Configuring the blackout policy solution

To configure the blackout policy solution

To configure the solution, you must set up a connection with BMC Helix ITSM and map change request fields to the blackout policy fields.

Step 1: Set up a connection with BMC Helix ITSM

1. Click Solutions > Blackout Policy > Configure.
2. To set up a connection with BMC Helix ITSM, click Set Up.
   By default,BMC Helix ITSM  is selected.
3. Enter the BMC Helix ITSM REST API URL, username, and password to connect with the application.
   Sample URL: https://helixtrial-restapi.onbmc.com.
   OR
4. If you are connecting to an on-premises deployment of BMC Helix ITSM, download and install the connector before performing the next steps.
   For more information, see Configuring-BMC-Helix-ITSM-connector-for-the-Blackout-Policy-solution.  

Step 2: Configure field mapping

By default, BMC Helix Intelligent Automation provides mapping of change request fields to the blackout policy fields in BMC Helix Operations Management. Based on these mappings, a blackout policy gets created. You can choose to specify custom values for the default fields, add more fields, or apply transformation based on your requirements.

As part of this step, the out-of-the-box Create or Update Blackout Policy and Delete Blackout Policy automation policies are created. 

1. To view the default mappings, click Configure against the Configure mapping : Change → Blackout Policy field.
   The default field mappings are displayed. 
   

   Can I change the default field mappings?

   Yes, you can change the values for any of the fields based on your requirement. For example, by default the value of the blackoutExistingEvents under the configurations field group is set to true, which indicates that when a blackout policy will be active, any existing events for the CIs specified in the policy will not be processed. If you do not want existing events to be considered for blackout, you can set the value to false. 

   

   BMC recommends that you do not delete any existing field mappings. 

2. (Optional)  Click +Add Event Field to add more fields to be considered while creating the blackout policy.

   Note

   If you select Required and make a field mandatory, you cannot change it back to an optional field or delete the required field unless you delete the solution.

   The field names in the list appear based on the fields supported by BMC Helix Operations Management. 

3. (Optional) Click +Add Condition and add the ticket field and map it to the event field. 
4. (Optional) Against any field, click Transform fields and select the transformation type:
   • Source value to target value: Enables you to map the event source fields to the target incident fields. 
   • String: Enables you to concatenate or extract a part of a string.
     Supports the following functions:
     • concat
     • substr: Specify values for Start and Length of the string to process
     • substrAfter: Specify the character and everything after the character gets processed
     • substrBefore: Specify the character and everything before the character gets processed
     • substrByByte: Specify the end index. For example, if you specify 99, all characters from 0-99 are processed.
     • toLowerCase: Transforms the entire string to lower case
     • toUpperCase: Transforms the entire string to upper case
       When you add more than one function to transform data, conditions are applied in the order in which they are displayed. You can use more than one function while mapping any field.
   • Date & Time: Enables you to parse the date and time from an incoming change request (in an ISO format) to the required output format.
     Supports the following functions:
     • getDate: Parses the date value from an incoming ISO date and converts it to the required output format.
     • getTime: Parses the time value from an incoming ISO date and converts it to the required output format.
5. Click Save.
   A Policy published successfully message appears.  
6. Click Enable.
   Solution is enabled successfully. If you already have an BMC Helix ITSM connector used by another solution, a message is displayed. 
   

Artifacts for Blackout Policy solution

Consult the following table to learn more about the artifacts created after configuring the solution: 

To disable or enable the Blackout Policy solution

If your organization does not have any planned infrastructure maintenance activities in the near future, or you want to make changes in the change request to blackout policy field mappings, you can disable the solution. 

1. Click Solutions > Blackout Policy.
2. Use the toggle key to disable the solution.
   The message Solution disabled successfully appears. Use the toggle key to enable the solution as required. 

To modify the Blackout Policy solution

To modify the solution, you first disable it. 

1. Click Solutions > Blackout Policy and use the toggle key to disable the solution.
2. Click Modify.
   You cannot update the connection details to BMC Helix ITSM. You can only update the field mappings. 
3. Click Enable.

To delete the Blackout Policy solution

To delete the solution, you must perform the following steps:

1. Disable the solution in BMC Helix Intelligent Automation:
   1. Click Solutions > Blackout Policy and use the toggle key disable the solution.
   2. Click Delete.
      On the warning message that appears, click Yes.

2. (For on-premises 

   BMC Helix ITSM

    connector only) Delete the webhooks created in BMC Remedy AR System:

   1. Log on to BMC Remedy AR System as an AR administrator and go to the AR System Webhook form:  
      https://<midtier>/arsys/forms/onbmc-s/AR+System+Webhook

   2. Select the webhook  with the following criteria and then delete the webhook: 

      Form Name: CHG:Infrastructure Change Tenant ID: <tenantid> Callback URL: https://<ingress_hostname>/intelligent-automation/restplugin/api/v1/tmf/callback?helix_itsm=true&integration_type=Blackout

      Form Name: CHG:Associations Tenant ID: <tenantid> Callback URL: https://<ingress_hostname>/intelligent-automation/restplugin/api/v1/tmf/callback?helix_itsm=true&integration_type=Blackout

      When the solution is deleted successfully, the Create or Update Blackout Policy and Delete Blackout Policy automation policies are also deleted. 

Where to go from here

View the status of the policies run by BMC Helix Intelligent Automation. For more information, see Viewing-automation-policy-runs-history.