Managing Configuration Items › Configuration Audit and Control Facility (CACF) › Verify a CI Attribute Value Update Manually

Verify a CI Attribute Value Update Manually

The Configuration Administrator determines that your CA SDM environment requires a verification policy for the Memory Installed (phys_mem) attribute. The Configuration Administrator creates a Managed Attribute definition with the Manual Verification will be required status because CA SDM does not have an MDR to discover the value. The Configuration Administrator reviews the managed states and creates a verification policy. The Change Manager views a Change Order that requests an update to the Memory Installed value of a CI, and this change request requires manual verification.

The following diagram explains how a Configuration Administrator establishes a verification policy and how the Change Manager verifies a CI attribute value update manually:

1. Create a Managed Attribute definition.
2. Review the Managed Change states in your environment.
3. Create a Verification Policy for the Managed Attribute.
4. Review the Change Specifications list.
5. Accept the Planned Value.

Create a Managed Attribute Definition

The Configuration Administrator creates a Managed Attribute definition for the Memory Installed (phys_mem) attribute.

Follow these steps:

1. On the Administration tab, click CA CMDB, Configuration Control, Managed Attributes.
2. Click Create New.
3. Enter phys_mem as the attribute name.
4. Enter Memory Installed as the Attribute Label.
5. Select Manual Verification will be required from the Initial Verify Status drop-down list.
6. (Optional) Select the Case Sensitive option if you want to enforce case sensitivity for change specification planned value comparisons.

   Default: Disabled

7. Click Save.

   The Managed Attribute is saved.

Review the Managed Change States in Your Environment

The Configuration Administrator reviews the Managed Change States in the CA SDM environment. Change verification initiates when the status of a Change Order changes to a Change State that CACF manages, such as Verification in Progress.

Note: The Configuration Administrator can customize which state in the Change Order lifecycle initiates change verification. The administrator can also customize which states allow you to modify change specifications when implementation starts.

Follow these steps:

1. On the Administration tab, click CA CMDB, Configuration Control, Managed Change States.
2. Click Implementation in Progress to open the managed status detail page.
3. Review the details about the managed status.

   For example, you decide to make the Implementation in Progress status allow editing change specifications, and also enable Change Verification Active. This example indicates an active change verification process, and that you can edit values when the Change Order sets to the Implementation in Progress status.

4. Close the page.

Create a Verification Policy for the Managed Attribute

The Verification Policy specifies the CACF action when an MDR discovers an attribute value, and attempts to update the CMDB with that data.

Follow these steps:

1. On the Administration tab, click CA CMDB, Configuration Control, Verification Policies.
2. Click Create New to open the detail page.
3. Enter 1000 as the policy Sequence.

   Note: You can enter a higher or lower number, based on other verification policy priorities in your environment.

4. Enter a Policy Name, such as RAM Management and a brief description of the policy.
5. Select Rogue Insert and Rogue Updates under Change Order Alignment.
6. If you want the policy to prevent a specific MDR from updating the Memory Installed (phys_mem) attribute, complete the following tasks:
   • Select Memory Installed as the Managed Attribute.
   • Enter a Role Pattern or use an asterisk to apply to all roles.
   • Enter a CI Name Pattern or use an asterisk to apply to all CIs.
   • Enter a Class Pattern or use an asterisk to apply to all classes.
   • Select Keep Old Attribute Value as the Update Behavior.

   Note: If you only want to allow updates to this attribute from a user logged in through the web interface, enter Web Client as the MDR Name Pattern.

7. Click Save.
8. Close the page.

Review the Change Specifications List

A Change Order with an RFC status wants to change the value of the Memory Installed (phys_mem) attribute in a CI named server1. The Change Manager sets the verification status of the Change Specification to Manual Verification will be required. The Change Manager can view the Change Specification in CA SDM.

Follow these steps:

1. The Change Manager moves the Change Order from RFC to Verification in Progress.

   All the change specifications with Manual Verification become Manual Verification Active.

2. From the Change Order, select the Change Specifications tab from the Configuration Management tab.

   The tab highlights all change specifications in red to indicate that manual verification is required.

   Note: You can also view change specifications from the Administration tab when you click CA CMDB, Configuration Audit, Change Specifications. Additionally, view change specifications from a CI after you select the Change Specifications tab from the Related Tickets tab.

3. Search for change specifications with requires manual verification as the Verify Status.

   For example, change specifications of Change Order 21 contain this status.

4. Research the appropriate value for the Memory Installed attribute for the server1 CI.

   Note: Change specifications that failed verification also display in red to help show change specifications that require further attention.

Accept the Planned Value

The Change Manager researches the correct attribute value for the CI and makes the appropriate decision on the change request.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Change Specification to view the detail page.
2. You research the specific Memory Installed (phys_mem) attribute for CI and confirm the planned value.
3. Verify that the Change Order of the Change Specification is in Verification in Progress State.
4. Click Accept Planned Value.

   The Verify Status changes to Accepted Planned Value.

   Note: After you click Accept Planned Value, the CI updates with the Planned Value automatically.

You have now successfully verified a managed attribute value manually.