Asset name changes in CMDB import rules appear inconsistent across console views and database records in ITMS 8.8.1

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

When a CMDB import rule is used to rename an asset in IT Management Suite (ITMS), the task completes without errors. Notification Server logs show no failures, and the new asset name appears correctly in the Edit Asset view and in Resource Manager. However, SMP console reports continue to display the old asset name, and direct SQL queries confirm the internal database record was not updated.

Pages used with Data Connector Solution to configure this CMDB Import Rule:

• Settings>All Settings>Notification Server>Connector>New Data Source>OLEDB Data Source
• Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Connector > Import/Export Rules

Environment

ITMS 8.8.1

Data Connector Solution

Cause

The issue described in this KB article is not a defect or regression. It is working as expected. This behavior is caused by a deliberate architectural change introduced in ITMS 8.8.1. Resource naming is now split into two separate fields with distinct targets. A CMDB import rule that maps only one of these fields produces a partial update: the display name changes, but the internal database record does not.

A CMDB import rule is configured to map a source column to the Resource name field only. The Invariant name field is left unmapped. This updates the display name but leaves the internal resource name in the database unchanged.

The problem is in partial definition of name in the rule: 

We now allow changing the name of resources in a more complex way: first "Resource name" is only changing "Display Name", see the tooltip:

The second one - change internal resource name in DB:

This was done because sometimes all we want is only to import one of these.

Resolution

A change introduced with our ITMS 8.8.1 Release, it splits how resource names are processed during CMDB Import and Data Connector activities. The "Resource name" field now maps exclusively to the asset's Display Name, while the newly added "Invariant name" field controls the internal system/database resource name. If a CMDB import rule is configured to map only the "Resource name" and leaves the "Invariant name" field blank, a partial definition occurs. This results in data discrepancies where the display name changes in interactive console views but the internal database records and reports remain unchanged. 

What you need to know

This behavior is due to a designed architectural update rather than a product defect or regression. In ITMS 8.8.1, users are allowed to modify resource names in a more complex, granular way to support scenarios where only a display name or an internal name needs to be modified.

• Resource name: Maps only to the asset's Display Name.

• Invariant name: Maps to the internal Resource Name in the Database.

If a CMDB Import Rule only maps a data source column to the Resource name and leaves the Invariant name field empty, the database records and report queries (which pull from the internal resource name tables) will not update, creating an inconsistent presentation across platform components.

Now, it is possible to have both: internal resource name (as 'Invariant Name') and resource name, that is used as 'display name')

Example # 1 : importing from data source with both names:

Example # 2 : exporting both names into csv:

 

Update the CMDB import rule to map the source column containing the new asset name to both of the following target fields:

• Resource name (Handles the Display Name component)

• Invariant name (Handles the internal DB resource name component)

Both fields must be mapped for the name change to propagate consistently across console views, reports, and database records.

Steps

1. Open the SMP console and navigate to  Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Connector > Import/Export Rules.
2. Open the CMDB import rule that is producing the inconsistent behavior.
3. Locate the source column that contains the new asset name.
4. Confirm it is currently mapped to Resource name.
5. Add a second mapping from the same source column to Invariant name.
6. Save the rule.
7. Re-run the import.