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Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

  • 1.  Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted Apr 26, 2016 12:09 PM

    We are using the UIM CASDGTW Service Desk Gateway Probe to open/update tickets in UIM. Ticket ID (or Incident Id) is saved in UIM in custom_1. Is there a way to see this data in SOI - as it does not show up in the event store raw data, and there's no mention of it in the SOI UIM connector policy files. We would like to see the user user_tag data as well.



  • 2.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted Apr 29, 2016 09:21 AM

    Hi Brian,

     

    yes, with the latest version of the UIM Connector (3.5) you can map this data to an Alert attribute in SOI.

    Edit the UIM Connector Policy and add the following lines:

    in the <Format> section add the mapping  (be awar of the spelling of these atrributes):

     

      <Field conditional="user_tag1" output='userAttribute1' format='{0}' input='user_tag1' />

      <Field conditional="custom1" output='userAttribute2' format='{0}' input='custom1' />

     

    and at the end of the "Alert" class add:

      <Write>

         <Field type='publishcache' properties='*' />

      </Write>

     

    This block is required to pass additional attributes, which are not handled in the Global Policy, to the output stream.

     

    If you have any further questions, you can contact me.

     

    MichaelBoehm



  • 3.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted Apr 29, 2016 02:40 PM

    Brian,

     

    The way I was able to customize the UIM Connector in SOI was to go on the Connector server & go to this log file:

    E:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Catalyst\CatalystConnector\container\data\log\EIDebugData\CA_00050_[UIM-HUB-SERVER]_Alert.log

    In here I an able to see the Alarms from UIM that come into SOI & then know which fields are available (the connector for UIM is not as customizable as some of the other Connectors, like Spectrum). This will show you all the possible fields that you can choose from. I don't see CUSTOM1 on my server.

    Example:

    <property name="user_tag2" value="Tag2"/>

    <property name="user_tag1" value="Tag1"/>

     

    Now that you know user_tag1 & user_tag2 fields are in here, you can customize the policy file: E:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Catalyst\CatalystConnector\registry\topology\physical\[SOI-Connector-Server]_CatalystConnector\modules\policy\nimsoftconnector_policy.xml in the ALERT section:

       <!-- UIM Customizations -->

       <Field conditional='origin' output='userAttribute1' format='{0}' input='origin' />

       <Field conditional='user_tag1' output='userAttribute2' format='{0}' input='user_tag1' />

       <Field conditional='user_tag2' output='userAttribute3' format='{0}' input='user_tag2' />

    You will need to Stop/Start the CA Catalyst Container CatalystConnector service to make the changes take effect.

     

    If you want to get fancy on the One-Click console & change the column names, go to the UI server and find this folder: E:\Program Files (x86)\CA\SOI\SamUI\webapps\sam\WEB-INF\alarm\config Then there is a file for each field: column-userDefined1-config.xml, column-userDefined2-config.xml, & column-userDefined3-config.xml

    Change the line: <name>com.aprisma.spectrum.app.alarm.client.detail.USERATTRIBUTE1</name>

    TO: <name>Origin</name>

    Change the line: <name>com.aprisma.spectrum.app.alarm.client.detail.USERATTRIBUTE2</name>

    TO: <name>User_Tag1</name>

    Change the line: <name>com.aprisma.spectrum.app.alarm.client.detail.USERATTRIBUTE2</name>

    TO: <name>User_Tag2</name>

    Then you need to Quit & restart One-Click to see the new columns names in the Alert Queues (they will most likely be hidden until you select those columns to view).

     

    I hope this Helps you with SOI Alert Queues for UIM Alerts.

     

    I'm still having some issues customizing my UIM Alerts on the UIM Side.

    That's why I've been testing with customizing the Controller Probe & the Origin/User Tag1/User Tag 2 fields. I even added an "Idea" for adding a Controller Probe Template in UIM in the new MCS (Monitoring Configuration Service) utility. [Add a Template for the Controller Probe to the UIM Monitoring Configuration Service (MCS) ]

     

    Thanks,

    Mike



  • 4.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 02, 2016 05:55 AM

    Hi Mike,

     

    thanks for this great summary of steps how to configure the mapping.

     

    The custom1 field is only shown in the list of Alert properties if it is set.

    I assume you dont make use of that in your environment.

     

    MichaelBoehm



  • 5.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 02, 2016 01:58 PM

    Michael,

    Currently I don't make use of Custom1-5 fields in UIM, but it's strange that I don't see them in the CA_00050_[UIM-HUB-SERVER]_Alert.log file on the SOI Connector. Someone once told me that only the fields listed in that file could be customized because not all UIM Fields were mapped in the UIM Connector.

    How do most people utilize those Custom1 fields in UIM? Would you say via Lua scripts? Or would you say some sort of Alarm Enrichment setup?

    Really I would like to have a database which lists server, probe, and alarm profile (ex: C:\ or the name of a Windows Service, etc...) then when it finds a match, look into the DB & find the name of the Service Desk group to assign the ticket (along with the Priority of the ticket & the Request Area), or the DL to send an e-mail or both & then have SOI send the appropriate Alerts using variables containing the appropriate info, rather than having hundreds of individual Escalation Policies & Actions.

    Regards,

    Mike



  • 6.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 03, 2016 03:01 AM

    Hi Mike,

    it is not "strange" that you dont see these fields in the log: Only fields which are set (e.g. have a value) are shown in this log-  All the empty ones are not shown.

    Thus, as soon as you make use of these fields, they will also be shown in the log.

    In general, all Alert properties are available in the Connector for mapping (if they are set).

     

    Most scenarios I know are setting the values via enrichment.

    You can create your scenario either in UIM (via enrichment) or in SOI (also via enrichment).

    The major task would be to create the DB you are talking about to provide the knowledge of who is responsible for what, down to a granular level to contain all elements you are monitoring, or at least to a level that fits your purpose.

    Once you have that defined, you can read the values and put them into attributes and make use of them in your escalation policies.

     

    If you need more information about how to define enrichment in UIM or SOI, let me know.

     

    MichaelBoehm



  • 7.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 03, 2016 10:28 AM

    Michael, just want to make sure but these fields are NOT two way right? What I mean is I want a way to populate the User1 and User 2 columns in UIM with values that get populated on the SOI Side. The issue being there is no syncage between SOI & UIM with regards to updating the alarm on the SOI side with say a Ticket # or who's it assigned to. I'd want to populate the USER_1 on the UIM side with the Ticket # from the SOI Ticket column side.

    This isn't possible in the GA UIM Connector is it?



  • 8.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 03, 2016 10:38 AM

    Hi Dan,

     

    you are totally correct - we don't have any southbound synchronization of these values from SOI to UIM.

     

    MichaelBoehm



  • 9.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?

    Posted May 04, 2016 12:27 PM

    To further steer my original request - we are ultimately searching for a way to update alerts that SOI gets from UIM with the ticket id that UIM assigns. In our environment, we have SOI integrated with Service Desk and ticketing on some alert types. We also have UIM integrated with (the same) Service Desk and it is ticketing a different set of alerts. When those UIM alerts show up in SOI, they do not contain any ticket information.

     

    Using a connector policy modification, as suggested in the comments, we can map the ticket id in custom1 to a SOI UserAttribute. Then, using an Escalation policy and Update-Alert action, we can set TicketId from the UserAttribute. What we cannot yet do is set TicketURL so that the displayed TicketId could launch-in-context to ServiceDesk. We could update TicketURL via SQL, or possibly via rest as an additional action - but it would be nicer if we could just set this value in the Update-Alert action.



  • 10.  Re: Can we get UIM custom_1 data from the UIM Connector?
    Best Answer

    Posted May 04, 2016 02:50 PM

    So in your UIM connector policy file, in the nimsoft-soi-connector-policy.xml (I'm using the Global Deliver version. not sure if name is the same as the GA UIM Connector) in my

    C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\Catalyst\CatalystConnector\registry\topology\physical\<BOX_NAME>_CatalystConnector\modules\policy

    In the 

       <EventClass name='Alert'>

    section, in the <FORMAT> block, add: 

       <Field conditional='user_tag1' output='userAttribute5' format='UIM User Tag1: {0}' input='user_tag1' />

       <Field conditional='user_tag2' output='userAttribute6' format='UIM User Tag2: {0}' input='user_tag2' />

    which would map the UIM Alerts if the User Tags are filled in on the UIIM side would map to those columns in the SOI side on the respective alerts.

     

    To concat them together into one column:

       <Field output='userAttribute5' format='UIM User Tags: {0}/{1}' input='user_tag1,user_tag2' />