How to import locations from a data file
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How to import locations from a data file

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Article ID: 181508

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Updated On:

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CMDB Solution

Issue/Introduction

 

Resolution

A Data Connector import rule can be used to import CMDB locations from a data file. The following instructions describe how this can work. Note: The following instructions can be adapted by the customer to import other associated asset types as well, such as departments.

Part 1: Create a Data File

The customer will need to generate their own .CSV or Excel file that contains a list of the locations they wish to import. Depending on the data classes that are desired to be imported, this file's contents can be as simple as just having the location names, to having many fields. The following provides examples of two different .CSV files that can be used to import locations:

Basic data file
Location Name
Los Angeles
New York

This example includes the column name of "Location Name" with two records to import that only include the location's names.

Complex data file
Location Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Location Manager
Los Angeles, 1000 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, Jim Smith
New York, 100 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, 10003, Janet Davis

This example includes multiple column names with two records that have values for the columns.

Part 2: Create a Data Source
 

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, click on the Settings button > All Settings.
  2. Click to expand the folders Notification Server > Connector > Data Sources.
  3. Right click on the Data Sources folder and then click on New > CSV File Data Source. Note: The remainder of these instructions refer to using a .CSV file. If an Excel data file is used instead, instead use an OLEDB data source, and make the appropriate changes in the data source as applicable.
  4. Click in the New CSV File Data Source title at the top of the data source page to change its name.
  5. Click on the "Allow import" check box to enable it.
  6. Click on the Browse button for the "Import from file" field.
  7. Locate and select the data file created in Part 1, and then click on the Open button.
  8. Click on the "View import data" to verify that the columns and data records appear as expected. If not, adjust the data file accordingly.
  9. Click on the "Save changes" button. The data source should then look similar to the following example:

 
Part 3: Create an Import Rule
 

  1. In the Symantec Management Platform Console, still in All Settings from Part 2, click to expand the folder Import/Export Rules.
  2. Right click on the Import/Export Rules folder and then click on New > Resource Import Export Rule.
  3. Click in the New Resource Import Rule title at the top of the import rule page to change its name.
  4. Click on the "Data source" drop-down list and select the data source created in Part 2.
  5. Click on the "Resource type" drop-down list and select the type of resource to import, such as Location or Department. The remainder of these instructions will use Location.
  6. Click on the "Resource lookup key" drop-down list and select Resource Name.
  7. Click on the Name drop-down list and select the column name from the data file that was used for Locations, such as Location Name.
  8. The "Resource name" drop-down list should now be set to the Name field's value (and disabled from being able to be manually changed). If not, click on the "Save changes" button to refresh this field's value.
  9. Steps 1 through 8 are all that's needed to import Locations. The customer can choose to also assign any additional data classes and associations as desired or leave them blank if not desired. For example, the basic import screenshot below demonstrates how to just import location names, and the complex import screenshot below demonstrates how to import the location names along with setting up some data class mappings and associations.

    Basic import data file import rule

     

    Complex import data file import rule

     
      
     
  10. Click on the "Save changes" button.
  11. Click on the "Test rule" button. The Connector Rule Run Status window appears. Note: Before running this on a production server, ensure that the "Test rule" button is used to verify that the data to be imported is what is expected.
  12. When ready to begin a live import, click on the "Run now" button. This imports the location data in as new CMDB locations. Note: Importing locations does not automatically associate them with a computer or user. This is a separate and not an automatic process. Refer to the following article for more information about how to do this:

    How to create locations and automatically assign them to computers or users
    181507



Additional Information

How to use Data Connector to import data into the Symantec Management Platform database
181160

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