CMDB Editor dialog

When you first open the CMDB Editor, it will be empty because the database is empty. With the CMDB Editor, you define configurations from the top down rather than the bottom up. First, you define the configuration's metadata, then you create and associate configuration types with it, and finally you associate device types with it.

Defined Configuration list

This list (upper left part of the dialog) shows the existing defined configurations. From this list, you add configurations to and delete configurations from the database.

Hierarchy panel

This panel (middle) shows the hierarchy of the selected defined configuration, that is, the configuration’s name and its associated configuration types. Selecting an item on the hierarchy reveals fields on the Properties panel.

Properties panel

This panel shows fields for entering the defined configuration's profile or the configuration type (name-value pairs), depending on what is selected in the hierarchy. (An example of a configuration type's name-value pair is OperatingSystem = WinXP Pro SP2.) A configuration type can be associated with more than one defined configuration.

Name	Type the name of the new defined configuration (up to 200 characters). The name must be unique. Also check the name carefully before saving, as you cannot later edit it.
Description	Type a description of the defined configuration (up to 500 characters).
Last Updated By	(Blank until saved.) The name of the user who last updated this defined configuration.
Last Modified	(Blank until saved.) The date and time the defined configuration was last updated.
Locked	Do not select this field when defining a new configuration. Select it only when you have tested the defined configuration and are ready to deploy it. (See Locking a defined configuration.)

Name	Type the name of the configuration type (up to 200 characters), or select it from the list, if available. The name must be unique.
Description	Type the description of the configuration type (up to 200 characters).
Type	Select the kind of value expected for this item: string, integer, double, or date.
Units	If applicable, type the units of the configuration type.
Classification	Type the classification of this configuration type, or select it from the list, if available.
Last Updated By	(Blank until saved.) The name of the user who last updated this configuration type.
Last Modified	(Blank until saved.) The date and time the configuration type was last updated.
Mandatory	Selected by default. In order for actual device configurations that match this configuration type to be found, this check box must be selected. If you clear this check box, the configuration type will not be used for finding matching configurations.
Locked	Do not select this field when defining a new configuration type. Select it only when you no longer want the configuration type to be editable. NOTE: Do not lock a configuration type until you are satisfied that it should no longer be changed. (See Locking a configuration type.)

Associated Device Types list

This list (lower left) shows one or more device types that have been associated with the selected defined configuration and the defined configuration's status for that device type (i.e., whether it the configuration is Valid, Recommended, Not Recommended, Obsolete, or Known bad for the device type). A single device type can be associated with more than one defined configuration, and a single defined configuration can have more than one associated device type.