Alert binding to CIs with event rules

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Alert Binding to CIs with Event Rules

    Alert binding to Configuration Items (CIs) simplifies remediation by associating alerts with relevant CI data from the CMDB. This process is facilitated through event rules, which automatically link alerts to CIs based on specific identifiers and conditions during event generation.

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    Key Features

    • Binding Process Flow: Alerts bind to CIs by checking node or CI identifiers. If no node exists, alerts can bind using alert type or CI identifier fields. Events with specific host values can bind to device or application CIs.
    • CI Status Management: By default, events do not bind to CIs with certain statuses (e.g., Retired). This can be customized by adjusting the evtmgmt.ignoreretiredcisinbinding property and specifying statuses to ignore.
    • Application-Specific Binding: Alerts can be bound to applications by creating event rules that filter for specific application types and selecting appropriate binding options.
    • Unique Identifier Usage: For non-standard identifiers, the CI Identifier field can be populated in JSON format to ensure successful binding.

    Key Outcomes

    By implementing alert binding to CIs, customers can achieve improved tracking and remediation of incidents, enhanced integration with other ITOM products, and the ability to manage alerts more effectively across various CI types. The binding process facilitates quicker responses to alerts, ultimately leading to better operational efficiency.

    When alerts are associated with CIs, the task of remediation is simplified. During alert generation, Event Management uses event rules and other mechanisms to automatically bind alerts to a CI information from the CMDB. For tracking purposes and remediation, the alert shows information about the CI that caused the event.

    Alert binding process flow

    Alerts bind to CIs based on the following process flow:
    1. When an event arrives, Event Management checks the node or CI identifiers.
    2. If no node exists, the generated alert can bind to the CI using the alert Type, Additional information, or Configuration item identifier fields.
    3. If the event has a node value, search for a valid host.
    4. If the event has a host and a CI type, try to bind to a device CI.
    5. If the event has a host, try to bind to the application CI.
    Figure 1. How alerts bind to CIs
    How alerts bind to CIs

    The event can contain the binding process flow in its Processing Notes field.

    By default, events do not bind to CIs with a specified status, such as Retired. To enable binding events to these CIs, set the evt_mgmt.ignore_retired_cis_in_binding property to false.

    To specify the CI statuses to be included in the evt_mgmt.ignore_retired_cis_in_binding property, add the relevant status numbers to the evt_mgmt.install_status_list_to_ignore_in_binding property, as per the following table:

    Table 1. CI Statuses
    Status Number Status
    1 Installed
    2 OnOrder
    3 InMaintenance
    4 PendingInstall
    5 PendingRepair
    6 InStock
    7 Retired
    8 Stolen
    100 Absent
    Note:
    When adding more than one status, separate each status number with a comma.

    Tracking and remediation

    Alerts can be bound to CIs from the CMDB for tracking purposes and remediation. Event Management uses event rules and various mechanisms to automatically bind CIs to alerts. When information from an event populates a field with a value, the value either originates from the event source or from event rules. This enhances remediation, functionality, and integration with other ITOM products.

    Binding to an application running on a specific host

    If the event is specific to an application type, use the following steps to bind alerts to a specific application:
    1. Use the procedures in the Bind alerts to a CI running on a host using CI identifiers topic.
    2. Create an event rule with a filter that captures events on the application type you want.
    3. In the event rule, select Binding. Event Management binding
    4. Click Override default binding.
    5. In the Binding Type field, select either CI's Identification or CI field matching.
      1. For CI's Identification, specify the Class. Event Management binding
      2. In the Criterion attributes field, specify name and sys_class_name.

        Event Management binding

      3. In the Name Add Value field, specify the required name.
      4. In the Container level 1 area, specify the required values.
      5. If further container level fields appear, specify the required values.
    • For CI field matching, specify the required CI Type.
    • In the binding process, after the host is found, the algorithm matches all additional_info attributes that have the same name as CI fields for that CI type. If the match is successful, the event is bound to the CI.
    • If more than one matching application is found on the host, the alert is bound to the host and not to the application.
    Where there is no CI Type, for example, when binding alerts to an SQL server application when the CPU on sqlServer.exe is over 90%, do the following:
    • Populate the Node field in the event with the CI name, FQDN, IP, or MAC address value. The bind is successful even if the host has more than one IP address or MAC address.
    • If you want to use a unique identifier that is not one of those previously mentioned, populate the event rule CI Identifier (ci_identifier) field with one or more unique identifiers of the CI. This field should be in JSON format. For example, to use a unique identifier that is not one of those previously mentioned, add a CI Identifier (ci_identifier) filter field with one or more unique identifiers of the CI. If the host CI is VMWare VM, and it has a field called MOID, use the JSON format and specify: {"moid":"<CI moid>"}
    • Create an event rule with an event match field which maps the process name to the mapping variable sa_process_name. In this case, do not use the CI type.

    Binding procedures

    Use the procedures in these topics to bind alerts.