Insight automation to create bi-directional relationships

[Dirk Ronsmans]

So let me explain my use  case here:

I'm trying to set up a bi-directional/2-way relationship between 2 different object types in Insight.

The idea is that if you have for example

• objectType: Server  with Attribute: "Hosts" (reference to objectType Application)
• objectType: Application with Attribute: "Hosted On" (reference to objectType Server)

This way you can see from both ends what runs on a Server and what server(s) an application runs on. 

(This is just a rudimentary example)

Right now this is a manual process or has to be build in to the imports (which you then have to run multiple times. (once to create the objects, a 2nd time to update the relationships because the corresponding object didn't exist yet).

My idea was then to use the Automation (A4J) to create these relationships automatically when one side is updated so you don't have to do both sides each time. (especially since both objectTypes could have different owners/responsibles)

Now there is an automation Trigger for Object "Updated", great!

However, from there I'm already stuck. Anybody got an idea how I can see which attribute was updated (cause I only need the automation to continue on certain attributes) and then get the corresponding objectType/attribute (this could be hardcoded).

I don't want to work with the reference name as it can exist multiple times on a single object.

Anybody got some ideas?

[Mark Segall]

Hi @Dirk Ronsmans 

This is a good question.  This is the best source I've found for IQL querying and sadly, I don't see anything that would be able to query in such a way. I'll keep a watch on this one in case someone does have a creative solution.  I can totally see the use case.

[Dirk Ronsmans]

Hey @Mark Segall ,

Yeah IQL's are great already but like you say aswell I'm wondering what the big use would be of having a "object updated" trigger except for perhaps using it to trigger an issue or do a general update/send an email.

Either it's just not possible or it's heavily under documented.

Unfortunately there's isn't a kind of "synchronized" reference in Insight (I've asked in the past :)) which would just link 2 references on 2 different CI's together.

I can think of plenty of examples for that.

• Hosted/Hosted on 
• Consists of/Is part of
• Manages/Is Managed by
• Is backed up on/Is backing up
• ... etc..

[Angelina WEINHANDL]

Is there an actual RFC for it which we can vote for? We need this king of function also.
All the best
Angie