Synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB CIs to Alfabet applications by using Jitterbit Harmony

BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit, provides a pre-built integration template to create BMC Helix CMDB CIs from Alfabet applications. To use the integration template with the out-of-the-box values, update the project variables with details of your systems, then deploy the integration template.

Alfabet helps businesses align IT investments with strategic goals through a centralized repository of IT, business, finance, and risk perspectives.

Use case	BMC Helix CMDB to Alfabet	Alfabet to BMC Helix CMDB
Initial synchronization	Initial synchronization of BMC Helix CMDB Business Applications (cmdb_ci_businessapplication) CIs to Alfabet.	Not applicable
Synchronize CMDB applications (initial load)	Not applicable	Initial synchronization of Alfabet applications data to BMC Helix CMDB Business Applications (cmdb_ci_businessapplication) CIs.

Initial synchronization between BMC Helix CMDB and Alfabet

Initial synchronization is a one-time, bi-directional synchronization between BMC Helix CMDB and Alfabet. It ensures that both systems start with the same data.

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for the initial synchronization from BMC Helix CMDB to Alfabet and from Alfabet to BMC Helix ITSM. The initial synchronization takes place once, when you configure the integration.

CMDB to Alfabet applications.png

Scheduled data synchronization between BMC Helix CMDB and Alfabet

Scheduled synchronization runs on a recurring basis to keep applications, incidents, devices, software technologies, and CI-CI relationships in BMC Helix CMDB and Alfabet up to date after the initial synchronization.

Use case	BMC Helix CMDB to Alfabet	Alfabet to BMC Helix CMDB
Synchronize Alfabet applications	Not applicable	Synchronize applications (Table Application) from Alfabet with Business Applications (cmdb_ci_businessapplication) in BMC Helix CMDB.
Synchronize BMC Helix CMDB applications	Synchronize Business Applications (cmdb_ci_businessapplication) in BMC Helix CMDB with applications (Table Application) in Alfabet.	Not applicable
Synchronize BMC Helix ITSM incidents	Synchronize the incidents counts from BMC Helix ITSM and store them as KPIs for the corresponding applications in Alfabet.	Not applicable
Import software technologies	Import software technologies (cmdb_ci_application, cmdb_ci_database, and so on) as Alfabet components.	Not applicable
Map CI-CI relationships	Alfabet maps existing CI-CI relationships between Business Applications (cmdb_ci_businessapplication) and software technologies.	Not applicable
Import servers as devices	Import servers and infrastructure CIs (for example, BMC.CORE:BMC_ComputerSystem) into Alfabet as devices.	Not applicable
Synchronize updated Alfabet applications (schedule)	Not applicable	Scheduled synchronization runs incrementally. During each run, the integration detects new and changed application records in Alfabet and updates the matching records in CMDB. This keeps business application data aligned after the initial synchronization.

Alfabet to BMC Helix CMDB data flow (delta synchronization)

This synchronization runs on a scheduled basis and synchronizes only incremental changes made in Alfabet to BMC Helix CMDB.

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for synchronizing Alfabet application data to BMC Helix CMDB:

BMC Helix CMDB to Alfabet data flow (CI–CI relationship mapping)

This synchronization runs on a scheduled basis and synchronizes all new and updated data from BMC Helix CMDB to Alfabet.

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB Business Applications and associated CIs to Alfabet:

CMDB to Alfabet applications.png

Synchronization of devices and CI-CI relationships to Alfabet

The following images gives an overview of the mapping between BMC Helix CMDB business applications, associated configuration items (CIs), and Alfabet.

Devices in Alfabet.png

Alfabet applications update.png

Before you begin

You require the following items to successfully set up and use this integration:

Required versions	BMC Helix Innovation Studio version 25.3 or later Alfabet
Authentication and permissions	Administrator access to BMC Helix Platform to have access to create workflows A BMC Helix CMDB license A valid Alfabet Software subscription
Jitterbit Harmony subscription	A valid BMC Helix iPaaS subscription

Task 1: To download and import the integration template project file

From the EPD site, search for and download the 26.2 Synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB CIs to Alfabet applications file.
This file contains the BMC Helix iPaaS Integration Studio project Synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB CIs to Alfabet applications.
Warning
Important
Your ability to access product pages on the EPD website is determined by the license your company purchased.
As a developer, log in to BMC Helix iPaaS and navigate to the Integration Studio.
On the projects page, click Import.
Click Browse and then select the Synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB CIs to Alfabet applications file you downloaded.
The Project Name and Organization are automatically populated depending on the values defined.
From the Environment list, select the environment to which you want to import this integration template, and click Import.
The project opens after the integration template is imported.
To open the project file at a later time, select the environment where the integration templates are available, select the Synchronizing BMC Helix CMDB CIs to Alfabet applications project and click View/Edit.

Task 2: To update the project variables for the integration

Next to the Environment name, click the ellipsis ... and select Project Variables.

Update the required project variables.
You must update the following project variables:

Access points and authentication details for BMC Helix CMDB, Alfabet, and BMC Helix iPaaS applications

Project variable	Action
BMC Helix CMDB
CMDB_Host	The URL of the BMC Helix CMDB instance in the format https://hostName:Port.
CMDB_Username	The user ID of the BMC Helix CMDB user.
CMDB_Password	The password of the user to access BMC Helix CMDB.
CMDB_Application_Name	The name of the BMC Helix CMDB application.
CMDB_Namespace	The BMC Helix CMDB namespace.
CMDB_Prod_Dataset	The name of the BMC Helix CMDB production dataset.
CMDB_Dev_Dataset_Name	The name of the BMC Helix CMDB development dataset.
CMDB_Dev_Dataset_ID	The ID of the BMC Helix CMDB development dataset.
CMDB_Recon_Job_Name	The name of the BMC Helix CMDB reconciliation job.
CMDB_Server	The name of the BMC Helix CMDB CI class for physical and virtual servers.
Alfabet
Alfabet_base_URL	The URL of the Alfabet instance in the format https://hostName:Port.
Alfabet_Username	The user ID of the Alfabet user.
Alfabet_Password	The password for the Alfabet user.
Alfabet_API_Token	The Alfabet API token.
Alfabet_Current_Profile	The name the Alfabet profile to use.
Alfabet_Language	The language to use in Alfabet.

(Optional) Task 3: To review out-of-the-box field mappings

The mappings between Alfabet and BMC Helix CMDB are a straighforward one to one mapping.

Alfabet Field	CMDB Field
Name	Name
Version	VersionNumber
Description	Description
Start Date	StartAvailability
End Date	EndAvailability
Object Status	ImpactStatus