Product categorization

Product categorization divides CIs into groups. Using the three-tier structure of product categorization, you can create successively smaller, more tightly defined groups.

Related topics

Managing the Product Catalog

CIs in BMC CMDB require valid product categorization. When a CI is discovered, it must include valid product categorization.

By default, BMC Discovery and Dependency Mapping applies recommended categorization values to all CIs that are discovered.
BMC BladeLogic Client Automation Configuration Discovery Integration for CMDB uses an XML file to apply categorization values to all CIs that are discovered. Based on the product categorization option that is selected during installation of the product, BMC BladeLogic Client Automation Configuration Discovery Integration for CMDB applies the appropriate categorization values to the CIs.
Best practice

We recommend that you not change the categorization in the data providers. Instead, change the categorization through the Product Catalog only.
For information about the default categorization values, see the following table.

For example, you might use Tier 1 to divide CIs into hardware and software groups. Within the hardware group, you might define Tier 2 groups for disk device, peripheral, processing unit, and virtual systems. Within processing unit, you might define Tier 3 groups for desktop, laptop, mainframe, personal digital assistant, and server.

Product categorization is leveraged by multiple BMC applications. By understanding the product-specific use of categorization, you can determine the impact when setting up product categorization or when making additions and changes to the product category structure.

The associated Product Name and Manufacturer fields provide an even more fine-grained grouping of CIs. Version can be specified on CIs but is not part of the Product Catalog.

Product categorization is defined in the Product Catalog. CIs stored in BMC CMDB include this categorization in equivalent fields defined at the BMC_BaseElement Common Data Model (CDM) class level, as show in the following table.

Product categorization fields on the CI and in the Product Catalog

Categorization fields in the Product Catalog	Categorization attributes on the CI	Example values
Tier 1	`Category`	Hardware
Tier 2	`Type`	Processing Unit
Tier 3	`Item`	Server
Manufacturer	`ManufacturerName`	IBM Corporation
Product Name	`Model`	IBM x445

Benefits of product categorization

A well-thought-out product categorization structure helps you to more efficiently perform the following capabilities:

Reporting
Searching
Workflow

Leveraging product categorization

Even though the product categorization is focused on the categorization of CIs, the BMC Remedy IT Service Management suite (BMC Remedy ITSM) and other BMC products use product categorization. The following section describes the ways in which the product categorization can be leveraged.

Default categorization in BMC BladeLogic Client Automation Configuration Discovery Integration for CMDB

CDM class	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3
`BMC_BaseElement`	Unknown	Unknown	BMC Discovered
`BMC_ComputerSystem`	Hardware	Machine	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Printer`	Hardware	Printer	BMC Discovered
`BMC_NetworkPort`	Hardware	Network	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Media`	Hardware	Storage	BMC Discovered
`BMC_DiskDrive`	Hardware	Storage	BMC Discovered
`BMC_FloppyDrive`	Hardware	Storage	BMC Discovered
`BMC_CDROMDrive`	Hardware	Storage	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Monitor`	Hardware	Monitor	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Keyboard`	Hardware	Keyboard	BMC Discovered
`BMC_PointingDevice`	Hardware	Pointing Device	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Processor`	Hardware	Processor	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Chassis`	Hardware	Chassis	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Card`	Hardware	Card	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Memory`	Hardware	Memory Card	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Product`	Software	Application	BMC Discovered
`BMC_OperatingSystem`	System Settings	Operating System	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Patch`	System Settings	Patch	BMC Discovered
`BMC_LocalFileSystem`	System Settings	File System	BMC Discovered
`BMC_DiskPartition`	System Settings	Disk Partition	BMC Discovered
`BMC_IPEndpoint`	System Settings	Network	BMC Discovered
`BMC_BIOSElement`	System Settings	BIOS	BMC Discovered

When BMC BladeLogic Client Automation discovers a CI, it tries to find a match in the BMC Atrium Product Catalog. If it finds a match, it applies the Product Catalog values of the Model, ManufacturerName, Model, Category, and Item attributes. If it does not find a match in the Product Catalog, it tries to find a match in the XML file selected at installation, and applies those categorization values to the CI.

Even when you use the recommended categorization, BMC BladeLogic Client Automation Configuration Discovery Integration for CMDB uses additional categorization for CIs that it cannot otherwise classify. The following table provides these categorizations.

Additional categorization BMC BladeLogic Client Automation Configuration Discovery Integration for CDM

CDM class	CI type	Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3
`BMC_BusinessService`	Logical Entity--Business Service	Miscellaneous	Service	BMC Discovered
`BMC_Product`	System Component--Product	Software	Application	BMC Discovered
For any discovered CI that cannot otherwise be classified, regardless of CDM class or CI type.		Unknown	Unknown	BMC Discovered

Product categorization and normalization of discovered CIs

The Normalization Engine makes sure that only CIs with valid categorization are reconciled with the production dataset.

In a typical CMDB deployment, all new CIs or CI updates are first added to import datasets, which are then normalized and reconciled with the production dataset. You can set up a normalization job so that, whenever a CI is submitted to be created or updated, the CI's attributes are normalized with the values defined in the Product Catalog.

The Normalization Engine checks against the Product Catalog, which stores the definition of categorization data, and either validates or rejects the CI. For more information about the normalization process, see Normalization steps and the Product Catalog.

Examples of product categorization and normalization of discovered CIs

This section illustrates how the categorizations for discovered CIs are normalized. The following table shows examples of submitted CIs and the result of their validation against the following entry in the Product Catalog:

CI Class: BMC_ComputerSystem
Tier1: Hardware
Tier2: Processing Unit
Tier3: Server
Manufacturer Name: Hewlett-Packard
Product Name: Proliant DL380 G4

Examples of submitted CIs

Submitted CI	Result of validation
Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Processing Unit `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: Hewlett-Packard `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4	Because the product name and manufacturer both match an entry in the Product Catalog, the CI is validated and inserted into BMC CMDB as: Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Processing Unit `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: Hewlett-Packard `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4
Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Machine `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: Hewlett-Packard `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4	Because the product name and manufacturer both match an entry in the Product Catalog, the CI is validated. The product categorization is rewritten with the categorization from the Product Catalog entry and inserted into BMC CMDB as: Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Processing Unit `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: Hewlett-Packard `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4
Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Machine `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: HP `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4	Varies, depending on product categorization alias mapping and datasets configured for normalization, as illustrated in the following table.

The following table presents scenarios of what can happen to the third CI in the previous table--when the discovered ManufacturerName does not match an entry in the Product Catalog. The first column indicates the Discovery product categorization on the PCT:ProductCatalogAliasMappingForm form. The Product Catalog target values are set to the values indicated in the following table.

Outcome of product categorization alias and dataset configured for normalization

Product categorization alias Discovery product categorization	Dataset configured for normalization?	Result of each step of workflow	Result of validation
CI Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` Tier1: Hardware Tier2: Machine Tier3: Server `ManufacturerName`: HP `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4	Not applicable	Manufacturer not in the Product Catalog. Product categorization alias maps Tier 2 and the manufacturer. The CI is now validated.	CI validated and inserted into BMC CMDB as: Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Processing Unit `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: Hewlett-Packard `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4
CI Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` Tier1: Hardware Tier2: Machine Tier3: Server Note: This product categorization alias does not include the `ManufacturerName` or `Model`.	Yes	Manufacturer not in the Product Catalog. Product categorization alias maps Tier 2. The manufacturer name is not mapped. Because the CI comes from a dataset configured for normalization, a Product Catalog entry with the new manufacturer is created. A company record for the new manufacturer is also created. The CI is now validated.	CI validated and inserted into BMC Atrium CMDB as: Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` `Name`: foo.bmc.com `Category`: Hardware `Type`: Processing Unit `Item`: Server `ManufactureName`: HP `Model`: Proliant DL380 G4
CI Class: `BMC_ComputerSystem` Tier1: Hardware Tier2: Machine Tier3: Server	No	Manufacturer not in catalog. Product categorization alias maps Tier 2. The manufacturer name is not mapped. Because the CI does not come from a dataset configured for normalization, the CI is rejected.	CI rejected. Although there is an alias for the three tiers of categorization, because the dataset is not configured for normalization, a new entry cannot be created for the manufacturer and model.
None	Yes	Manufacturer not in catalog. A product categorization alias is not found. Because the CI comes from a dataset configured for normalization, the CI is validated.	The Product Catalog is extended; CI validated and inserted into BMC Atrium CMDB as submitted.
None	No	Manufacturer not in catalog. A product categorization alias is not found. The CI does not come from a dataset configured for normalization. The CI is rejected.	CI rejected.

Running the discovery process in the preproduction environment

If you allow the Normalization Engine to create Product Catalog entries, you must run your discovery process. Make sure that you get representative data from the providers. Ideally, you are categorizing a comprehensive list of entities. The more comprehensive the list, the easier you can define the right categorization for those CIs, and the easier you can manage the content of the Product Catalog.

The number of CIs is not important; the discovery should include as many distinct types of CIs that are representative of your environment. For example, discovering 10 HP Proliant computers and inserting the CIs is no more helpful than discovering one. However, if you have two different models of a computer in your environment, you want to discover both models.

When this step is complete, the Product Catalog is populated with entries created by all the data providers.

For instructions for running the discovery process, see the BMC Discovery documentation.