'Lightweight' replication and centralized reporting using 'Summary Generator' item class.

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

There are situations when it is needed to replicate a very specific set of data from one Notification Server to another. For example, you need to replicate data that is being generated by a custom query configured to run on a custom schedule. What is the 'easiest' way to do this?

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Resolution

"Summary Generator" items were introduced in Notification Server 7.0 (NS). 

If you run the following query against the Symantec_CMDB, a few Summary Generator items will be returned depending on the IT Management Suite (ITMS) Solutions you have installed. 

select * from vItem where ClassGuid ='38594257-051E-4162-8513-65F269AE9918'

 Let's review the structure of "2A4E0117-2757-48D2-911A-A4CF5F2C96AB / Hardware Summary Generator" item as an example. What are the most import fields?

1. Export the item using the ExportImport utility:

"C:\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\Bin\Tools\ImportExportUtil.exe" /export {2A4E0117-2757-48D2-911A-A4CF5F2C96AB} c:/

2. Open it with Notepad++, for example: 

<name> - item name
item guid - item guid
 <sharedSchedule> and <enabled> - used to configure a schedule when the generator item will execute the pre-configured stored procedure
 <storedProcedure> - a pre-configured set of SQL statements that will be executed by the generator
      Format -  <name>sp_Name</name>
 <dataClass><name> and  <dataClass guid> - a pre-configured custom data class
      181379 Creating custom data classes
<purgeExistingRecordsOnUpdate> - a setting that allows to control obsolete data purge 

3. Create a custom stored procedure on all Notification Servers (i.e. create it in the corresponding Symantec_CMDBs) that will be used to replicate data from. You can use one of the existing stored procedures as a pattern. Verify the duration it take to complete the stored procedure. Try not to overload the SQL Server(s) with 'heavy' queries. Here's a Microsoft article that might help:
       Create a Stored Procedure

4. Create a custom data class on all Notification Servers that will be used to replicate data from and to:
       181379 Creating custom data classes

5. Export a Summary Generator class item (for example, 2A4E0117-2757-48D2-911A-A4CF5F2C96AB) -> modify it (modify the fields listed above) -> give it a unique GUID!!! ->  import it back to the NS Console. Verify it works by manually triggering the schedule item from Windows Task Scheduler.

6. Configure a standalone replication rule to replicate NS resource only (there is no need to replicate more resources) + the custom data class.

7. Create a custom report that will pull data from the replicated data class:
       178692 How to Create a Custom Report or Filter for Computers with Specific Software

8. Using this approach, you replicate 'text data' only, i.e. 'lightweight' replication. Resource keys will not be replicated. 

If you need to delete the item(s):

- Change the attribute to 'Normal' = 0  it Item table manually

- Detete the item using the ItemToDelete table (per the KB below) and then run the NS.Quarter-Hour task in Windows Task Scheduler.
       181765 Deleting large amounts of computers from the Symantec Management Platform database