This blog series is co-written by:
Adam Dzyacky, Product Manager at Cireson
Dujon Walsham, Director at Walsham Solutions Ltd.
This blog series will show you how to implement process improvement/automation, reinforce the value of centralized toolsets, and demonstrate the near infinite configuration possibilities of Microsoft System Center Service Manager (SCSM) and Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM).
In part one, we looked at the pieces you need to structure processes for SCOM administration, including the Cireson Service Manager Portal, Advanced Request Offering, PowerShell Activity, Cireson Asset Management and Dujon’s SCOM Module.
In Part 2, we’ll define our process.
Confirmation of SCOM Template Forms
by Dujon Walsham
After importing the management packs above, we will see a few new things that were created:
- PowerShell Script Template
- Service Request Form Template
- Activities to Run PowerShell Script
If we go to the Library – PowerShell Scripts – All PowerShell Scripts, we should see one listed called the SCOM Management Pack Creator Solution Form.
The contents in the script should be the same as the SMCOM.ps1 script.
Next, we want to verify the PowerShell Script template we will use. Go into Library -> Templates and search for New Monitoring. There will be perhaps two entries; we will cover both.
The first one, New Monitoring, is a PowerShell Script template, which references the script we created above.
You can see here the script being shown and the “PowerShell Param” property being mapped. This is incredibly important so DO NOT CHANGE IT! The Parent ID (seen above as $parentId) is the variable for the ID of the Service Request that will be submitted. As you can see it is one of the values that maps directly into the PowerShell script. Which means at request submission, this value is populated, mapped into the script, and the script executes with the values it needs.
The next thing we want to verify is the actual Service Request template, which is the second entry listed as New Monitoring Request.
When we open it and go to the Activities form, we can see the PowerShell script attached to it. This is exactly what we want—it means that when a request is submitted in the Cireson Service Portal, it will run immediately (an example of Service Manager’s workflow engine in action). You could add Review Activities or whatever organizational process you want before this piece of automation runs. For example, a Review Activity that goes to your Change Board or SCOM team for a vote.
Verify Advance Request Offering in SCSM
We should also see a new Advanced Request Offering in the Service Manager, which can be verified by going to Library -> Request Offerings and searching for one called New Monitoring Request. Just like the Templates and Connectors, this Request Offering already contains a host of dynamic prompts that further guide PowerShell Activity, to ultimately create SCOM Monitoring.
And don’t forget, just because our Advance Request Offering is Published does not mean it will appear on the portal. To make sure you’ll see it, be sure to associate it to a Published Service Offering(s) of your choice, which we can set in the Library -> Service Offerings. If you don’t have an ideal Service Offering to associate to, you could create one for Alerting and Monitoring. This sets the stage for any future Service Manager/SCOM initiatives you might want to template!
Questions about Service Manager? We’re ready for them. Ask away here!
Stay tuned for the next step in our series, Part 3 – New Monitor Request.
