Asset Import VM from CSV

Chris_Jordan

My data source for computers (physical and virutal) is flexera, which I create reports creating .csv files.

How do I import the data to Windows Computer CI being able to map all fields like serial number and Operating system, when I choose the target class in the asset import connector wizard it doesn't seem to show all the available fields you see when you open an existing Windows Computer CI.

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan

Yes that's why I asked earlier if you were using Cireson Asset Management, my advice would be to import them into the Cireson Hardware Asset.

You could do this another way but it is a bit more complex and if you are already using Asset Management you may as well make the most of it.

Thanks,
Shane.

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan

In addition to my last comment you can do this in a more complex way by doing the following:

Type Projection based on Windows Deployed Computer that contains the relationship Deployed Computer runs Windows Computer

For data that contains information on more than 1 class

Run the one that is the target first and the source is the second

Run 1 connectors, 1 to create object of class 1, 2nd connector creates objects of class 2 and relates to objects in class one.

The below link highlights the relationships with the target and the source.

https://systemcenter.wiki/?GetElement=Microsoft.SystemCenter.ConfigurationManager.DeployedComputerRunsWindowsComputer&Type=RelationshipType&ManagementPack=Microsoft.SystemCenter.ConfigurationManager&Version=10.19.1035.0

This gets very fiddly to do and I would not recommend it at all, you would be better off going down the PowerShell route to add in the information in, would be much better long term.

Hopefully this answers your question.

Thanks,

Shane.

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan ,

The Windows Computer Class will not contain the Serial Number and Operating System Information as this is held within the Windows Computer (Operating System) Combination Class.

Can you try this for me by adding in the Target class as Windows Computer and then selecting the Operating System Combination Class and see if this brings through the additional properties you want?

Thanks,
Shane.

Chris_Jordan

Hi @Shane_White , thanks for the information.

I picked the Target Class: Windows Computer (Windows Core Library),
and Combination Class: Windows Computer (Operating System) (Cireson Asset Management)

Didn't seem to make any additional fields available.

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan

Yes you are right I have just been playing around with this in my Lab and getting the same results!

Are you using Cireson Asset Management and do you have SCCM running in your environment? I only ask as curious to why you are importing this information through as a Windows Computer manually.

Thanks,
Shane.

Chris_Jordan

@Shane_White SCCM isn't running on servers in one of our domains, our source of truth for physical and virtual server inventory is in a managed solution (Flexera) hosted in the cloud. We don't have access to the underlying DBs for Flexera, only through reports (csv).

Shane_White

Okay @Chris_Jordan Leave this with me I will look into it!

Chris_Jordan

I could just import directly into Cireson Hardware Asset?

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan

Yes that's why I asked earlier if you were using Cireson Asset Management, my advice would be to import them into the Cireson Hardware Asset.

You could do this another way but it is a bit more complex and if you are already using Asset Management you may as well make the most of it.

Thanks,
Shane.

Shane_White

Hi @Chris_Jordan

In addition to my last comment you can do this in a more complex way by doing the following:

Type Projection based on Windows Deployed Computer that contains the relationship Deployed Computer runs Windows Computer

For data that contains information on more than 1 class

Run the one that is the target first and the source is the second

Run 1 connectors, 1 to create object of class 1, 2nd connector creates objects of class 2 and relates to objects in class one.

The below link highlights the relationships with the target and the source.

https://systemcenter.wiki/?GetElement=Microsoft.SystemCenter.ConfigurationManager.DeployedComputerRunsWindowsComputer&Type=RelationshipType&ManagementPack=Microsoft.SystemCenter.ConfigurationManager&Version=10.19.1035.0

This gets very fiddly to do and I would not recommend it at all, you would be better off going down the PowerShell route to add in the information in, would be much better long term.

Hopefully this answers your question.

Thanks,

Shane.

Chris_Jordan

Thanks for the information, is there any information available for best practices importing CIs with powershell?

Chris_Jordan

Hi Shane,

We imported all our VMs into the Hardware Asset class (because it’s easier, following previous advice) rather then using the correct Computer class. This has come back to bite us now as the out of the box features requires software assets to be associated with an item in the Computer class.

I installed the new version of the Asset Import connector this morning hoping the Computer class would be resolved however now none of my Asset Management Import connections are working. I will open an incident separately of course.