pattern

   The pattern name, which is entered in the Type field (it also determines the software instance type), acts as an ID for the pattern. If you change the pattern name, this does not update the name of the existing pattern, it generates a new pattern with the new name. As patterns do not deactivate other patterns, you must deactivate the previous pattern manually.

To delete generated SI patterns

1. View the pattern that creates a Software Instance from discovered process.

2. In the Actions list, select:

   1. Deactivate module to deactivate the pattern and retain it on the system for potential further use.

   2. Delete module to entirely remove the pattern from the system.

Related topics

• Using candidate software instances
• Knowledge management
• Start anywhere application modeling