Reconciliation Task Components

A reconciliation task combines the components required for a reconciliation into a specific task that you schedule for execution using the Cron Task Setup application. You create reconciliation tasks in the Reconciliation Tasks (SP) application in the Reconciliation module.

A reconciliation task consists of three possible components:

Task Filter (optional)

A task filter specifies a subset of objects to evaluate when the system executes a reconciliation task. For example, you can define a filter that selects only desktop computers in IT assets; when the system executes a reconciliation task with that filter, it selects only desktop computers in IT assets but it compares them with all deployed assets. For another example, you can define a filter that selects CIs only at your Boston site; in this case the reconciliation task evaluates top-level CIs only at the Boston site but evaluates all actual CIs.

You can apply only one task filter to a reconciliation task. If you do not define a task filter for a reconciliation task, the system uses all CIs or ASSETs as the default when it processes the reconciliation task.

You can apply only one task filter to a reconciliation task. The task filter you apply must be associated with the customer on the reconciliation task, or must not belong to any customers if there is no customer on the reconciliation task. If you do not define a task filter for a reconciliation task, the system uses all CIs or ASSETs as the default when it processes the reconciliation task, but the CIs or assets used to process the reconciliation task are limited according to the customer associated with the task. Only CIs and assets belonging to the customer are included. If there is no customer associated with the reconciliation task, then only CIs and assets that do not belong to a customer are included when the task is processed.

Task filters apply only to link rules, not comparison rules. For more information about setting up task filters, refer to online help for the Task Filters (SP) application.

Link Rule (required)

A reconciliation task must include one or more link rules. A link rule establishes the basis for reconciliation by identifying an object and attribute in Data Set 1 to link to a specific attribute of the object in Data Set 2. Link rules are often based on unique identifiers. The attribute most commonly used to link assets and deployed assets is a serial number or asset tag. The attribute most commonly used to link configuration items (CIs) with actual CIs is ACTCINUM, the actual CI number.

If you add multiple link rules, you must assign a sequence number to each rule to specify the order in which to process the rule. Sequence numbers and link rule names must be unique for each rule. When the system executes the reconciliation task, it evaluates each link rule and attempts to match the object and attribute in Data Set 1 with the object and attribute in Data Set 2.

The link rules you apply must be associated with the customer on the reconciliation task, or must not belong to any customers if there is no customer on the reconciliation task.

The system evaluates link rules in a reconciliation task in cascading sequence, based on sequence numbers, until it finds a match or until it reaches the end of the cascading rule list, in the following manner:

The system selects the first object in the leading data set and looks for a match in the corresponding data set using the first link rule in the reconciliation task.

If the system finds a match for the object in the leading data set, it checks the subordinate set for additional matches.
If the system does not find additional matches, it generates a record for the link results (SP) application.

If the system finds any additional matches, it generates a link rule failure record for the reconciliation results (SP) application.

If evaluation of the link rule does not yield a match to an object in the subordinate set, the system processes the next link rule. The system processes cascading link rules in order until the first match or until the end of the cascading rule list.

When a link rule in a reconciliation task yields a match for an object (single or multiple), the system does not process any more link rules for that object. The system then selects the next object in the leading data set and attempts to find a match for that object.

For more information about setting up link rules, refer to online help for the Link Rules (SP) application.

Comparison Rule (optional)

A comparison rule is an optional component that defines how to compare objects or attributes of a child or parent object in Data Set 1 with a child or parent in Data Set 2 when the system executes a reconciliation task. You can add one or more comparison rules to a reconciliation task. The task filter you apply must be associated with the customer on the reconciliation task, or must not belong to any customers if there is no customer on the reconciliation task. If you add a comparison rule, you must select a value in the Comparison Results field in the Reconciliation Tasks (SP) application to specify what kind of comparison results to display in the reconciliation results (SP) application. The system applies comparison rules only after it establishes a successful link between a top-level object from Data Set 1 and a top-level object from Data Set 2. For more information about setting up comparison rules, refer to online help for the Comparison Rules (SP) application.

Note: The applications that let you view results of a reconciliation are specific to the software that you purchase. The license key associated with your software determines which link results and which reconciliation results (SP) application your system displays. If you use Tivoli Asset Management for IT, your installation includes Asset Link Results and Asset Reconciliation Results (SP) applications. If you use Change and Configuration Management Database (CCMDB), your installation includes CI Link Results (SP) and CI Reconciliation Results (SP) applications.

Reconciliation Task Components

See Also