Setting Up PeopleSoft IT Asset Management Resource Settings

This chapter provides an overview of PeopleSoft IT Asset Management resource settings and discusses how to:

Define software device groups.
Define IT role access.
Maintain employee network identifications.
Create employee groups.
Define user preferences.
Set up common search configuration.
Create related links.

Understanding PeopleSoft IT Asset Management Resource Settings

PeopleSoft IT Asset Management resource settings establish access levels for your users and user groups. You can link device serial IDs and network IDs to the Employee IDs (EmplIDs) stored on your system. By setting up device groups and employee groups, you reduce the amount of time it takes to assign permissions to each individual installing software applications on their computers. Common search configurations enable you to view the configuration of various PeopleSoft IT Asset Management search pages. Related links enable you to create links to third-party applications.

Prerequisites

You must complete the following prior to setting up PeopleSoft IT Asset Management resource settings:

Establish at least one PeopleSoft Asset Management business unit before you create your IT assets.
Verify that the PeopleSoft IT Management Installed flag is selected on the Installation page.
Integrate with PeopleSoft Human Capital Management.
Integrate with your third-party discovery software.

For details on integration, refer to your third-party software documentation.

See Creating PeopleSoft Asset Management Business Units.

Defining Software Device Groups

To define device groups, use the Software Device Group component (IT_SWGRP_DEFN)

This section provides an overview of Software Device Groups and discusses how to define device groups.

Understanding Software Device Groups

IT devices are often maintained by an IT administrator or a content manager rather than the primary user of the device. These devices may have multiple CPUs and may require more than one license to operate certain software, such as Microsoft MSSQL, for example. This is most commonly applicable to devices such as servers.

The software device group links the role of the content manager to these unique IT devices by associating their employee ID (EMPLID) with a Device Group. The Device Group definition contains the Serial IDs of the devices that are maintained by the content manager. This is known as the Serial ID-based Software Authorization model.

These devices or machines have a declared number of licenses required for a given software title. Once you have created the software device group (linking the administrator to the device), associate the device group to the appropriate software titles in the Define Software Titles/Users component, providing an Authorized Licenses value for the device group. The licenses required for each of these devices are counted and their summation is compared to the Authorized Licenses value that is specified for the device group.

To implement the Serial ID-based Software Authorization Model:

Select the Authorize Software by Device check box on the Define IT Subtypes page for a particular IT Subtype, such as SERVERS.

See Defining IT Subtypes.
Supply the IT Asset Related Information (CPU) for the asset information within PeopleSoft Asset Management. This stores the number of CPUs that an IT hardware device has installed, physical and/or virtual.

See Adding and Maintaining Asset Information.
(Optional) Select the Source Device Groups from ARM check box within PeopleSoft Asset Management Installation Options. The check box is selected as the default when IT Asset Management is installed.

See Defining Asset Management Installation Options.
Define the Software Device Groups, linking administrator with devices.
Associate the device groups to software titles.

See Defining Software Titles.
Select the Software Device Monitor check box on the Generate Metrics page. Run the metrics to update device group data for the Software Device Monitor pagelet. This pagelet reports the software titles that are installed, authorized, declared and unresolved for a given device group.

The Generate Metrics process produces and updates the associations and detail setup that allows you to declare licenses for groups and/or software relationships. Declared licenses should be equal to the number of CPUs the first time that the Metrics engine processes the associations.
Specify how many licenses of a particular software that a device requires using the Declare Device Licenses page. The Override check box indicates whether the number of declared licenses has been overridden. The value in the Declared Licenses field is either defaulted from the ASSET table if it has not been overridden, or it displays the override value specified. It is considered overriden if the value is not zero and is greater than or less than the number of CPUs defaulted from the ASSET table.

See Defining Software Titles.
After any change to the groups or additions to software relationships, the Generate Metrics process should be run to allow an update of declared licenses and unresolved software. This ensures that the Software Device Monitor pagelet always reports the most up-to-date software titles that are installed, authorized, declared and unresolved. Select the Software Device Monitor check box on the Generate Metrics page and run the metrics to update device group data for the Software Device Monitor pagelet.
Limit the device group that a user can access in the Software Device Monitor pagelet by specifying a device group within User Preferences for IT Asset Management.

See Defining IT Asset Management User Preferences.

Page Used to Define Device Groups

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Define Software Device Groups	IT_SWGRP_DEFN	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Device Groups, Define Software Device Groups IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Device Groups	Define software device groups to associate devices (by Serial ID) to an administrator for the ultimate purpose of linking software licenses to assets rather than users.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Define Software Device Groups

IT_SWGRP_DEFN

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Device Groups, Define Software Device Groups

IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Device Groups

Define software device groups to associate devices (by Serial ID) to an administrator for the ultimate purpose of linking software licenses to assets rather than users.

Defining Device Groups

Access the Define Software Device Groups page.

Group Id

Assign a software device Group Id.

Group Owner Id

Select the Employee ID of the device group administrator or content manager. The content manager controls the software contents of the machines in the device group.

Source from ARM

Select Yes to automatically populate this device group with machines in the Asset Repository that belong to an IT Subtype with Authorize Software By Subtype selected. Those that have the Group Owner ID in the Custodian field are added to this device group. If the Custodian field value changes, the machine will drop out of this group. If you select No for this field, populate the devices manually.

Note. The page elements that are visible and active on this page depend upon your selection in this field. If you select Yes to populate the machines from the Asset Repository, the resulting grid is entitled Group Owner's Devices in ARM and the data appears as display-only. If you select No to add your own devices, the resulting grid is entitled Groups. Selecting No for an existing group deletes all rows in the group definition grid, leaving one blank row.

Update ARM Custodian On Save

Select Yes to activate a Component Interface that, upon Save, changes the value of the Custodian field within the Asset Repository to this device group’s owner for every “Device” line in the grid. Select No to leave the Custodian field in the ARM unchanged.

Note. This field is active only when you select No for the Source from ARM value.

Fetch From ARM

Click this button to retrieve the assets assigned to this content manager as custodian from the ARM. This is a one-time event and creates a static list. The difference between this and Source from ARM option is that the Source from ARM selection is dynamic and will continue to source from the ARM when the ARM changes. The Fetch from ARM is static and only retrieves the assets from the ARM at the instant it is invoked. You may also start with an empty list and build a Fetch from ARM group selecting asset by asset.

The Fetch from Arm button removes assets that have been added to the group manually and replace it with the assets from the ARM. If you wish to have assets sourced from the ARM AND additional assets not associated with this custodian (content manager), select Fetch from ARM first, then manually add additional assets. Fetch from ARM has no impact on groups that have been added to the device group.

Note. This field is active only when you select No for the Source from ARM value.

Group Members

This grid appears when selecting No as the Source From ARMvalue. If the Source from ARM check box is cleared within Installation Options in Asset Management/IT Asset Management, this mode will be the default.

Include	Select the following options for inclusion in the device group: Device - Select to include an individual machine in the device group. Group - Select to include another device group as a subset (or child) within the device group. Note. A device group can belong to only one parent device group; however, a device can belong to many device groups.
Member	Select from a list of existing device group names or Serial IDs (if the asset is from the appropriate IT Subtype in the ARM.)
Description	The description is automatically supplied from the appropriate record based on the Group Value selection. If it is a device, the description is the tag number from the Asset table. If it is a Group, then the Description from the Software Device Group definition is supplied.
CPU	Displays the value from the Asset Repository CPU field. You may change the displayed value, which updates the value in the ARM CPU field within the Asset Basic information component, Operation/Maintenance page (as well as the value displayed in the Define Asset Operational Info component, designed for the Operation/Maintenance user.)
Owner and Name	Displays the Employee ID and corresponding name of the group owner if the selection is a group. If the selection is a device, this column displays the Employee ID and name of the custodian within the asset repository.

Group Owner's Devices in ARM

This grid appears when selecting Yes as the Source From ARMvalue. If the Source Device Groups from ARM check box is cleared within Installation Options in Asset Management/IT Asset Management, this mode is not available. When the Source Device Groups from ARM check box is selected in the Installation Options, it sets the default value of the Source from ARM flag when adding a device group. The default can be overridden.

Serial ID, Tag Number, CPU, Owner

These fields are display-only and are populated from the information found within the Asset Repository.

Defining IT Role Access

To define IT role access, use the IT Role Access component (IT_ROLE_ASSET_GRP).

This section provides an overview of IT role access and discusses how to define IT role access.

Understanding IT Role Access

To establish access within PeopleSoft IT Asset Management, you must decide which level of access to establish throughout the system; that is, which pages, components, and processes to secure. You implement IT Role Access to restrict individual users or roles to specific asset types, business units, departments, or locations. You can also grant access to all assets within the system for each user or a group of users.

Access to pages, components, and processes is driven by Tools security. IT Role Access defines the data (business units, departments, locations, asset subtypes) to which one has access within those pages and processes. Pagelets such as Inventory Exceptions or Hardware Inventory display different data to different users depending upon IT role access. However, pagelets such as Lease End Metrics are not based on IT Role Access and present the same data to all users that have access to it.

The Manage Exception page is also governed by IT Role Access and users are able to view and resolve only those exceptions as permitted by IT Role Access.

Note. Role Access should not be used by those on a Sybase platform.

This table discusses access for functional areas in PeopleSoft IT Asset Management:

Functional Area	Access
Inventory Exceptions	Controlled by IT Role Access
Hardware Inventory	Controlled by IT Role Access
Lease End Metrics	Not controlled by IT Role Access
Manage Exceptions	Controlled by IT Role Access
Financial Statistics	Controlled by User Preference
Software Report	Not controlled by IT Role Access
Lease End Report	Not controlled by IT Role Access

Page Used to Define IT Role Access

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
IT Role Access	IT_ROLE_ASSET_GRP	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, IT Role Access, IT Role Access IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, IT Role Access	Define the level of access in IT Asset Management for an IT user.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

IT Role Access

IT_ROLE_ASSET_GRP

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, IT Role Access, IT Role Access

IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, IT Role Access

Define the level of access in IT Asset Management for an IT user.

Establishing IT Role Access

Access the IT Role Access page.

Note. When creating IT Role Access, the access granted to a group should be a subset of operator security, as asset groups do not account for operator security. Care is required in creating roles in IT Role Access. Roles must be mutually exclusive. Different roles must administer different assets – assets should not be visible to more than one role. Any metric that depends on IT Role Access depends on the exclusive distribution of assets across roles, otherwise errors are likely in asset counts for those roles.

All Assets

Select to enable the IT role access to all assets. Selecting All Assets effectively disables IT Role Access for those users who do not wish to implement it.

Field Selection

Depending on the value you select in the Field Name field, the subsequent fields within that page may vary.

Field Name

Select the value to define the access parameters for the IT Asset Group. The values are:

Asset Subtype: Select to limit access for a specific category of assets. Asset Subtypes are limited to the subset beneath Asset Type of IT Hardware.

See Defining IT Subtypes.

Business Unit: Select to limit access for a specific business unit.

The Business Unit defined in IT Role Access should be a subset of business units defined in PeopleTools level business unit security. The pages that use IT Role Access do not evaluate business unit security.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.48 PeopleBook: Security Administration

Department: Select to limit access by department code.

Location Code: Select to limit access by location code.

Specified as

This group box enables you to set the parameters for the value defined in the Field Name field. Depending on your selection, the available fields within this group box may vary.

Selected Detail Value	Select to define a specific value. You can limit user group access to a specific value you define.
Selected Tree Nodes	Select to limit access to a specific table set. Using tree nodes limits the user access to a group of values within that tree node.
Range of Values	Enter the range of values to limit access.
Tree Set ID	Select to establish the available default set of tables for the IT asset group defined. Note. Used when Department or Location Code are selected. This value is the default SetID in the grid below.
Tree Name	Select to limit access within a tree. A tree provides a hierarchical view of data within the organization.
Level Name	Select to limit access to a level within the tree.

Specify Values/Range of Values/Tree Nodes

This grid enables you to set the parameters for the radio button selected in the Specified asgroup box. Depending on your selection, the available fields within this grid may vary.

SetID	Displays the value from the Default SetID field selected in the group box.
Select Value	Enter a value. This field works in conjunction with the SetID field. Only Department and Location codes require SetIDs.
To Value	Enter an end value. This field enables you to provide a range of values when used with Select Value field.

Maintaining Employee Network Identifications

To define employee network identifications, use the Employee Network Identifications component (IT_LDAP).

This section provides an overview of employee network identifications and discusses how to maintain employee network identifications.

Understanding Employee Network Identifications

All businesses need to associate IT devices like computers with the business units, departments, custodians, and managers who are responsible for those devices and computers. Who owns what? Who is using what? PeopleSoft human resources data includes an employee name, department information, and a unique identifier – the EmplId. We have easy access to that data. On the other hand, PeopleSoft data does not include an employee's unique and mandatory network name. User domain and network name are attributes assigned by network administrators and stored with the EmplId in a network-centric database called Active Directory.

Every time an employee uses a network device or computer, the employee's network name registers on that device. Because both databases store the personal identifiers, it's best to use the person as the common data element between HR-based business data and every network device that has recorded the presence of the employee's network name. We then use the page below to use that common data element present in both databases to connect other information pertinent to that person. For example, you may easily gather all the network devices used by the employees in a specific department, even though no department information is stored on any network device.

Page Used to Maintain Employee Network Identifications

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Maintain Employee Network Identifications	IT_MNT_LDAP	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Employee Network IDs, Maintain Employee Network Identifications IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Employee Network IDs	Associate primary user logon with employee identification number.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Maintain Employee Network Identifications

IT_MNT_LDAP

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Employee Network IDs, Maintain Employee Network Identifications

IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Employee Network IDs

Associate primary user logon with employee identification number.

Maintaining Employee Network Identifications

Access the Maintain Employee Network Identifications page.

Domain

Displays the realm where the user is logged on. A domain and user name uniquely identify a logon user.

EmplID

Select the employee identification number to associate to the primary logon user and domain.

Creating Employee Groups

To define employee groups, use the Employee Groups component (IT_EMPL_GRP).

This section provides an overview of employee groups and discusses how to create employee groups.

Understanding Employee Groups

Enabling a large group of individuals access to specific software can become a long and tedious process. By setting up employee groups, you reduce the amount of time it takes to assign permissions to each individual installing software applications on their computers; all you need to do is select the group intended for the software, and every individual assigned to that employee group gains authorization to download the software. You also use employee groups to monitor installations of software against properly acquired inventory.

For example, creating an employee group called Microsoft Office XP, then providing the group permission to possess the Microsoft product called Microsoft Office XP causes the inventory process to ignore individuals of that group who possess Office XP. If an individual who is not a member of that group has Microsoft Office XP, PeopleSoft IT Asset Management raises an alert about that individual as soon as the information arrives.

Page Used to Create Employee Groups

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Employee Groups	IT_EMPL_GRP	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Employee Groups, Employee Groups IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Employee Groups	Specify employees to create an employee group.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Employee Groups

IT_EMPL_GRP

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Employee Groups, Employee Groups

IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Employee Groups

Specify employees to create an employee group.

Creating Employee Groups

Access the Employee Groups page.

Group Owner Id

Select the individual designated as the owner of this group. This can be a team lead, department manager, or another individual from the Personal Data (PERSONAL_DATA) table. Members of a group may have more copies of a software package installed than the group is allowed. The user may choose to email the Group Owner Id to initiate corrective measures.

Group Owner is a mandatory field.

Employee ID

Select the individual to assign to the employee group.

Defining User Preferences

To define user preferences, use the User Preference component (OPR_DEFAULT).

See Defining IT Asset Management User Preferences.

Setting Up Common Search Configuration

To set up common search configuration, use the Common Search Configuration component (IT_SEARCH_CFG).

This section provides an overview of common search configurations and discusses how to set up search configuration.

Understanding Common Search Configurations

You can use the search configuration component to control the appearance and behavior of the search pages used in IT Asset Management. Additionally, you can give your users the ability to personalize the appearance and behavior of specific search pages.

Using the search configuration, you can:

Alter the labels on the search pages.
Inactivate search criteria.
Simplify the appearance of the search page.

Page Used To Set Up Common Search Configurations

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Common Search Configuration	IT_SEARCH_CFG	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Common Search Configuration, Common Search Configuration IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Common Search Configuration	Define common search configuration for predefined search pages.

Page Name

Object Name

Navigation

Usage

Common Search Configuration

IT_SEARCH_CFG

Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Common Search Configuration, Common Search Configuration

IT Asset Management, IT Asset Definitions Center, Resource Settings, Common Search Configuration

Define common search configuration for predefined search pages.

Setting Up Common Search Configuration

Access the Common Search Configuration page.

Filter Fields – Field List tab

Field Number	Displays a number to define the order of the field.
Record (Table) Name	Displays the table name.
Record Alias	Displays a record alias. The alias is used in the SQL query for the record name. Note. The record alias must match the value in the From Clause Records – Record Alias field.
Field Name	Displays the field name associated with the Record (Table) Name field.
Field Label ID	Select the field label ID associated with the Record (Table) Name field. Note. Use this field to rename the field label on the search page.
Edit Type	Displays the type of edit to be used on the field. Values are: Cur Cntrld: The field is currency controlled. No Edit: The system does not edit the data entered. Prompt: The system uses a prompt table to display the values for that field. Translate: The system displays a list of system defined values for that field. Yes/No: The field is a radio button, select for yes, clear for no.
Prompt Table	Displays the associated record name with a list of prompt values. Note. This field is only available when you select Prompt from the Edit Type field.
Active Status	Select Active or Inactive.

From Clause Records

The From Clause Records defines which records will be searched. The Record Alias defined in the Filter Field must match the Record Alias specified along with its record in the From Clause Records. The From Clause records, with their aliases, will be used in the generation of the SQL at the search execution time.

Filter Fields – Field Control tab

Select the Field Control tab.

All the fields on this page are display only and are used for internal purposes.

Creating Related Links

To create related links, use the Related Links Definition component (IT_THIRDLINK_CFG).

This section provides an overview and discusses how to create related links.

Understanding Related Links

Related links enable you to create links to integration, logging, and console features in the prerequisite third-party application. IT Asset Management delivers, as standard, the link to the Altiris (third-party application for IT asset management/discovery ) control page, called the Console and the Altiris Log View. Users must complete the configuration of this link by inserting the name of the Altiris Notification Server. You may add additional third-party links as it relates to this system. When establishing the related link, you can also establish the roles; giving access only to the role defined.

Pages Used To Create Related Links

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Related Links Definition	IT_THIRDLINK_CFG	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related , IT Asset Management, Related Links Definition	Create a hyperlink to the third-party database.

Creating Related Links

Access the Related Links Definition page.

URL (Universal Record Locator)

Enter the URL for the third-party application.

Role Name

Select the role name you wish to grant access. You can also limit user access to the link through security by removing the Permission List containing the component from the Role Definition. You can also unauthorize the Component or page in the Permission list.

Note. If you assign a role, only the role assigned has access to the link. If no Role Name is entered for the Related Link, the Link will NOT appear in the Related Links pagelet.

Group Id	Assign a software device Group Id.
Group Owner Id	Select the Employee ID of the device group administrator or content manager. The content manager controls the software contents of the machines in the device group.
Source from ARM	Select Yes to automatically populate this device group with machines in the Asset Repository that belong to an IT Subtype with Authorize Software By Subtype selected. Those that have the Group Owner ID in the Custodian field are added to this device group. If the Custodian field value changes, the machine will drop out of this group. If you select No for this field, populate the devices manually. Note. The page elements that are visible and active on this page depend upon your selection in this field. If you select Yes to populate the machines from the Asset Repository, the resulting grid is entitled Group Owner's Devices in ARM and the data appears as display-only. If you select No to add your own devices, the resulting grid is entitled Groups. Selecting No for an existing group deletes all rows in the group definition grid, leaving one blank row.
Update ARM Custodian On Save	Select Yes to activate a Component Interface that, upon Save, changes the value of the Custodian field within the Asset Repository to this device group’s owner for every “Device” line in the grid. Select No to leave the Custodian field in the ARM unchanged. Note. This field is active only when you select No for the Source from ARM value.
Fetch From ARM	Click this button to retrieve the assets assigned to this content manager as custodian from the ARM. This is a one-time event and creates a static list. The difference between this and Source from ARM option is that the Source from ARM selection is dynamic and will continue to source from the ARM when the ARM changes. The Fetch from ARM is static and only retrieves the assets from the ARM at the instant it is invoked. You may also start with an empty list and build a Fetch from ARM group selecting asset by asset. The Fetch from Arm button removes assets that have been added to the group manually and replace it with the assets from the ARM. If you wish to have assets sourced from the ARM AND additional assets not associated with this custodian (content manager), select Fetch from ARM first, then manually add additional assets. Fetch from ARM has no impact on groups that have been added to the device group. Note. This field is active only when you select No for the Source from ARM value.

Domain	Displays the realm where the user is logged on. A domain and user name uniquely identify a logon user.
EmplID	Select the employee identification number to associate to the primary logon user and domain.