Importing data from BMC Client Management by using the REST Web API
You can import data from BMC Client Management (known before version 12.0 as BMC FootPrints Asset Core) into BMC Remedyforce CMDB 2.0 by using the Pentaho Data Integration tool. The Pentaho packages for importing data from BMC Client Management are available on the BMC Communities website. For information about how configuration items (CIs) are imported and relationships are created in BMC Remedyforce CMDB 2.0, see Overview of how data is imported into BMC Remedyforce.
The following topics provide information about the Pentaho package for importing data by using the Representational State Transfer (REST) web API. For information about the REST web API, see the BMC Client Management Help.
For information about importing data by accessing the BMC Client Management database, see Importing data from BMC Client Management by accessing the database.
Important
The Pentaho package for importing data by using the REST web API supports BMC Client Management and BMC Client Management OnDemand versions 12.0 and later. If you have configured the integration with BMC Client Management OnDemand 12.0 or later, you must import data by using this Pentaho package only.
For information about the BMC Client Management versions that BMC Remedyforce supports, see Supported browsers, mobile devices, and integrations.
Before you begin
Before you can import data from BMC Client Management by using the REST web API, you must perform the following tasks:
- Install the JRE.
- Download the Pentaho Data Integration tool.
If the Require TLS 1.1 or higher for HTTPS connections Salesforce critical update is enabled in your organization, you must use version 6.1 or later of the Pentaho Data Integration tool. - Register at the BMC Communities website.
- Enable the REST web API on the BMC Client Management server.
- Configure the BMC Remedyforce external integration on the BMC Client Management server.
- Install an SSL certificate on the BMC Client Management server.
- (Optional)Configure BMC Remedyforce to retain the original Instance Name value of CIs imported from an external source.
- If you have enabled the setting to access your Salesforce organization from limited IP addresses, ensure that you have the security token to log on to your Salesforce organization.
For more information about the security token, see Salesforce Help. Download the Pentaho package from the BMC Communities website (https://communities.bmc.com/docs/DOC-32929).
For information about the KJB (job) and KTR (transformation) files that are included in the Pentaho package, see KJB files for importing data from BMC Client Management.Best practice
BMC recommends that you do not change the folder structure because doing so can interfere with the running of the batch files provided in the CombinedJobs folder.
To import data from BMC Client Management
Important
The job (KJB) files in the Pentaho package send a REST web API request to the BMC Client Management server to initiate the export of data to a .csv file. Each job file contains the list of BMC Client Management fields that are available by default in the .csv file.
If you add, delete, or change the order of fields in the .csv file, you must update the Pentaho jobs and map the fields and the order in which they are listed to the .csv file. Otherwise, the data that you import might be corrupted or the import might not complete successfully. For more information, see Data that is imported from BMC Client Management is corrupted.
- To launch the Pentaho Data Integration tool, perform the following actions:
Navigate to the location where you downloaded and unzipped the Pentaho Data Integration tool.
Navigate to the data-integration folder and double-click the Spoon.bat file.
- In Pentaho Spoon, select File > Open, navigate to the folder where you downloaded the Pentaho package, and open the KJB (job) file for the CI type that you want to import.
For example, to import computer system CIs, open the TransferAssetCoreCSinfotoCMDB.kjb file. - From the Edit menu, select Settings.
In the Job properties window, click the Parameters tab.
Modify the Default value column for the different parameters.
(Optional) Update the mapping between the data from BMC Client Management and BMC Remedyforce CMDB (fields in the
Base Element
object).- To save the KTR and KJB files, click Save .
- In the KJB file tab, click Run this job .
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. The first time you run the job, all CIs are imported into the appropriate CMDB class. When you rerun the job, only the new and modified CIs are imported into the CMDB class.
Transformation status is depicted by using the following icons:- — Complete
- — Running
- — Unsuccessful
- (Optional) To view logs, in the Execution results section, click the Logging tab.
All the errors are displayed in red.
KJB files for importing data from BMC Client Management
The Pentaho package contains job (KJB) and transformation (KTR) files that are created in the Pentaho Data Integration tool. The KJB files (jobs) and KTR files (transformations) store metadata in XML format. A KJB file contains a series of transformations that are run in a sequence. A KTR file contains a single transformation. The KJB (job) files retrieve data from external sources into BMC Remedyforce CMDB.
For more information, see KJB files in the Pentaho package and Steps in the KJB files for importing data from BMC Client Management.
KJB files in the Pentaho package
Each Pentaho package includes different KJB (job) files for importing different types of configuration items (CIs), such as computer systems and LAN endpoints. These job files are bundled with related files and provided to you in folders. The folder names correspond to CI types in BMC Remedyforce CMDB.
The following table provides information about the job files that you must run to import specific CI types into BMC Remedyforce CMDB:
Folder name | Job file | Description |
---|---|---|
Computer System | TransferAssetCoreCSinfotoCMDB.kjb | Transfers information about the |
LANEndPoints | TransferAssetCoreLANEndPointInfoto | Transfers information about the |
OS | TransferAssetCoreOSinfotoCMDB.kjb | Transfers information about the |
Processor | TransferAssetCoreProcessorInfoto | Transfers information about the |
Product | TransferAssetCoreProductInfotoCMDB.kjb | Transfers information about the Note: Depending on the organization size, |
Combined Jobs |
| The Combined Jobs folder contains the following job files:
|
Steps in the KJB files for importing data from BMC Client Management
All job (KJB) files for importing data from specific CI types include the series of steps and transformations that are listed in the following table.
Related topics
Applying models while importing CIs and assets
Scheduling jobs to import data
Troubleshooting common issues when importing data
Troubleshooting issues when importing data from BMC Client Management
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