To create a link rule, specify the data sets to reconcile
and create clauses that specify the objects and attributes to evaluate
when you run the reconciliation.
Link rules use unique identifiers to establish a link between objects.
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.
A link rule consists of the following components:
Link rule clause requirements
To create
link rules, you create clauses that specify how to link objects. Clauses
must be valid expressions. If a clause is not valid, an error message
is displayed, and the link rule is not saved. When you save a link
rule, the following rules determine whether clauses are valid expressions:
- Each open parenthesis must have a corresponding close parenthesis.
- The number in the Sequence field must be
unique. Sequence numbers are automatically generated in increments
of ten. You can also specify numbers manually. If you enter sequence
numbers in random order, the clauses are sorted and displayed in ascending
numeric order when you save the record.
- All rows except the row with the highest sequence number must
have a value specified in the Sequence Operator field.
- The row with the highest sequence number must not have a sequence
operator (After the clauses are sorted, this is the last row in the
table window).