Configuring the dependency mapping
Overview
By default, the Dependency Map Settings navigation item, the dependencies between attributes and the Show Dependency Map action are disabled.
To be able to use the dependency mapping feature, you need to:
- enable the Dependency Map Settings navigation item under User Interface > Navigation Items in the Administration application;
- enable the Show Dependency Map action under User Interface > Actions in the Administration application.
Configuring the dependency mapping
After you enable it, the Dependency Map Settings navigation item becomes available in the Master Data application. Open this dialog for editing to set up which dependencies should be tracked.
On the Mappings tab of the dialog, there are two settings with default values:
- Allowed Configuration Items for Object Class Dependency. By default this setting contains a list of all objects for which dependencies can be set on the Dependencies tab of the object dialog. The Show Dependency Map action will display such dependencies along with the dependencies from attribute mapping that is described below.
You can exclude an object if the action should not consider dependencies set in the dialog of the corresponding object.
- Dependency Attribute Mapping. This is a list of all relations between configuration items that are tracked by the dependency mapping. By default they are disabled.
To enable the required dependency mappings, click a dependency mapping record from the grid to open its dialog. Select the Enabled checkbox and click Finish to save the changes.
You can also add relations to this grid. Any relation between objects in the system can be configured as a dependency.
On the Display tab of the dialog, you can adjust the visual display of configuration items on the dependency map:
- In the Configuration Item field, select an object.
- Now you can set a specific icon for this object in the Icon field.
- In the Display Expression field, you can set a display expression that will be used to label this object on the dependency map.
Adding a new dependency mapping
Any relation between objects can be set up as a dependency. To create a new dependency mapping:
- Run the Create new item action from the Dependency Attribute Mapping grid.
- In the opened dialog, select the Data Definition whose relation you want to add.
- If you select the Choose a relation from the list radio button, you will see a drop down field with relations of this data definition. Choose the appropriate relation.
- If you select the Provide expression for relation radio button, you will be able to enter an ASQL expression for the relation.
- In the Allowed Configuration Items field, select a configuration item for which this dependency mapping will be valid.
- Use the Type field to set the type of dependency. For certain types the direction of dependency can also be set.
- You can also select the layer of dependency in the corresponding field. A layer represents the level of infrastructure connected to the selected dependency.
A layer can be set only for new dependencies. All pre-defined dependencies come with the Unknown layer.
Choosing colours for dependency lines in the Show Dependency Map wizard
You can configure the color of a dependency line for different layers. To adjust colours for different layers:
- Go to the Administration application and open the Schema > Data Definition > Pickups navigation item.
- Find the Service Pickup Dependency Layer pickup.
- Open it for editing and adjust colours on the Data tab of the dialog.
As a result, dependency lines of each layer will have the selected color.
Adding custom configuration items to the dependency mapping
To enable the dependency mapping for custom CIs, the relation between them needs to be set up from both sides.
Example
You have a custom configuration item Business Application with data definition TSTBusinessApplicationClassBase which has an attribute and a relation:
- Attribute: Name
- Relation: Host (n:m to SPSComputerClassBase)
If you want to include the business application to the dependency map for computers, you need to set up two relations:
- Relation starting from the Computer configuration item
- Relation starting from the Business Application configuration item