Running a merge rule results in merges of resources that were not expected to be merged

Products

• IT Management Suite
• Asset Management Solution
• CMDB Solution

Issue/Introduction

When running a CMDB merge rule (Duplicate Computer Merge or Resource Merge Rule), certain resources were merged that were not expected to.

Cause

This is working as designed. Both CMDB merge rules will, by default, evaluate all applicable resources and merge them, regardless of their Status (e.g., Retired), computer type designation (e.g., workstation, server) or other criteria.

Resolution

To change this behavior, set up an exclusion filter to remove certain resources from being evaluated for merging.
 

1. In a Symantec Management Platform Console, click on the Manage button > Jobs and Tasks.
2. Click on to expand the Service and Asset Management > CMDB folders.
3. Click on the desired merge rule to use, either Duplicate Computer Merge or Resource Merge Rule.
4. In the "Resources to exclude" field, click on the "Select filters" link.
5. Click to select a filter. Note: If a filter does not exist for the resources to exclude, the user must make a custom filter first under Manage > Jobs and Tasks > Filters. Examples of how to make a custom filter are not discussed in this article. Information on how to create a custom filter can be found in the Symantec Management Platform User's Guide, starting on page 385:
   
   Symantec Management Platform 7.1 SP2 User Guide
   http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4730
    
6. Click on the ">" button.
7. Click on the OK button.
8. Click on the "Save changes" button.
9. Click on the New Schedule button. Note: This must be done regardless on if there is already a prior schedule, as this will not use the exclusion filter.
10. Select a schedule to use or select "Now".
11. Click on the Schedule button.
12. The merge rule then runs on the schedule or "Now". After it completes, the resources from the exclusion should not have been evaluated and even if they contain duplicates that would have been approved for merging, are left unmerged.
     

Note: Merged resources cannot be recovered once they are merged. The only way to "recover" these would therefore be a database restore before they were merged.