How to create and edit a dynamic enrichment source file

Before you enable a dynamic enrichment policy, you must import or enter the data that you want to use for enrichment into a data file. You can import the enrichment data into any delimited flat file; however, BMC recommends importing the data into a .csv file and using Microsoft Excel to view and manipulate the contents of the file. The spreadsheet format of Microsoft Excel makes it easier to view and manipulate the information in the file.

You can use the sample data enrichment files provided with the product as a guide to set up your own data enrichment source files. The sample files are located in the installationDirectory\pw\admin\etc\samples directory. For a list of sample files provided with the product, see Sample dynamic enrichment source files.

Before you begin

 If you are referencing a timeframe in your dynamic enrichment source file, you must ensure that the timeframe that you are referencing already exists. If the timeframe you want to reference does not exist, you must define it as described in How to create a new local timeframe.

To create a dynamic enrichment source file

1. In Microsoft Excel, create a new file and save it as type .csv.

2. In each column of the spreadsheet, enter information that corresponds to each match value and output value that is included in your dynamic enrichment policy.

   Warning

   It is critical that the policy definition and the data enrichment source file contain the exact same number of match fields and output fields in the same order. If the match fields and output fields in the enrichment file and the policy do not match, the policy does not run.
   For example, if you are using the location.csv file that is included as a sample with the product, this file has two columns — mc_host and mc_location. If you are creating a dynamic enrichment location policy that uses the location.csv file as the data enrichment source file, you must select the Host slot as the Match Field and the Location slot as the Output Field to correspond to the columns in the location.csv file.

3. Save and close the file.

To edit a sample dynamic enrichment source file

1. Open one of the sample data source files included with the product located in the installationDirectory\pw\server\admin\etc\samples directory.

2. Import or enter information specific to your enterprise.
   The following figure shows an example of an edited location.csv file.
   
   Example edited location.csv file

   # This enrichment file is used to add an extra field "mc_location" to an event.
   # This can be useful to group together or understand the physical location of IT components to help with event assignment and resolution.
   # mc_host, mc_location
   Texan1, Houston
   Texan2, Houston
   Cowboy*, Dallas

   The location for hosts Texan1 and Texan2 is listed as Houston. The location for all hosts beginning with Cowboy (for example, Cowboy1, CowboySmith, CowboyAikman) is listed as Dallas.

3. Save and close the file.
4. The data enrichment source must be imported into the policy each time you modify the .csv file. For information about importing dynamic enrichment data source, see Importing dynamic enrichment source.