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Version: 11.0

ITSM Configuration

Resolve Insights can be integrated with ITSM systems like Cherwell and Service Now for the purpose of keeping their databases in sync with the Insights inventory. ITSM integration allows for an easier management of hybrid cloud environments.

Configuring ServiceNow ITSM​

Insights supports the CMDB features of ServiceNow.

After making the connection settings here, see ::title to learn how to set up ServiceNow for use with Insights DB fields and how to push devices and other Insights data to the CMDB.

Take the following steps to integrate ServiceNow:

  1. Log in to Insights using an Admin-role user.
  2. Navigate to Settings > ITSM Configuration.
  3. From the Select Service drop-down list, select Service Now.
  4. In the Username field, enter your ServiceNow username.
  5. In the Password field, enter your ServiceNow password.
  6. In the URL field, enter the ServiceNow URL.
  7. (Optional) Set up a proxy for your connection to ServiceNow:
    1. In Proxy Host, enter the IP address or hostname of your proxy server.
    2. In Proxy Host Port, enter the port number to use when connecting to the proxy server.
    3. In Proxy User, enter the username for the proxy server in case it requires authentication.
    4. In Proxy Password, enter the password for the proxy server in case it requires authentication.
  8. Specify a method for synchronizing your Inventory with ServiceNow:
    1. Manual—No data will be pushed to ServiceNow unless you do it manually from the Inventory.
      You can set the following options for manual push:
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to ServiceNow.
    2. Auto—Inventory data will be synchronized to ServiceNow as soon as it is discovered. Note that synchronization starts as soon as you click Save.
      You can set the following options for automatic push:
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to ServiceNow.
      • Push only if item has been manually pushed at-least once—Postpone the automatic push for a device until you push it manually. As soon as you do that, the device will continue to be synchronized automatically.
    3. Schedule—Inventory data will be batched and finally synchronized when the next scheduled run comes.
      You can set the following options for scheduled push:
      • Start Datetime—The data and time when you want the schedule to start. This will be the first run of the schedule.
      • Interval(in minutes)—The time interval between scheduled runs, in minutes.
      • Command—Full path to an optional command to execute on the batched data before sending it over to ServiceNow. You must copy the executable to every NCE node in your cluster.
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to ServiceNow.
  9. Click Test to test the connection.
  10. Click Save.
    ServiceNow is integrated with Insights.

When the devices are pushed to the ServiceNow CMDB, you can see the schedules on the Inventory > CMDB Schedule screen. Click on a request to view the job status for each device.

Configuring Cherwell ITSM​

Insights supports the CMDB features of Cherwell.

After making the connection settings here, see ::title to learn how to set up Cherwell for use with Insights DB fields and how to push devices and other Insights data to the CMDB.

Take the following steps to integrate Cherwell:

  1. Log in to Insights using an Admin-role user.
  2. Navigate to Settings > ITSM Configuration.
  3. From the Select Service drop-down list, select Cherwell.
  4. In the Username field, enter the username of a Cherwell account in the Admin Security Group.
  5. In the Password field, enter the password of the Cherwell account.
  6. In the URL field, enter the Cherwell REST API URL.
  7. In the Client ID field, enter the Cherwell REST API key.
    note

    If you ever have to regenerate the Cherwell REST API key, ensure that you update it here.

  8. In the Client Secret field, enter the client secret value issued by Cherwell.
  9. Specify a method for synchronizing your Inventory with Cherwell:
    1. Manual—No data will be pushed to Cherwell unless you do it manually from the Inventory.
      You can set the following options for manual push:
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to Cherwell.
    2. Auto—Inventory data will be synchronized to Cherwell as soon as it is discovered. Note that synchronization starts as soon as you click Save.
      You can set the following options for automatic push:
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to Cherwell.
      • Push only if item has been manually pushed at-least once—Postpone the automatic push for a device until you push it manually. As soon as you do that, the device will continue to be synchronized automatically.
    3. Schedule——Inventory data will be batched and finally synchronized when the next scheduled run comes.
      You can set the following options for scheduled push:
      • Start Datetime—The data and time when you want the schedule to start. This will be the first run of the schedule.
      • Interval(in minutes)—The time interval between scheduled runs, in minutes.
      • Command—Full path to an optional command to execute on the batched data before sending it over to ServiceNow. You must copy the executable to every NCE node in your cluster.
      • Push Application to CMDB—Whether to add Insights applications to the data set synchronized to Cherwell.
  10. Click Test to test the connection.
  11. Click Save.
    Cherwell is integrated with Insights.

When the devices are pushed to the Cherwell CMDB, you can see the schedules on the Inventory > CMDB Schedule screen. Click on a request to view the job status for each device.

Resetting Device IDs​

For every device pushed to CMDB, Insights maintains a unique System ID and uses it to determine if the device has been pushed before. When resetting your CMDB instance (deleting all records) you also need to delete the System IDs from Insights, otherwise pushing to CMDB will not work as intended.

caution

This action cannot be reverted.

Take these steps to delete the System IDs for all devices from Insights:

  1. Navigate to Settings > ITSM Configuration.
    The ITSM Configuration page is displayed.
  2. Select the desired ticketing system from the Select Service drop down list.
  3. Click Reset and then confirm the deletion.

If you go to the Inventory > Table View after resetting the System IDs, you will see that the CMDB System ID column in the Device table is empty. In addition, all schedules under CMDB Schedules will be deleted.

Viewing the Next Scheduled Run Time​

When you have set up your ITSM integration to push device information on schedule, you can view when the next scheduled run for a particular device is in the Inventory.

Take these steps to view the next scheduled run time for a particular device:

  1. Go to Inventory > Table View.
  2. In the device's row, in the first (actions) column, hover your mouse over the clock icon.

The tool tip displays the time when the next scheduled run will perform a push to the CMDB.