Adding a file access device import task

This topic provides instructions on adding a file-based device import task. (for example, CiscoWorks RME, Ipswitch WhatsUp, CSV file, Entuity Network Analytics).

If you plan to schedule an import task, ensure that the import file has been exported from its source before the scheduled import time.

On the Admin > Network Admin > Device Import Tasks page, click Add, and do the following:

In the Add Device Import Task dialog box, on the Details tab, enter the following information:

Field	Description
Name	Enter a unique name, up to 40 characters, for the import task.
Annotation	(Optional) Enter a comment or remark about the import task.
Enabled	(Optional) Select this option to enable the import task. By default, the task is enabled.
Auto Purge	(Optional) Select this option to purge the import task after its scheduled execution.
Initial Snapshot	(Optional) Select this option if the import task should automatically back up each device's configuration files during the import. When an import file contains a large number of new devices (for example, greater than 200 new devices), BMC recommends not performing the initial snapshot as part of the import operation. This enables the import to complete in a short duration. You can accomplish the initial snapshot for the new devices by adding a job containing a snapshot action (Network > Actions > Jobs) or by using a scheduled policy. Note: If you have selected the Overwrite Device Type option and the device import task results in change in device type, snapshot is performed even if you have not selected the Initial Snapshot option.
Format	Specify the device import file format.

In the File Access > Source field, specify the path to the import source file or import source URL.

Examples of the import source file path: D:\BCA-Networks-Data\devices\devices.dat, http://<serverName>/devices.xml, or https://<serverName>/devices.xml
The import file must be present and accessible to the server when the import task starts. For instructions on creating the import source file for the supported management systems, see the following topics:

Examples of the other import formats.

Using a URL for Entuity Network Analytics data

Click here for details.

In the Source field, paste the following URL:

http://<entuityServer>:<entuityWebport>/EOS/cgi/GenerateReport?noCreate=1&of=xml&DeviceEx.filter=all&DeviceEx.attr=id%2Cname%2CdevPolledIpAddr%2CsysOid&DeviceEx.attr.1=%23entuity_server_info()%5B0%5D%23%2C%22serverId%22%2C%22displayType%3Dstring%22&login=<userName>:<password>

Replace the following variables with the actual values for your enterprise:

Variable	Description
entuityServer	The server name or IP address where Entuity Network Analytics is running
entuityWebport	The webserver port where Entuity Network Analytics is running
userName	The user name of an administrator account
password	The password corresponding to the user name

For more information about other methods for specifying the source file URL see Entuity-Network-Analytics.

Using a URL for BMC Discovery data

Click here for details.

For the Source field, paste the following URL:

https://<DiscoveryServer>/ui/api/XmlApi?query=search NetworkDevice show name,#InferredElement:Inference:Associate:DiscoveryAccess.endpoint, sysobjectid&username=<username>&password=<password>

Replace the following variables with the actual values for your enterprise:

Variable	Description
DiscoveryServer	The server name or IP address where BMC Discovery is running.
username	The BMC Discovery server user name.
password	The password corresponding to the user name Any special characters in the password such as the ampersand (&), percent sign (%) or equal sign (=) must be encoded as hexadecimal numbers (for example, %26 and so forth).

In the Matching criteria field, specify how to match the imported device data to the devices already in the system's device database. When a device match is found, the existing device record is updated with the imported values. When no match is found, a new device record is added using the imported values.
You can match by either the name or the primary address, which must then appear as a field in the import data. For example, if you import from a CSV file and match by address, the CSV file must include an address column and a value in each row.
- Match by Device Name: TrueSight Network Automation looks for an existing device by the imported name (case-insensitive). Note that device names are unique, so only one device matches.
- Match by Primary Interface Address Exactly: Network Automation searches for an existing device by the imported address, within the device agent associated with the imported device (based on the imported device agent or the default device agent).
- Match by Primary Interface Address Resolved: Network Automation searches for an existing device by variations on the imported address, within the device agent associated with the imported device. Network Automation uses DNS to resolve the supplied address into an IP address, a host name, and a fully-qualified host name, and then tries to match an existing device's address to any of these values.
  
  Matching by address allows device names to be changed during import (though the resulting name must be unique). If multiple matches result (as addresses need not be unique), then the device is skipped.
In the Repeat field, specify how often to repeat the import task. You can choose between a one-time occurrence (Import Once), or a recurring task (Import Daily, Import Weekly, or Import Monthly).

In the Import Time box, set the import time. The time setting depends on your selection in the Repeat field.

Repeat setting	Time setting
Import Once	Either set the import time to Now or specify a date and time (hour and minute) in the future.
Import Daily	Specify the time (hour and minute) to execute the import task each day.
Import Weekly	Specify the time (hour and minute) and day(s) of the week to execute the import task.
Import Monthly	Specify the day of the month and import time to execute the import task.

In the Dynamic Menu Fields section, select whether to accept or reject unknown menu values for dynamic fields during the import, as described in the following table:

Primary condition	Second condition	Third condition	Result action
Menu value already exists for the dynamic field	Not applicable	Not applicable	The Accept/Reject Unknown Values setting is ignored. The device record is imported.
Menu value does not exist	Accept Unknown Values is selected	Not applicable	The new menu value is added to the list of available menu items, and the device record is imported.
	Reject Unknown Values is selected	Field is required and has no default value	The device record is not imported.
		Field is required and has a default value	The device record is imported, and that field is set to the default value.
		Field is not required	The device record is imported, and that field is set to the default value (if any).

(Displayed only for the TrueSight Network Automation XML and Comma Separated Value Text formats) In the Static Group Membership Changes box, specify whether you want to add only missing group associations or overwrite the existing group associations with the new ones:
- Only Add Missing Group Associations: Retains the existing group associations for a device and associates only those groups with a device that were not associated earlier.
- Replace All Existing Group Associations: Removes the existing group associations for a device and associates the device with only the new groups.
If the group you added in the CSV file does not exist in the system, that group is added to the system and device is associated with that group.
Note
This option is applicable for only static groups, not auto groups.
(Displayed only for the Comma Separated Value Text format) In CSV File Group Name Separator, enter the character that you have used to separate groups in the CSV file. Default value is comma (,). If you do not specify a separator in the CSV file or leave this field blank, comma is used.
In the Scope section, configure the following settings:
- Process: Specify which devices to process in the import file.
  - All Devices from the Import Source: This option processes new and existing (that is, overwrite) devices during the import.
  - Only New Devices from the Import Source: This option only imports devices that are not found in the database.
  - Only Existing Devices from the Import Source: This option only imports devices that are found in the database.
- Overwrite Device Type: Specify for the existing devices, if the Device Type (for example, Cisco CatOS Switch) should be overwritten with a new Device Type (for example, Cisco IOS Switch/Router). Configuration files for the old device type are kept in the archive. For example, this feature is helpful when converting Cisco CatOS devices to Cisco IOS devices. You must select this option to overwrite an existing device type.
  Note
  If you have selected this option and the device import task results in change in device type, snapshot is performed even if you have not selected the Initial Snapshot option.
On the Defaults tab, set device inventory default values (optional) for each imported device.
Note
During the import operation, values for the device fields are assigned based on the following precedence order:
1. Field is assigned based on the import file
2. Field is assigned based on the existing value in the device database record
3. Field is assigned the default supplied on the device import task Default Tab
4. Field is assigned a default value assigned by the system
5. Field is left blank (only if the field is not mandatory)
  
  Based on this precedence, the Defaults in the import task are only used when the field is not assigned in either the import file or the current device database record. Assigning Defaults is only applicable for new devices or unassigned field values on existing devices.
Click Save to save and schedule the new import task.
After the import tasks completes, you can view the status of the import task in the Device Import Task Details window, as follows:
1. Click the task name.
2. Scroll down the window.
  The Status section shows the task status. This report is also available from the Import list under Execution Status.
  Click the View details link to display a detailed import status report.

Where to go from here

After importing devices for the first time, BMC recommends to perform the following procedures:

For the fields that are not imported, use the device Mass Edit feature to assign the fields that are common to a set of devices (for example username, password, privilege password, access type) or edit each device individually.
If you did not select Initial Snapshot on the import tasks, perform a manual snapshot operation to retrieve the current configuration files.

Adding a file access device import task

Where to go from here

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