Discovering data dictionaries

Discovery is the process by which BMC Helix Data Manager gathers information from the AR System data dictionary. To perform accurate data migrations between source and target systems, it is important to understand the data models of those systems, including any customizations that have been applied. The example below shows discovery for an AR System server.

BMC Helix Data Manager Engine executes the discovery job and creates a snapshot of a source or target system that is called a data dictionary, the following data is held in a data dictionary:

Discovery is an essential step when setting up BMC Helix Data Manager to perform migrations against your source and target sources. Whenever changes are made to a source or target system and affect the data model (for example, adding a new field, removing a field, or changing a field length), you should run discovery to ensure that BMC Helix Data Manager has an accurate understanding of the data model. However, if you are applying a patch that only changes workflow, it is typically not necessary to run discovery.

To discover the data dictionary

1. Trigger discovery of the data dictionary for a registered system by any of the following methods:

   • From the Home page, click the image for the server, and select Discover Data Dictionary.
     
   • Select Configuration > Register & Configure Systems from the menu bar. Select the system, and select Action > Discover Data Dictionary.
   • From the System Admin page, select the system and select Action > Discover Data Dictionary.

   The following dialog box appears:
   
   The Set As Current check box is enabled by default. This automatically sets the discovered data dictionary as Current for this system. You can override this flag the System Administration interface. Only the Current data dictionary is available for migration packs.
   The Relationships check box is enabled by default. BMC Helix Data Manager views the relationships between the forms and workflow objects. The relationships appear in the data dictionaries that are displayed on the Relationships tab.
   The Database Size check box is disabled by default. If the check box is selected, more information is added in the discovery regarding the size of the database tables and their indexes on the disk.
   The Workflow check box is disabled by default. If the check box is selected, information about the workflow elements is stored in the repository to help a consultant determine the level of customization on a system.

2. Click Discover & Track to automatically open the page to track the progress of the Discovery.
   Click Discover to run the discovery without opening the tracking page.
   
3. To view the discovered data dictionary, click View Discovery.

Viewing a discovered data dictionary

1. Drill down on a particular source or target system from the Home page, or select Discovery & Analysis > Discovered Data Dictionaries.
2. To select a different data dictionary to explore, click Select at the top of the page.
   
3. For BMC Digital Workplace or BMC Innovation Suite data dictionaries, select the appropriate option from the Dictionary Set list.
4. To filter this list, type in the filter fields at the top of each column or sort the list by clicking the column headers. To select the data dictionary you want to explore, click on the table and click Select to confirm the choice.

You can access the following functions from the data dictionary page:

• Select Data Dictionary—Select from the list of data dictionaries to browse the discovered metadata.
• Browse Module—Browse the list of modules registered with the source or target server.
• Browse Forms, Fields & Indexes f Browse Relationships—Browse all forms, fields, and indexes that were discovered from the source or target system.
• Browse Relationships—Browse all relationships between the application's forms and review the data relationships that were inferred from the application's workflow.
• Link Remedy Systems—Associate source or target systems with a data dictionary.
• Remove Data Dictionary—Permanently delete a data dictionary.
• Rename Data Dictionary—Change the name of the data dictionary as it is displayed in BMC Helix Data Manager.
• Compare Data Dictionary—Compare two discovered data dictionaries to identify differences in the data model.
• Export Data Dictionary—Export a data dictionary to a metadata export file which can be shared between BMC Helix Data Manager installations.

You cannot modify any of the discovered data dictionary information held in BMC Helix Data Manager. This metadata can be updated only by performing a new discovery from the home page.

To review the list of modules and their versions

This procedure is applicable to Remedy application types only.

1. In BMC Helix Data Manager Workbench, select Discovery & Analysis > Discovered Data Dictionaries.
2. Select a data dictionary, and click Select.
3. Click the Modules tab.
   You can filter and sort the list by using the column headers.
   

To browse forms, fields, and indexes in a data dictionary

1. In BMC Helix Data Manager Workbench, select Discovery & Analysis > Discovered Data Dictionaries.
2. Select a data dictionary, and click Select.
3. (Remedy application types only) To filter the list of forms on the Forms & Fields tab, select the Base, Custom, and Overlay check boxes. For example, clear the Base check box to display only custom and overlaid forms.
   For relational databases and other source types, the Dictionary tab appears instead of the Forms & Fields tab. The Dictionary tab lists tables in the database.
4. To display the details for the table or the form including the type (Regular, Display Only, Vendor, and so on), schema ID and the form help text, click the Info tab.
   
5. To edit the form help text, use the buttons displayed on the right of the text.
   Click the pencil icon to edit the text, and click the check mark icon to confirm your changes, or click the cross to cancel without modifying the form help text.
6. To analyze the list of fields on the form or table:
   1. Click the Fields tab.
   2. Select a field from the list to display the core details for the field in the panel below.
      You can filter and sort the list by using the column headers.
   3. (Remedy application types only) To filter the list to identify customized fields in your application, select the No Overlay and Overlaid check boxes.
      
7. To show any Indexes that have been configured for a regular form, select the Indexes tab.

To browse discovered relationships

This procedure is applicable to Remedy application types only.

1. In BMC Helix Data Manager Workbench, select Discovery & Analysis > Discovered Data Dictionaries.
2. Select a data dictionary, and click Select.
3. Click the Relationships tab.
   Not all of these relationships are valid or useful in the context of data migration. BMC Helix Data Manager automates the process of interpreting these relationships into a data model that allows you to migrate data between source and target systems.
   
   The list of all forms for which BMC Helix Data Manager found any relationships appears in the upper left.
4. To filter or sort this list by the form name, use the column header.

5. To show the list of inwards and outwards relationships for that form, select a form from this list.
   The "directionality" of the relationship is based on the direction of data flow. Consider the following example relationships from the perspective of an individual form.

   Workflow type	Description	Relationship type
   Set Fields	Pulls data from a remote form into the local form.	Inwards
   Push Fields	Pushes data from the local form into a remote form.	Outwards
   Menu	Pulls one data field from a remote form into a single field on the local form.	Inwards
   Table Field	Typically shows a list of records related to the single local record implying a parent- child relationship.	Outwards

   To review all inwards and outwards relationships for a particular form, click the corresponding magnifying glass. An "inwards" relationship from another form is not synonymous with that form being a parent. The Relationship Analysis phase is when decisions about parent-child relationships are made.

6. To view the list of forms with no workflow relationships to other forms, click the No Discovered Relationships tab.