How to model Application / Server dependencies in Kace
Want to see if we can leverage KACE for a configuration management database. Looking to be able to establish application / server dependencies and parent/child relationships between application services and the infrastructure components which are needed for those services. In some cases there will be KACE asset records for the specific servers themselves, but in other cases we may want to connect multiple servers as, for example, a load balanced pool. And separately, if an application has multiple tiers (web servers, application servers, database servers, etc) we would want to be able to link those tiers to the application. And then we would want to be able to view / report on those relationships when it came time for things like change management impact, etc.
Is there a white paper or some other best practice on how to do this with the K1000? Thank you in advance for any ideas or pointers.
Is there a white paper or some other best practice on how to do this with the K1000? Thank you in advance for any ideas or pointers.
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Posted by:
Hobbsy
8 years ago
The challenge that you have is that at the moment the Asset data within KACE remains pretty static. Whilst it is perfectly possible to create a "Service" Asset type and to link other child Assets such as Servers to the Service to form configurations, there is no active way for keeping those links updated or for reporting on items such as availability of the service.
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thanks, for now just looking to be able to establish and query/report on multiple levels of parent-child relationships, so that, for example, we could be able to quickly see all the upward and downward connections a particular configuration item (e.g. server) affects. Ultimatley we may want to get a high end CMDB type system, but would love to leverage Kace in the short term. thanks - aseccurra 8 years ago
Posted by:
Hobbsy
8 years ago
In 6.3 this is only possible to do with Assets of the same type, which limits the functionality that you want to have. If you want to add in Parent and Child links between assets, then just add the parent field into the Asset type, you will then be able to go to the individual Device Asset and select the Parent.
6.4 may bring us some variations on a them around Assets and Types but until it is released we cannot be certain.
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thanks, I appreciate the insight. Wondering why they would limit parent-child relationships to remain within an asset type. Also wondering how far the KACE marketing and development teams will go with ITIL type capabilities such as CMDB linkages reaching from the Business Service itself all the way down to the lowest level configuration item. Seems the Service Desk module would need to track calls on a business service, yet the issue may very well be with a lower tier infrastructure component. Seems like something logical to add to the KACE suite. - aseccurra 8 years ago
