Naming and Reconciliation Service
Naming and Reconciliation Service (NRS) is part of Data Integration Services (DIS). NRS is an optional component implemented with Integration Composer and, from version 7.5.1 onwards, IBM Control Desk. You can use NRS to centralize the identification of both discovered and authorized assets and configuration items (CI) and to resolve duplication. DIS, with NRS enabled, is required for products like Control Desk that use Integration Composer to import data.
This component helps Integration Composer and Control Desk avoid duplication of asset and CI records in the Maximo® database. It also provides a way to centralize asset and CI identification across multiple products that share the Maximo database.
NRS naming rules
NRS provides centralized control to identify assets and CIs. When NRS is implemented, it uses a set of naming rules to assign an integration identifier to each asset and CI. Each naming rule consists of one or more attributes that are required for identification. For example, there is a naming rule based on manufacturer, model, and serial number.
Naming rules are assigned a priority based on how well the attributes in the rule can uniquely identify the asset and CI. For example, a rule that identifies an asset based on its manufacturer, model, and serial number, has a higher priority than a rule that uses only the primary MAC address. NRS evaluates these attributes against the naming rules. If the asset or CI data provides the attributes required by a naming rule, an integration identifier is generated based on the naming rule. Each naming rule generates an integration identifier. The more attributes available for the asset or CI, the more likely a higher-level naming rule can be applied in generating the integration identifier.
A cleansing tool standardizes the integration identifiers of assets and CIs that exist in your Maximo database. Additionally, this tool processes and assigns integration identifiers to both deployed and authorized CIs and IT assets.
There are three sets of rules:
- NRS naming rules
- Common Data Model (CDM) mapping rules, held in the CDMMapping.xml file
- Cleansing rules, held in the CleansingRules.xml file
If you modify CDM mapping rules or the cleansing rules file, the cleansing tool must be run so that changes are reflected in existing records.
Identifiers
An asset or CI can have multiple integration identifiers; one is the master integration identifier and the others are aliases. The integration identifier that is generated for the rule with the highest priority is the master. The integration identifiers generated by the lower-priority rules are aliases. The master integration identifier is stored in the database for Assets, Deployed Assets, CIs, and Actual CI Computer System objects.
After an asset or CI is processed and an integration identifier is assigned, NRS tracks the mapping. Any additional data received about the asset or CI is used to generate aliases, even if the subsequent data can generate a higher priority integration identifier. However, if attribute data accumulated for two assets or CIs indicates that they are actually the same asset or CI, a reconciliation or merging of the integration identifiers occurs. A new master integration identifier is then assigned.
In some cases, NRS creates an integration identifier that supersedes the existing integration identifier in the target database. For example, discovery scans might result in additional data about a deployed asset. NRS can then assign a new master integration identifier, because of the convergence of the asset with an existing asset. When Integration Composer encounters a conflict between the integration identifier of an existing record and imported data, it deletes the existing record from the target database. The new record is added to the database, including the new integration identifier.