Importing data from Dell KACE

Dell KACE is a provider of systems management appliances. You can use the appliance-based approach to manage desktops, laptops, and servers. For more information, see http://www.kace.com.

You can import data from Dell KACE into BMC Remedyforce CMDB by using the Pentaho Data Integration tool.

The following topics are provided:

For information about enabling staff members to work with the Dell KACE Console, see Integrating BMC Remedyforce with Dell KACE.

Before you begin

Before importing data from Dell KACE, you must meet the following requirements:

Install JRE.
Download the Pentaho Data Integration tool.
Register at the BMC Communities website.
Add the MySQL connector file to the \data-integration\lib folder.
Ensure that the Enable database access option under Settings > Control Panel tab > Security Settings > General Security Settings section in the Dell KACE Management Centre (Dell KACE console) is selected.

Note

The database name is present in Settings > Control Panel tab > General Settings > Update Reporting User Password section in the Dell KACE Management Centre (Dell KACE console).

For more information about these procedures, see Prerequisites for importing data to BMC Remedyforce.

KJB and KTR files for importing data from Dell KACE

In Pentaho, metadata is stored in XML format in the file system as KTR (transformations) or KJB files (jobs). For more information about the Pentaho packages applicable to Remedyforce CMDB 2.0, see Pentaho packages to import data into CMDB 2.0.

A KTR file contains a single transformation. The KTR files that are provided to you include the following transformations for all the CI types:

Step	Description
Delta timestamp	Reads the saved time stamp.
Dell KACE input	An SQL query that fetches information from Dell KACE based on stored time stamp.
Transform Dell KACE variables	Facilitates JavaScript transformations, such as appending or trimming fields.
Upsert into class <CI type name > or Update BE table with Dell KACE_<CI type name>_ information	Accepts the destination of the data, the credentials for the Salesforce organization where you want to save the imported data.
Salesforce Input[CMDB_Class]	Accepts the access details of the Salesforce organization to fetch the BMC Remedyforce CMDB classes details.
Success rows	Stores the rows that are imported successfully.
Failure rows	Stores the rows that are not imported, error code, error description, and error fields.

A job file contains a series of transformations. A KJB file that is provided to you includes the following steps:

Step	Description
Check If Delta Timestamp File Exists	Checks if any time stamp file exists. The Pentaho package utilizes a time stamp file to determine which records were added or modified since the last time the job was run. This step is used for incremental import. If a time stamp file does not exist, the Create the initial time stamp file step is executed; otherwise, the *Update staging table with Dell KACE <CI type name> information* or *Update BE table with Dell KACE <CI type name> Information* step.
Create the initial time stamp file	Creates the time stamp file to record the time of import. This step is executed only if you are importing for the first time or deleted the existing time stamp file.
Update BE table with Dell KACE <CI type name> Information	Transfers data from Dell KACE to the `Base Element` object of the BMC Remedyforce CMDB.
Store the current time stamp	If the importing of data is successful, the time stamp file is updated with the current time of import. For example, the ComputerSystem job file (TransferDELLKACEComputerSystemInfotoCMDB.kjb) contains the following transformation KTR files: CreateInitialTimeStampedFile.ktr TransferDELLKACEComputerSystemInfotoCMDB.ktr StoreComputerSystemInfoTimestamp.ktr

In CMDB 2.0, the imported data is saved in the CMDB directly.

List of KJB files for importing data from Dell KACE

Different job files are provided for different jobs. These job files are bundled with related files and provided to you in folders. The following table provides the names of the folders and a description of the jobs for which the job files in these folders are used.

Folder name (CI type)	Description	Job file
Computer System	Transfers information about the BMC_Computer System CI type	TransferDELLKACEComputer SystemInfotoCMDB.kjb
LANEndPoints	Transfers information about the BMC_LANEnd point CI type	TransferDELLKACELANEnd PointInfotoCMDB.kjb
OS	Transfers information about the BMC_Operating System CI type	TransferDELLKACEOS InfotoCMDB.kjb
Person	Transfers information about the BMC_Person CI type	TransferDELLKACEPerson InfotoCMDB.kjb
Processor	Transfers information about the BMC_Processor CI type	TransferDELLKACEProcessor InfotoCMDB.kjb
Software Server	Transfers information about the BMC_Software Server CI type Note: Depending on the organization size, running the software server job transfers large amounts of data to the Salesforce organization, which might lead to exceeding the organization storage limit.	TransferDELLKACESoftwareServer InfotoCMDB.kjb
Combined Jobs	There are two job files in the folder. The TransferDELLKACEinfoto CMDB.kjb job file transfers information related to the BMC_Computer System, BMC_OperatingSystem, BMC_Processor, BMC_Person, and BMC_LANEndpoint CI types. The TransferDELLKACEComputerSystemAndSoftware ServerinfotoCMDB.kjb job file transfers information related to the BMC_ComputerSystem and BMC_SoftwareServer CI types.	TransferDELLKACEinfotoCMDB.kjb and TransferDELLKACEComputerSystemAnd SoftwareServerinfotoCMDB.kjb

To import data from Dell KACE by using Pentaho packages

Before importing data from BMC FootPrints Asset Core, perform all of the actions in Before you begin.

To download the job files from the BMC Communities website, click https://communities.bmc.com/docs/DOC-28433.
- If you have already downloaded the job files, skip this step.
  Note
  
  If you have upgraded to CMDB 2.0 and you were using CMDB 1.0 packages, you can continue using the CMDB 1.0 packages. However, BMC recommends that you use packages for CMDB 2.0 for faster imports.
  BMC recommends that you download the job files in the folder in which you have unzipped the Pentaho Data Integration tool. For more information about the job files, see KJB and KTR files for importing data from Dell KACE.
  Note
  
  Do not change the folder structure because doing so can interfere with the running of the batch files provided in the CombinedJobs folder.
To launch the Pentaho Data Integration tool, in the \<PentahoInstallerFolder>\data-integration folder, double-click the Spoon.bat file.
From the Pentaho tool menu bar, click File > Open.
Select the required KJB file, and click Open.
For example, open the \ComputerSystem\TransferDELLKACEComputerSystemInfotoCMDB.kjb file.
To open the KTR file, right-click the Update BE table with Dell KACE <CI type name> information step, select Open referenced object, and then select Transformation.
To provide details to access Dell KACE database, perform the following actions:
1. In the KTR file tab, double-click the Dell KACE Input step.
2. Besides the Connection list, click Edit.
3. In the Database Connection window, enter the host name, database name, user name, and password.
  The host name is the name of the computer where the Dell KACE database is installed. Ensure that MYSQL database is selected as the Connection Type and Native (JDBC) is selected as Access value.
4. (Optional) To verify the connection, click Test.
5. Click OK.
To provide details to access Salesforce organization, perform the following actions:
1. Double-click the Upsert into class <CI type name> step.
2. In the Salesforce Upsert window, enter your Salesforce organization user name and password.
  Note
  
  Starting from January 1, 2016, Salesforce is retiring www.salesforce.com as an API endpoint. To avoid connectivity issues (HTTP Status 404 error), update your Pentaho transformations that connect to https://www.salesforce.com/services/Soap/u/<API version> to https://login.salesforce.com/services/Soap/u/35.0 before the retirement date.
  If you are running the Pentaho package in a Sandbox environment, modify the Salesforce Webservice URL from https://test.salesforce.com/services/Soap/u/<API version> to https://test.salesforce.com/services/Soap/u/35.0 in the updated Pentaho transformation. For more information, see Salesforce API Endpoint Retirement.
3. (Optional) To update the predefined mapping between the Dell KACE fields and the Salesforce CMDB staging object, click Edit Mapping.
  For more information about mapping, see Overview of how CIs are imported in CMDB 2.0.
4. (Optional) To verify the connection, click Test connection.
5. Click OK.
To provide Salesforce access details in the Salesforce Input[CMDB_Class] step, perform the following actions:
1. Double-click Salesforce Input[CMDB_Class].
2. In the Connection section, enter the Salesforce organization access details.
3. (Optional) To test the connection, click Test connection.
4. Click OK.
(Optional) If you have enabled the setting to access your Salesforce organization from limited IP addresses, to enable communication between Salesforce and the Pentaho Data Integration tool, perform the following actions:
1. In Salesforce, navigate to Setup > Reset My Security Token.
  Note
  
  If you have enabled the improved Setup user interface in your Salesforce organization, navigate to My Settings > Personal > Reset My Security Token. For more information, see http://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=admin_setup_improved.htm&language=en_US.
2. Click Reset Security Token.
  An email message is sent to your email address stored in Salesforce.
3. In the Password field of the Upsert into class <CI type name> step, append the security token to the password.
  For example, if your password is mypassword and your security token is XXXXXXXXX, then you must enter mypasswordXXXXXXXXX in the Password field.
To save the KTR and KJB files, click .
In the KJB file tab, click .
Perform one of the following actions based on the Pentaho version that you are using:
Pentaho version Action
6.1 In the Run Options window, click Run.
5.4 In the Execute a job window, click Launch.
Data is imported into the appropriate CMDB class.

Transformation status is depicted by using the following icons:
- — Complete
- — Running
- — Unsuccessful
Verify whether the entries are correct in the Relationships Editor of the appropriate CMDB class.
(Optional) To view logs, in the Execution results section, click the Logging tab.
All errors are displayed in red.
Note

The relationship between the Computer System as a source and the Software Server as a destination is not displayed in the Configuration Items Explorer because the Configuration Items Explorer can display only a limited number of relationships (due to platform limitations). Displaying Computer System and Software Server relationships might hide other important relationships between the Computer System and other CIs.
Warning

If you are using two different computers, two records are imported from the Person package in CMDB for the same user.

You can launch the Dell KACE console to view the details of the records that has been imported from Dell KACE.

The BMCServiceDesk_AssemblyId_c field is required to create a relationship between the computer system and various CIs. The source is the computer system and the destination can be operating system, processor, LAN End Points, software server, or person.

For example, the value of the BMCServiceDesk_AssemblyId_c field is 1 for a computer system record and a processor record has a Assembly ID value as 1, a relationship is automatically created between the computer system (source) and processor (destination).

User scenarios for importing data from Dell KACE

David is a member of the Infrastructure team for Downtown Bank, responsible for managing the laptops for ABC project.

He signs up for BMC Remedyforce and expects to use the pre-configured, ITIL based incident and problem management processes for managing CIs. Also, David wants to use the CMDB to represent the physical, logical, and conceptual items and to track the relationships between the different CIs.

Data to be imported	Steps to follow
Operating System Processor Person LAN Endpoint	Run the \CombinedJobs\TransferDELLKACEinfotoCMDB.kjb file. Go to Remedyforce CMDB and verify whether the entries are correct in the Relationships Editor of the following classes: Operating System Processor Person LAN Endpoint
Operating system details of the laptops	Run the \ComputerSystem\TransferDELLKACE ComputerSystemInfotoCMDB.kjb file. Run the \OS\TransferDELLKACEOSInfotoCMDB.kjb file. Go to Remedyforce CMDB and open the Operating System class. Verify whether the entries are correct in the Relationships section in the Instance Editor of the Operating System class.
Processor details of the laptops	Run the \ComputerSystem\TransferDELLKACE ComputerSystemInfotoCMDB.kjb file. Run the \Processor\TransferDELLKACEProcessor InfotoCMDB.kjb file. Go to Remedyforce CMDB and open the Processor class. Verify whether the entries are correct in the Relationships Editor of the Processor class.
Software server details of the laptops	Run the \CombinedJobs\TransferDELLKACEComputerSystem AndSoftwareServerinfotoCMDB.kjb file. Go to Remedyforce CMDB and open the Software Server class. Verify whether the entries are correct in the Relationships Editor of the Software Server class.

Pentaho version	Action
6.1	In the Run Options window, click Run.
5.4	In the Execute a job window, click Launch.