Integrating with Entuity

You can view the collected data in various BMC Helix applications and derive the following benefits:

As a tenant administrator, perform the following steps to configure a connection with Entuity , verify the connection, and view the collected incidents, metric, and topology data in various BMC Helix applications.

Supported versions

The Entuity connector supports version 20.x of Entuity for data collection.

Planning for the connection

• Depending on the location (SaaS, on-premises) of the third-party product, choose one or more BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations deployment modes and review the corresponding port requirements. For information about various deployment modes and port requirements, see Deployment-scenarios.
• Based on the deployment modes, use the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS deployment or the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway or both. For more information about the gateway, see Deploying-the-BMC-Helix-Intelligent-Integrations-on-premises-gateway.

• Plan to configure a separate connection for each third-party instance. For example, if you have three Entuity instances that discover various subnets in your environment and a fourth Entuityaggregator instance that shows the aggregated data from the three instances, we recommend that you configure individual connectors for these three instances. You do not need to configure any connector separately for the aggregator instance.

In the preceding list, third-party product refers to Entuity.

Configuring the connection with Entuity

Use the following procedures to configure connections with Entuity for collecting incidents, metrics, and topology data:

• To configure a connection with Entuity for collecting incidents data
  Entuity incidents are received as events in BMC Helix Operations Management.
• To configure a connection with Entuity for collecting metrics and topology data

To configure a connection with Entuity for collecting incidents data

1. Access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS – Log on to BMC Helix Portal, and click Launch on BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrationson-premises gateway – Use one of the following URLs to access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
     • http://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
     • https://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
2. On the CONNECTORS tab, clickin the SOURCES panel.
3. Click the Entuity Events tile.

4. Specify a unique instance name.

   Best practice
   We recommend that you specify the instance name in the following format: 

   <sourceType>_<sourceControllerServerName>_<InstanceQualifier>

   The instance qualifier helps you to distinguish the multiple instances configured from the same source server. For example, you can name your instances as Entuity_Host_PROD, Entuity_Host_TEST, and so on.

5. Click CREATE COLLECTORS to create the collector stream for the selected data type.
6. Configure the distributors for the selected data type by clicking the data type in the Distributors section and specifying the parameters for the selected data type, as explained in the following table:
   

1. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor stream for the selected data type.
2. Click VALIDATE AND CREATE and then click SAVE STREAM to save the stream.
   After you save the stream, the connector that you just created is listed on the SOURCES panel.

1. On the SOURCES panel, click Configure Mediator for the source connection that you created and then expand ENTUITY EVENTS .
2. Depending on whether you are using only SaaS deployment of BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations or BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway, perform the following steps:
   • If you are using only SaaS deployment of BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations, do the following:
     1. Click copy to copy the auto-generated Entuity collector URL and save the URL in a temporary file.
        For example, https://hostA/hii/api/mediator/v3/push/9mn-6c97-4c2e-8pc5-12c0asdf?token=API-KEY
        

     2. Log on to BMC Helix Portal and generate an API key.
        For more information, see Setting up access keys for programmatic access. 

     3. Copy the generated API key and save it in a temporary file.
        The key is generated in the format: <accessKey>::<secretKey>::<tenantID>.
        For example, Y4B0OSC49QZA11Q8A1H9H6::MnVLk69TNyCEponsthHJ1Hj1uKcjTB::385261281
     4. Change the format of the API key to <tenantID>::<accessKey>::<secretKey>.
        For example, 385261281::SC49QZA11Q8A1H9H6::MnVLk69TNyCEponsthHJ1Hj1uKcjTB 
     5. In a temporary file, modify the auto-generated Entuity collector URL by replacing API-KEY with the API key that you formatted in the previous step.
        For example, https://host.ab.com/hii/api/mediator/v3/push/9mn-6c97-4c2e-8pc5-12c0asdfd?token=385261281::SC49QZA11Q8A1H9H6::MnVLk69TNyCEponsthHJ1Hj1uKcjTB.
     6. Configure Entuityto forward incidents data to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
        
        
   • If you are using the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrationson-premises gateway, do the following: 
     1. Click copy to copy the auto-generated Entuity collector URL and save the URL in a temporary file.
        For example, http://hostA/hii/api/mediator/v3/push/9mn-6c97-4c2e-8pc5-12c0asdf
     2. (If you are using HTTP port to access the UI) Update the URL to include port 7457 if you are using port 80 to access the UI.
        For example, http://hostA:7457/hii/api/mediator/v3/push/9mn-6c97-4c2e-8pc5-12c0asdf

     3. (If you are using HTTPS port to access the UI) Update the URL to include port 7443 if you are using port 443 to access the UI.
        For example, https://hostA:7443/hii/api/mediator/v3/push/9mn-6c97-4c2e-8pc5-12c0asdf

     4. Configure Entuityto forward incidents data to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
3. On the SOURCES panel, move the slider to the right to start the data stream for the connector you created in step 7.

To configure Entuity to forward incidents data to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations

First create an action and then a trigger in Entuity.

1. Log on to Entuity, and from the main menu, select Administration.
2. On the Entuity Administration page, click Event Administration .
3. Create the action to forward incidents data to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
   1. Select the Actions tab and then click Add.
   2. In the Add Action dialog box, enter the following information :
      1. Enter a name for the action, for example, Send incidents to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations .
      2. (Optional) Enter a description for the action.
   3.  In the Parameters section, click Add and enter the following information in the New Parameters dialog box:
      1. Enter the parameter name as URL.
      2. (Optional) Enter a description for the parameter.
      3. Depending on whether you are using only SaaS deployment of BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations or BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway, perform the following steps:
         • For SaaS deployment of BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations, copy the Entuity collector URL that you modified in step 10 (e) and paste it as the default value of the parameter, enclosed in double quotes.
         • For BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway, copy the Entuity collector URL that you saved in step 10 (b) or step 10 (c) paste it as the default value of the parameter, enclosed in double quotes.
   4. In the Action Steps section, click Add and enter the following information in the Add Action dialog box:
      1. From the Type list, select the Groovy Script option.

      2. Copy the following script and paste it in the Script field:

         Click here to see the Groovy script

         //Send events or incidents to BMC Helix
         
         // Types for ENA config management incidents and events  
         def changeIncidents = [341,342,343,345,346,348,349,350]
         def changeEvents = 341..350
         
         def isChangeClass = {
             def res = false;
             if(incident && changeIncidents.contains(type.toInteger()))
                 res = true;
             if(event && changeEvents.contains(type.toInteger()))
                 res = true;
         
             return res;
         }
         
         def getClass = {
             if(name.startsWith("CM") && isChangeClass())
                 return "CHANGE_EV"
             if(incident)
                 return "ENA_INC"
             else
                 return "ENA_EV"    
         }
         
         def getKey = {
             if(incident)
                 return id.toString()
             else
                 return id + ":" + sequenceNum    
         }
         
         def getType = { sd ->
             if(! sd)
                 return "Unknown"
             switch (sd.classicType) {
                 case 1           : return "Port"
                 case 8           : return "VLAN"
                 case 512         : return "Domain"
                 case 1024        : return "Application"
                 case 2048        : return "IP Address"
                 case 4096        : return "System"
                 case 8192        : return "View"
                 case 65536       : return "Service"
                 case 4           : return (sd.swType != null ? sd.swType : "Device")
                 case 2147483648  :
                 case -2147483648 : return sd.swType
                 default          : return "Unknown"
             }
         }
         
         def getHSeverity = {
             def sev = (incident && ! stateOpen) ? 2 : severity;
             switch (sev) {
                 case 10 : return "CRITICAL"
                 case 8 : return "MAJOR"
                 case 6 : return "MINOR"
                 case 4 : return "WARNING"
                 case 2 : return "INFO"
                 case 0 : return "UNKNOWN"
             }
         }
         
         def getESeverity = {
             def sev = (incident && ! stateOpen) ? 2 : severity;
             switch (sev) {
                 case 10 : return "CRITICAL"
                 case 8 : return "SEVERE"
                 case 6 : return "MAJOR"
                 case 4 : return "MINOR"
                 case 2 : return "INFO"
                 default : return "UNKNOWN"
             }
         }
         
         
         def getStatus = {
             if(! incident)
                 return "OPEN"
             switch(state) {
                 case 1 :
                 case 8 : return "OPEN"
                 case 2 :
                 case 4 : return "CLOSED"
             }
         }
         
         /**
          * Returns a source for the event, that is
          * as close to the containing device as possible
          */
         def getContainerSource = { sd ->
             if(! sd)
                 return null
             if (sd.classicType == OBJ_IPV4ADDRESS || sd.classicType == OBJ_IPV6ADDRESS)
                 return sd.externalId
             else
                 return sd.containerName
         }
         
         
         /**
          * Returns last updated or raised timestamp in seconds
          */
         def getTimestamp = {
             def timestamp = 0;
             if(incident)
                 timestamp = lastUpdatedMs
             else
                 timestamp = raisedMs
         
             Date d = new Date(timestamp)
             return (long)(d.getTime()/1000)
         }
         
         
         /**
          * Returns a webUI URL for object summary page of event or incident source.
          */
         def constructCrossLaunchUrl = { sd ->
             def url = "";
         
             def classicType = sd?.classicType
             def OBJ_TYPE_SYSTEM = com.entuity.events.event.ObjType.OBJ_TYPE_SYSTEM.toInt()
             def OBJ_TYPE_VIEW = com.entuity.events.event.ObjType.OBJ_TYPE_VIEW.toInt()
         
             if(classicType != OBJ_TYPE_VIEW) {
         
                 def ssl = getConfigProperty("consolidation_server_web_ssl")
                 if(ssl == null)
                     ssl = getConfigProperty("server.ssl_enabled")
                 def proto = ssl == "true" ? "https" : "http"
                 def swId = sd.swId
         
                 if (swId != null) {
                     url = "${proto}://"
         
                     def hostAndPort = getConsolidatedSourceHostAndPort()
                     url += "${hostAndPort}"
         
                     if (classicType != OBJ_TYPE_SYSTEM) {
                         url += "/webUI/main.do?url=/webUI/objectSummary.do%3Fserver%3D${sourceDescriptor?.eyeServerId}%26id%3D${swId}"
                     } else {
                         url += "/webUI/main.do?url=/webUI/viewEvents.do%3Fserver%3D${sourceDescriptor?.eyeServerId}%26view%3DMy%20Network"
                     }
                 }
             }
             return url.toString()
         }
         
         
         def sendRequest = { data ->
             logger.info("Forwarding data to BMC Helix");
             logger.info("Data to be sent: " + data);
            
             def urlString = param("URL")
            
             def url = new URL(urlString);
             def connection = url.openConnection();
             connection.setRequestMethod("POST");
             connection.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/json");
             connection.doOutput = true;
         
             def writer = new OutputStreamWriter(connection.outputStream);
             writer.write(data);
             writer.flush();
             writer.close();
             connection.connect();
             logger.info("Forward to BMC Helix, response code: " + connection.getResponseCode());
         }
         
         // Start of processing
         def sd = sourceDescriptor
         if(sd)
         {
             sd.enrich(facilities)
             logger.info("Enriched source descriptor = ${sd}")
         }
         
         
         //Mandatory slot for ordering processing in Helix
         def hSourceDescriptor =  sd?.eyeServerId.toString() + "_" + sd?.swId + "_" + id
         
         
         def hObjectId = (sd?.toShortName()) + ":" + (sd?.swId)
         def hCategory = "INCIDENT_MANAGEMENT"
         def hSubCategory = "NETWORK"
         def hClass = getClass()
         def hStatus = getStatus()
         def hSeverity = getHSeverity()
         def hType = getType(sd)
         def hLocation = "Entuity " + shortHostname
         
         
         // Short form of event/incident descriptions, such as "ENA Event/Incident name on Object"
         def hMsg = name
         def sourceContainer = getContainerSource(sd)
         if(sourceContainer)
             hMsg = hMsg + " on " + sourceContainer
         
         // Long form of event/incident, given by our reason field
         def hDetails = reason
         
         // Callback URI for the object
         hURI = constructCrossLaunchUrl(sd)
         
         //Custom slots
         def eDescription = name
         def eDetails = reason
         def eKey = getKey()
         def eTimestamp = getTimestamp().toString()
         def eSeverity = getESeverity()
         def eState = getStatus()
         def eObject = sourceName
         def eObjectType = getType(sd)
         def eObjectId = sd?.swId + ":" + sd?.toShortName()
         def eObjectSource = sourceDescriptor?.eyeServerId
         def eEventSource = getConsolidatedSourceHostAndPort()
         
         def deviceTypeMap = [
         0:"Unknown",
         148:"Ethernet Switch",
         168:"Router",
         1001:"Blade Center",
         1010:"Custom Device",
         1046:"Autonomous WAP",
         1049:"Firewall",
         1058:"VPN",
         1002:"Managed Host",
         1059:"Managed Host",
         1070:"PoE Midspan Injector",
         1077:"Load Balancer",
         1079:"SSL Proxy",
         1073:"Wireless Controller",
         1102:"Wireless Controller",
         1104:"Uninterruptible Power Supply",
         1124:"Matrix Switch",
         1144:"VM Platform",
         1201:"Base Station",
         1202:"SDN Controller",
         1212:"Cloud Controller",
         1213:"Cisco DNA Center",
         1221:"Storage",
         1222:"Server"
         ]
         
         def sourceId = sd?.swId
         Integer devType = 0
         def parentType = ""
         def parentName = ""
         def parentId = sourceId
         def parentZone = ""
         if (source) {
         // source is not null
         if(source.devPolledIpAddr != null) {
         // This is a device
         try {
         devType = source.devType.toInteger()
         } catch (Exception e) {
         }
         parentType = deviceTypeMap[devType]
         logger.info("devType=${devType}, parentType=${parentType}")
         parentName = sourceName
         parentZone = evalExpression("simple;eval(getObject(${sourceId}),0,get_attribute(\"devZoneID\",1))")
         } else {
         if(source.device?.devPolledIpAddr != null) {
         try {
         devType = source.device?.devType.toInteger()
         } catch (Exception e) {
         }
         parentType = deviceTypeMap[devType]
         parentName = source.device?.name
         parentId = source.device?.id
         parentZone = evalExpression("simple;eval(getObject(${parentId}),0,get_attribute(\"devZoneID\",1))")
         }
         }
         }
         
         def ifType = null
         if((sourceId != null) && sourceId != 0)
             ifType = evalExpression("simple;eval(getObject(${sourceId}),0,get_attribute(\"ifType\",1))")
         
         def data =
         [
             [
                 category: hCategory,
                 sub_category: hSubCategory,
                 status: hStatus,
                 severity: hSeverity,
                 msg: hMsg,
                 details: hDetails,
                 cross_launch_uri: hURI,
                 source_attributes: [
                     source_hostname: parentName,
                     zone: parentZone,
                 ],
                 source_identifier: hSourceDescriptor,
                 object_class: hType,
                 object_id: hSourceDescriptor,
                 object: sourceName,
                 ENA_description: eDescription,
                 ENA_event_key: eKey,
                 ENA_timestamp: eTimestamp,
                 ENA_state: eState,
                 ENA_object_type: eObjectType,
                 ENA_object_id: hSourceDescriptor,
                 ENA_object_source: eObjectSource,
                 ENA_event_source: eEventSource,
                 ENA_swId: sourceId,
                 ENA_Typdevice: parentType,
                 ENA_TypeIANA: ifType,
         ENA_ParentDeviceName: parentName,
         ENA_ParentDeviceSwId: parentId,
         ENA_InterfaceDescription: source?.portDescr
             ]
         ]
         
         def jsonBody = groovy.json.JsonOutput.toJson(data).toString()
         
         if(incident)
             logger.info("Forwarding incident to BMC Helix ${jsonBody}")
         else
             logger.info("Forwarding event to BMC Helix ${jsonBody}")
            
         sendRequest(jsonBody)
         logger.info("Send completed");
      3. Click OK.
         
4. Click OK to close the Add Action dialog box.
   
5. Configure a trigger for the action you generated in the previous step:
   1. On the Event Administration page, select the Incidents tab and click Edit Global Triggers.
   2. In the Edit Global Triggers dialog box, click Add and enter the following information in the Create Trigger dialog box:
      1. Specify a name for the trigger, for example, Trigger to send incidents to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
         By default, the enabled check box is selected, which indicates that this trigger is enabled.
      2. (Optional) Enter a description for the trigger.
      3. Ensure that the Any Change option is selected in the On Transition To list.
         The Any Change value indicates that the action will be triggered for any change in the incidents data.
      4. Ensure that the None option is selected in the Condition list.
         The None value indicates that the action will be triggered for all possible conditions.
      5. Ensure that the None option is selected in the Delay list.
         The None value indicates that the action will be triggered without any delay.
      6. In the Action Steps section, click Add.
      7. In the Add Action dialog box, from the Type list, select the action you created for sending incidents data to BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations. 
         The Parameters field shows the URL parameter that you created in step 3c.
      8. Click OK to close the Add Action dialog box.
         The Create Trigger dialog box shows the added action.  
         
         
         
   3. Click OK to close the Create Trigger dialog box.
6. Click Save and Deploy .

To configure a connection with Entuity for collecting metrics and topology data

1. Access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS – Log on to BMC Helix Portal, and click Launch on BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrationson-premises gateway – Use one of the following URLs to access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
     • http://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
     • https://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
2. On the CONNECTORS tab, click in the SOURCES panel.
3. Click the Entuity Metrics & Topology tile.
4. Specify the following details for the source connection:

   1. Specify a unique instance name.

      Best practice

      We recommend that you specify the instance name in the following format: 

      <sourceType>_<sourceControllerServerName>_<InstanceQualifier>                    

      The instance qualifier helps you to distinguish the multiple instances configured from the same source server. For example, you can name your instances Entuity_Host_PROD, and Entuity_Host_TEST.

   2. Specify the Entuity host name.
   3. Specify the Entuity HTTP or HTTPS port number depending on the connection protocol (default port number is 443).
   4. Select the HTTPS option to use an https connection to the Entuity host.
   5. Specify the number of maximum concurrent REST API requests that should be executed during a collection schedule (default value is 5).
   6. Enter the user name and password for the Entuity host.
   7. Click Proxy and specify whether you want to configure a proxy server.
      If yes, specify the host name and port number (default value is 8888).
5. Click VALIDATE AND CREATE.
   The specified connection details are validated and the corresponding source connection is created in the Source Connection list.

6. Select the source connection that you created from the list if it is not selected already.

   Important

   The destination host connection is created and configured automatically for each tenant when the source connection is created.

7. Ensure that the options for the datatypes for which you want to collect data are selected.

8. Configure the collectors for the selected data types by clicking the respective data type in the Collectors section and specifying the parameters for the selected data type, as explained in the following table:
   
   The ✅️ symbol indicates that this field applies to the data type.
9. Click CREATE COLLECTORS to create the required collector streams for the selected data types.
10. Configure the distributors for the selected data types by clicking the respective data type in the Distributors section and specifying the parameters for the selected data type, as explained in the following table:
    

1. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor streams for the selected data types.
2. Click one of the following buttons:

1. • SAVE STREAM: Click this button if you want to edit the connector details before creating the instance. After you save the stream, the connector that you just created is listed on the SOURCES panel. Move the slider to the right to start the data stream later.
   • SAVE AND START STREAM: Click this button if you want to save the connector details and start receiving data immediately.

          For more information about the data streams, see Starting-or-stopping-data-streams.

Verifying the connection

From BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations, on the SOURCES panel, confirm that the data streams for the connection you created are running. Data streaming is indicated by different colored moving arrows.

A moving blue arrow ( ) indicates that the event stream is running. Event data will be pushed as soon as incidents are available.

• A moving red arrow () indicates that the metrics stream is running. Metric data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.
• A moving light blue arrow ( ) indicates that the topology stream is running. Topology data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.

Viewing data in BMC Helix applications

View data collected from Entuityin multiple BMC Helix applications.

To view events in BMC Helix Operations Management

1. In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Events.
2. Filter the events by the EntuityEvent class.
   
   
   

Incoming events from Entuityare processed in BMC Helix Operations Managementthrough a set of deduplication rules to determine whether the incoming event is a duplicate event or a new event. For more information, see Event-deduplication-and-suppression-for-reducing-event-noise.

For more information about events, see Monitoring and managing events.

To view metrics in BMC Helix Operations Management

1. In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Devices.
2. Click the links for the required device.
3. On the Monitors tab, click the required monitor.
   The Performance Overview tab shows the metrics graph.
   
   
   
   

For information about metrics, see Viewing collected data.

To view topology in BMC Helix Discovery

1. In BMC Helix Discovery, select Explore > Data.

2. Click the folder link corresponding to the entity for which you have collected data from Entuity. 
   For example, if you have collected topology for a network device, click the <count> Network Devices link.
   The <entity> List page shows the list of entity names and its other attributes received from Entuity. For information about entities in the infrastructure, see Managing your IT infrastructure..
   

   Important

   As of version 23.2.02, the Entuityconnector collects data for the following asset categories:

   • Network device
     • Autonomous WAP
     • Router
     • Ethernet Switch
     • Firewall
     • Managed Host
     • Wireless controller

   • VM Platform
   • Server
3. Click the entity name to view its topology.

The following figures show the topology for the NYC-Cisco-NEXUS9000-SWITCH device in the Entuity UI and in the BMC Helix Discovery UI:

Viewing services in BMC Helix AIOps

Before you view a service in BMC Helix AIOps, create a service model (for example, BackEnd_Model) for the NYC-Cisco-NEXUS9000-SWITCH topology collected in BMC Helix Discovery. For instructions, see Service and application modeling.

To view services in BMC Helix AIOps

1. In BMC Helix AIOps, go to the Services page.
   This page shows the business service for the BackEnd_Model business service model.
   
   
   
2. To view the impact on the service, hover over the service.
   The impact score in percentage and the Situations, events, incidents, or configuration items (CIs) associated with a service are displayed.  
3. Click the service to view the health summary, causal analysis, health insights, and other key metrics of interest.

For more information about services, see Monitoring services..

Mapping of attributes between Entuity and BMC Helix Operations Management

The following table shows the mapping between Entuityand BMC Helix Operations Management: