Integrating with Other Products › CA CMDB Integration › Define an Asset Extended Field

Define an Asset Extended Field

In this step to integrate CA APM and CA CMDB, CA APM can extend the fields on an asset within the context of asset families. The extended fields can be shared in CA APM. For example, a CA APM administrator can configure the Asset page and define an asset extended field to let users view and update a CI that is created in CA Service Desk Manager and CA CMDB.

Important! These steps work only the first-time you complete the wizard and define the asset extended field. Before you define the extended field, verify that you have the following information from the usp_owned_resource table in CA CMDB for reference: table name, format (character, boolean, currency, date, decimal, or integer), field name, attribute name, and field size. After you complete the wizard, you can configure the extended field like any field in CA APM.

Example: Define an Asset Extended Field for Warranty Start Date

In this example, you define an asset extended field for Warranty Start Date. In CA Service Desk Manager/CA CMDB on the Inventory tab, you view the label in the CI as Warranty Start Date. Next, you view the information for the associated nr_wrty_st_dt column from the usp_owned_resource table in CA CMDB. In this example, the nr_wrty_st_dt column format is integer, the field name is nr_wrty_st_dt, the attribute name is nr_wrty_st_dt, and the field size is 4. Record and enter this information exactly as it appears in the appropriate Format, Field Name, Attribute Name, and Field Size fields in the wizard. We also recommend that to avoid confusion, you use the same label for the CI (Warranty Start Date) on the Label field in the wizard.

To define an asset extended field

1. Determine the CA Service Desk Manager and CA CMDB extension table name and database field name by reviewing the CA Service Desk Manager and CA CMDB schema files.

   Note: For more information about the CA Service Desk Manager and CA CMDB schema files, see the CA Service Desk Manager and CA CMDB documentation.

2. Log in to CA APM using login credentials in which you have permissions to define an extension.
3. Click Asset, New Asset.
4. On the left, click CONFIGURE: ON.

   The configuration of the page is enabled.

5. In the Configuration Information area of the page, define and save a global configuration.
6. Click Add Extension.

   A wizard appears.

7. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter the information for the extended field.
8. In the Type page of the wizard, complete the following steps:
   1. Select the Simple Field option.
   2. Select the part of the page on which the new field appears.
   3. Select the Across all extended types check box.
   4. Click Next.
9. In the Fields page of the wizard, complete the following steps:

   Important! Enter the column information from the usp_owned_resource table in CA CMDB. We also recommend that to avoid confusion, you use the same label for the CI on the Label field.

   1. Click Add Field.
   2. Enter the field label to appear on the page.
   3. Select the data format.
   4. Enter the database field name.
   5. Enter the attribute name.
   6. Enter the field size.
   7. (Optional) Enter a description for the field.
   8. Specify whether an entry for the field is required.
   9. Click the checkmark icon to save the field.

      The product displays the field information you enter.

   10. Click Next.
10. In the Summary page of the wizard, review the field information and click Save and Exit.
11. Verify that the field appears on the Asset page.
12. Click Save Configuration.

    All users see the extended field on the page. You can define an event in CA APM and trigger the event in either CA APM or CA CMDB. For more information about managing events, see the User Guide.