Configuring data sources for request-based and availability service targets

Use the following procedure to configure service target data sources for custom AR System applications that use request-based or availability service targets and advanced features in a server group environment.

To configure a data source for a request-based or availability service target

1. From the Application Administration Console, select Service Level Management > Configure Application Settings > Data Sources.

2. On the Configure Service Target Data Source form, under Data Source Settings, select the Basic tab, and complete the following fields:

   Field	Description
   Data Source/ App Form	Select a Data Source/ App Form. A data source is used for performance-monitoring service targets. An application form is used for request-based, availability, CI Outage, or compliance-only service targets. You can select any form on the AR System server. (In the case of compliance-only service targets, you must use a view form, in the case of CI Outage service targets, you can use the form AST:CI Unavailability.)
   Data Source Display As	You can use a different name (alias) for the data source form that you selected for the Data Source/App Form field. This option determines how the data source name is displayed when you are creating or modifying service targets; the name appears in the Applies To selection field during the service target definition.
   Data Source Instance ID	By default, this field has a 38-character GUID. You can use your own GUID or unique ID. Important: We recommend that you use a friendly GUID, similar to the Data Source/App Form name (for example, HELP_DESK_FORM_ID).
   Data Source Type	The Data Source Type is determined by the Data Source selected in the table. Data sources can be any of the following types: AR System Application Form, Performance-Monitoring Data Source and Compliance-Only Data Source.
   Field As Unique Identifier	For AR System Application Form source types only, select Field As Unique Identifier. You can select a Unique ID field on the application form. When you submit or modify an entry in the application form, the filters search for a match on the submit or modify measurement records using the Unique Identifier field. Important: The Field As Unique Identifier field on the data source/app form must have the same value on both the source and destination servers for the export and import functions to work. It only applies to the type of service target that uses a AR System Application form.

   Important

   For CI Outage service targets, you select the fields on the AST:CI Unavailability form that will supply the data for recording outages. You can use the fields on the form supplied with BMC SLM, the AST:CI Unavailability form, or use fields on a customized form.

3. For Request-Based service targets, select the Request-Based tab, and complete the following fields:

   Field	Description
   Field Containing Record Assignment	You can specify a field on the application form that stores the name of the person to whom the request is assigned. This enables you to track how long each assignee spends on the request.
   Start Time for Request-Based service targets.	You can specify the application form field that stores the time when the Start When measurement criteria is met. If this field is blank, it uses the system time to as the start time when the measurement criteria is met. For more information, see Setting-dynamic-goals-for-service-targets.
   Reference Goal for Request-Based service targets	You can specify an application form field that stores the goal time value, this goal time value is used to determine the service target Due Date. If this field is blank, the system uses the goal time as specified on the service target to calculate the service target Due Date.
   Use End Time.	Select or clear the Use End Time check box depending on your preference. If the check box is cleared, the system uses the application form field specified in the Reference Goal for Request-Based service target field to calculate the service target Due Date. For more information, see Setting-dynamic-goals-for-service-targets.
   Reset Goal for Same Request When.	You can specify the criteria to be met before the measurements for the request restart. When these criteria are met, the measurement metrics are reset to zero; the current measurement record is closed and a new one is opened with a new goal. This feature can be used for Operational Level Agreements to determine how quickly support personnel respond to recurring events. To use the Qualification Builder to define the criteria, click Define and enter the appropriate information. For more information, see Resetting-goals-for-the-same-request.
   Reference End Goal for Request-Based service target	This field only appears if you selected the Use End Time check box. You can specify an application form field that stores the end goal value, this end goal value is used to determine the due date for the service target (service target Due Date). If this field is blank, the system uses the goal time specified on the service target to calculate the service target Due Date.
   Reference Date/Time for Availability Events	This field allows you to specify a Date/Time field that is used as a reference time to record the change in status to meet the Available When or Unavailable When conditions for an Availability service target. If there is no entry here, the system time is used. You must configure a field on the application form to hold the date and time.

4. Select the MSP/Business Time tab, and complete the following fields.

   Field	Description
   Is Your Application Using MSP?	Select Yes or No from the menu to indicate whether your application is using MSP. If you select Yes, you must select a Field Used for Group Access. When a request is submitted, BMC SLM must know which field is to gather the user groups information. This data is placed in the SLM Measurement form to provide row level security for these records. This field is also used in the service target association record to determine if the group on the request is entitled to the service target with matching terms and conditions.
   SLA Type Reference Field	You enter a field that holds the business entity for service targets of type Service Level Agreement (SLA). Important: When you update the SLA Type Reference Field, the business entity on an existing SLM:Measurement record does not get updated and will not trigger a recalculation of the due date and milestones based on this new business entity. This behavior is in contrast to the OLA Type Reference Field where any update triggers a switch to the new business entity on an existing SLM:Measurement record and also triggers a recalculation of the due date and scheduled milestones.
   OLA Type Reference Field	You enter a field that holds the business entity for Operational Level Agreements (OLA).

5. Select the Advanced tab, and complete the following fields.

   Field	Description
   Qualification Builder Form	You can select from the available forms on the menu. Select a form that has been designed to contain the fields you want to use in service target qualifications. If you do not select one, you can use the standard qualification builder when creating service targets.
   Service Target Execution Order	Select a number for the Service Target Execution Order. This allows the administrator to change the execution order. Filters built for a service target use a maximum range of 10 execution orders.
   Milestone Execution Order	Select a number for the Milestone Execution Order field. If you select an execution order greater than 880, you must change the execution order of the following two filters in the action template for BMC Service Desk: Incident Management: HPD:INC:NTSLAAssignGrp_881_SetTag HPD:INC:NTSLAAssignee_884_SetTag Increase the execution order of these two filters to numbers higher than those set for Service Level Management Milestone filters, otherwise they will not fire.
   Create Fields and Join Form	If you select Yes, the join form for the application form is used for reporting. It is created with the service target appended to the application form name. The default field entry is Yes. It is set to No after the join form is created.
   Fields and Join Form Create Status	This read-only field displays the status of your fields and join form. After the AR System Application form is configured it displays Created Successfully. Important: When exporting a service target from the source AR System server to the destination server, a matching entry for the Configure Data Source is very important, especially the Field As Unique Identifier. The field selected in The Field As Unique Identifier field must be the same in both the source and destination servers that are using the same application form.

6. On the Administration tab, you can view the Data Source settings that have been configured.
    The Administration table displays the Rule Name, Status and Rule Build Status. Modify settings by selecting the Rule Name and clicking View.
   
   To display items, right click in the table and select Refresh.