When authoring reports in IT Analytics, it may be beneficial to combine data from two different cubes to achieve the desired result set. For example, an administrator may want to combine Patch Management with Asset data to easily identify the location of machines that require critical updates within the same report. Because IT Analytics is built on standard, proven technologies the process to combine data from two cubes into a single report is achievable with a consistent pattern through leveraging Microsoft Report Builder. The example below illustrates how to achieve this goal, without needing to understand the underlying schema or implement complex queries.
To complete this example, you will have to already have assigned assets to locations and you should at least have Report Builder 3.0 installed. Note that while SQL Server 2005 meets the minimum prerequisites for installation of IT Analytics, it will only include Report Builder 1.0. If possible, Symantec strongly recommends using SQL Server 2008 SP2 or higher to take advantage of new features included in Report Builder 3.0 for a more robust custom report authoring experience. For more information on using Report Builder, please see the Microsoft website.
=Lookup(Fields!Computer___Name.Value,Fields!Asset___Name.Value,Fields!Location___Name.Value, "AssetData")
You should see an abbreviated place holder in that cell within the table, which represents the expression.
Refresh your browser and expand the Reports folder.
Locate and select the report you just added.
IT Analytics provides users several ways to author custom reports, from simple drag-and-drop views to leveraging proven 3rd party applications (like Microsoft Report Builder), all in an effort to deliver flexible and robust reporting. This advanced authoring technique shows how users can tie data together from different cubes and expand reporting capabilities to meet various requirements, without needing to understand the CMDB schema or have advanced knowledge in developing SQL reports. This also opens the door to additional reporting possibilities utilizing various out-of-the-box cube combinations to help meet the business’ evolving report needs.
Thanks SK. I will contact them ASAP.
Regards,
The files attached to TECH197245 are most likely marked as internal, so you will need to contact support in order to obtain them.
Hi Bhagyesh,
We are deploying AMS and we also have been requested SW Compliance reporting from our managers. WE have problems due to Application Metering cube shows a higher number of computers than installed ones... I have tried to get the scripts related on TECH197245 but I can't find them... Have you solved this issue? How?
Thanks,
Darren,
Many thanks for your time and reply.
Here are my concerns cum issues.
( Important to mention that we are in a critical position where customer has purchased AMS for soft. lic. compliance purpose. This customer has 4 subsidaries under its IT Dept. and hence getting Soft. Lic. Compl. report by location or subsidary wise is the must have need from their Management.)
Now coming to the technicals..........
1] We have mapped Computers to Locations, Software Licenses to Software Purchase and all the pre-requisite configs for AMS and CMS
2] Out-of-Box report templates of Altiris CMS & AMS does not have any Soft. Compl. report that gives us option to select filter or location for compliance report. It rather gives a global or top view which is of no use as it gives combine license compliance report for all subsidaries. (We have central SMP managing 9000 nodes and there is no hierarchy or no child servers)
3] In IT Analytics > Reports, we found that you guys have given a report template named as "Software License Compliance by Location" This is what we actually want. But unfortunately, when we run this report, it displays only Purchased License Count and Compliance Count. Unfortunately the columns "Total Installed Count" & "Metered Usage" returns NULL value.
4] We reported this to Symantec Technical Support and they have then verified the same and released new KB article stating that it is the issue reported by us and tagged as KNOWN ISSUE. Pls see the link here... http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH197245&profileURL=https%3A%2F%2Fsymaccount-profile.symantec.com%2FSSO%2Findex.jsp%3FssoID%3D1353512530830P8cjBt3m4a0I7Sxf49sIZz904Cv0J95Dc98lX
5] Now if this is the product issue or limitation or product enhancement, then my question is we are already getting installed count and metered usage from IT Analytics`s "Application Metering", "Installed Software" cubes which belongs to CMS report pack. Therefore I do not think that getting our expected report needs product customization. I beleive that data is still there in CMDB by location/OPCO wise but we need the exact query/expression to get the desired result/report.
Tomorrow I will attach the screenshots showing what is the current status and what we want.
Till that time, your comments on my above points are highly obliged.
Thanks
Bhagyesh
Bhagyesh,
Appreciate your comments on this. Without seeing the exact reports and understanding all the columns, etc. it is somewhat difficult to diagnose this accurately. You may want to log this issue with support first to help determine the root cause of any potential issues.
That said, if you have found software compliance data you need in the Symantec CMDB but need location data from Asset, you can map up IT Analytics cube data with data in a table from a relational database. All you need is a unique identifier between the Asset cube and the table you're using to bring that data together to display in one report. It would be very similar to this example in Connect, just replace the Patch cube with the Assets cube and the custom inventory table with your software compliance table in the CMDB.
Hope that helps!
Darren
Dear Sir,
Thanks for the guidelines. I am currently facing an issue with IT Analytics 7.1 AMS report pack where the Software License Compliance Report by Location shows NULL output against Total Installed Count and Metered Usage columns. Can you please advice solution for this issue as we have virtually tried all the possible ways and queries. It seems that CMDB has those data but there is no way to display it.
On the contrary, if we try to generate this report from default Software Compliance Report, then it shows the Install count. The most common customer requirement is to get the license compliance report by Location/OPCO and this is what we are unfortunately not getting. Instead we are getting global view where the license count is added/summed together for each Location/OPCO to show as overall compliance report.
Pls advice
Regards