Create a Data Connector import rule to import Asset Management software purchases and software licenses
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Create a Data Connector import rule to import Asset Management software purchases and software licenses

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Article ID: 181159

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Updated On:

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Asset Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

This white paper describes how to create a Data Connector import rule to import Asset Management 7.x software purchases and software licenses that can then be used for software license compliancy.

Note: This article assumes that the user is familiar with how to create Data Connector data, data sources and import rules. 

Resolution


Part 1: Create the data and Data Connector data source that access it.

The user must have their software purchases and software licenses data available in files and then create Data Connector data sources to access them. Instructions on how to do both of these can be found in HOWTO79380. This will then result in:
 

  • A data file for software purchases. The minimum required columns are Name and Quantity.
  • A data file for software licenses.  The minimum required columns are Name, Software Purchase and Software Product.
  • A Data Connector data source that uses the data file for software purchases.
  • A Data Connector data source that uses the data file for software licenses.


Part 2: Create a Data Connector import rule to import software purchases.

Import the software purchases. These are needed first as the second import of the software licenses will tie into the newly imported software purchases.
 

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, click on Settings button > All Settings.
  2. Click on to expand the folders Notification Server > Connector > Import/Export Rules.
  3. Right click on the Import/Export Rules folder > New > Resource Import Export Rule.
  4. Click on the New Import Export Rule name and change this to a new name. For example "Import rule used for importing software purchases".
  5. Click on the "Data source" drop-down list and select the software purchases data source to use.
  6. Click on the "Resource type" drop-down list and select Software Purchase.
  7. Click on the "Resource lookup key" drop-down list and select Resource Name.
  8. Click on the Name drop-down list and select the column name that includes the names of the software purchases.
  9. In "Data class mappings", in the Software Purchase Details data class of Quantity, click on its source drop-down list and select the column name that includes the quantity values. Note: The values for Quantity must be at least 1 (non-null, non-zero).
  10. If other data classes or associations are desired to be imported, configure these accordingly.
  11. Click on the "Save changes" button. The import rule should now look similar to the following example, after the page refreshes:


     
  12. Click on the "Test rule" button. If issues occur, perform troubleshooting to resolve them.
  13. Once the test import works successfully, click on the "Run now" button.
  14. After the software purchases are imported, they can be spot checked by going to Home > Service and Asset Management > Software Licensing > Software Purchase.


Part 3: Create a Data Connector import rule to import software licenses.

Import the software licenses. These will tie to the newly imported software purchases and also to software products. Note: Software licenses should be imported after software purchases, otherwise the user will have to perform a second software license import later to tie them into the software purchases.
 

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, click on the Settings button > All Settings.
  2. Click on to expand the folders Notification Server > Connector > Import/Export Rules.
  3. Right-click on the Import/Export Rules folder > New > Resource Import Export Rule.
  4. Click on the New Import Export Rule name and change this to a new name. For example "Import rule used for importing software licenses".
  5. Click on the "Data source" drop-down list and select the software licenses data source to use.
  6. Click on the "Resource type" drop-down list and select Software License. Note: Software License is found under Contract.
  7. Click on the "Resource lookup key" drop-down list and select Resource Name.
  8. Click on the Name drop-down list and select the column name that includes the names of the software licenses.
  9. To see software purchases and software licenses in the Enhanced View (Manage > Software) for a managed software product, when using the Manage Licenses button, the Comment and Software License Details data classes must be configured. If the user won't be using the Enhanced View for this, however, step 9 can be skipped. To configure these data classes, the user can choose to include these as additional columns of data in their data file. Or, these can be configured to be blank, as the following sub-steps demonstrate how to do.

    a. In "Data class mappings", in the Comment data class, click on its Source drop-down list and select <Null>. Note: If Data Connector Solution 7.1 is used, the Comment data class is not needed to be configured, just the Software License Details data class, below. But for Data Connector 7.5, the Comment data class is needed to be configured.
    b. In the Software License Details data class, click on Maintenance Renewal Cost's Source drop-down list and select <Value>.
    c. In the Maintenance Renewal Cost's value field, enter 0.
     
  10. In "Association mappings", in the Software Purchase association, click on its "Lookup key" drop-down list and select Resource Name.
  11. In the Software Purchase association, click on its Name drop-down list and select the column that includes the software purchase values. Note: The Software Purchase names as specified in the software licensing data file must already exist as Software Purchase records, as found by going to Home > Service and Asset Management > Software Licensing > Software Purchase. These can be from a prior import, such as from Part 1, or from being manually created.
  12. In the Covered Software Product association, click on its "Lookup key" drop-down list and select Resource Name. 
  13. In the Covered Software Product association, click on its Name drop-down list and select the column that includes the software product names. Note: The Software Product names as specified in the software licensing data file must already exist as Software Product records, as found by going to Home > Service and Asset Management > Software Licensing > Software Product.
  14. If other data classes or associations are desired to be imported, configure these accordingly.
  15. Click on the "Save changes" button. The import rule should now look similar to the following example, after the page refreshes:


     
  16. Click on the "Test rule" button. If issues occur, perform troubleshooting to resolve them. If skipped rows occur, this is because either or both the software purchase name or software product name was not found. Double check the spelling of these in the data and that they exist literally as spelled there in Altiris, then re-run the test.
  17. Once the test import works successfully, click on the "Run now" button.
  18. After the software licenses are imported, they can be spot checked by going to Home > Service and Asset Management > Software Licensing > Software License.


Part 4: Run the Software Product Licensing Recalculation Task.
 

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, click on the Manage button > Jobs and Tasks.
  2. Click on to expand the folders System Jobs and Tasks > Service and Asset Management > Contract Management.
  3. Click on Software Product Licensing Recalculation Task.
  4. Click on the New Schedule button.
  5. Click on the Schedule button. Note: Ensure that this task is scheduled to run daily. By default, it is scheduled daily at 1:00 AM. Whenever significant new changes occur to software products or licenses, such as their import by using Data Connector, it is recommended to run this task manually. Otherwise, software license compliance reports will be out of date until the task next runs.


Part 5: Review any software license compliance reports.

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, click on the Reports button > All Reports.
  2. Click on to expand the folders Service and Asset Management > Contract Management > Software Licensing.
  3. Click on the desired software license compliance report, such as Software Product License Compliance.


Migrating Software Purchases and Software Licenses from an Old Notification Server

The above instructions can be used to migrate old Notification Server data to a new Notification Server by instead using an OLEDB data source, which points to the old database.


Additional Information

Related Articles

How to use Software Compliance
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleId=181658




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