we, the c.a.p.e. IT GmbH, implemented a few additional attribute types for the ITSMConfigurationManagement CMDB for OTRS which are now available for free download. These attribute types improved the power and dhte usability of the OTRS-CMDB significantly. It allows you to easily set up complex CI-classes which consist of other, single CIs. For instance a virtual system (ci class 1) might run on a cluster (ci class 2) which again consists of various physical systems (ci class 3). It's possible to implement this scenario within standard OTRS by using CI-links. But due to the general approach of the linking mechanism it's very uncomfortable to link two, or in the cited example even more CIs. Furthermore, there is no history of links. Thus you cannot hav a look at historical link information. This is a major drawback when linking CIs of class X with CIs of class location. You will not be able to find out where a computer was located after the link has been deleted. So it's much better to keep this information within a CI-attribute.
However, to make a long story short - following there's a list of contained CI-attributes:
- CIClassReference
- behaves similar to customer user attribute but refers to another config item of some CI-class
- allows to automatically delete and create links to CIs of a referenced class
- eases the configuration of assembled config items, which consist (in parts) of other config items without annoying manual link creation
- ServiceReference
- behaves similar to customer user attribute but refers to services
- allows to automatically delete and create links betwwen service and CI
- QueueReference
- behaves similar to customer user attribute but refers to queue
- allows to define a prefered queue for special config items, like servers, PDAs, etc.
- CIAttachment
- allows to store documents, e.g. PDFs regarding this very CI directly in the CMDB
- you may decied between data base- or file system storage
- for DB-storage it brings its own DB-structure since virtual filesystem, delivered by OTRS proofed to be unsuitable at the current state
- User
- behaves similar to customer user attribute but refers to agent users
- CustomerUserCompany
- behaves similar to customer user attribute but refers to customer companies
For feedback and (hopefully not too many ) bug reports, please contact us by email to support(at)cape-it.de. You could also use tha possibility of rating/commenting extensions at OPAR.
regards, tto