CI Relationship Map

CI Relationship Map

A relationship map helps you visualize relationships between a base CI and other (related) CIs. The relationships between the CIs are discovered automatically when they are populated into the CMDB.
Using the map, you can view the number of pending requests, changes, problems, and releases raised for the CIs, and analyze their impact

View Relationship Map    

You can access the relationship map in two ways:
From CI list View: Click > Relationship Map against a CI.
From CI Details page : Click View relationship map.
 
A sample relationship map depicting different CIs and their relationships:

 

Relationship Map Views 

Relationship map has two views: Tree and Cluster.

Tree view

 

Cluster View

 
By default, the relationship map is shown in the Cluster view. To access the tree view, go to the Relationships tab on the CI details page and click Tree View.

 
 

Components of a Relationship Map   

A relationship map is composed of nodes and their connections. The nodes are represented using a parent-child structure. In ServiceDesk Plus, nodes are referred to as CIs and the connections are referred to as CI relationships.
The three basic components of a relationship map are:
  1. Base CI: The CI from which the map begins and for which the relationships are defined.
  2. Related CIs: All CIs extending from the base CI. The related CIs are depicted using a parent-child structure.
  3. CI relationships: The relationship between CIs is displayed on the relationship arrows. The relationships can be direct or inverse.
  4. Direct relationships: The relationship between a parent CI and a child CI.
  5. Inverse relationships: The relationship between a child CI and a parent CI.
For example, John can be the base CI and ApplicationX can be the related CI. The direct relationship for this can be John Manages ApplicationX and the inverse relationship can be ApplicationX is managed by John.
 

View Direct and Inverse CI Relationships in Map   

Each relationship is direct when viewed from one side and inverse from the other side:
  1. Direct Relationship: Viewed from the Relationships tab of the base CI.
  2. Inverse Relationship: Viewed from the Relationships tab of the dependent or related CI.
Example: Consider the relationship map of the CI John whose related CIs are Cisco_WebX_Service and Google_Azure_Service.
Direct relationship viewed from CI John:
Inverse relationship viewed from CI Cisco_WebX_Service :
 
Info
To view relationships between CIs you should define them first.
 

Actions from Map View      

Cluster View 

  1. Reposition the Map: Click and drag the canvas to reposition the map.
  2. Zoom In/Out: Use the Zoom Slider to zoom in or out.
  3. Add Relationship  : Hover over a CI and click to add a relationship. Learn more about CI relationships.
  4. View Relationship Attributes: Hover over a CI to view its relationship attributes.
  5. View CI Details  : Click a CI to open its details in a slider. You can find basic information about the CI in the Details tab.
  6. View Associations  : Click a CI to open its details in a slider. The associated requests, changes, problems, and releases will be displayed under the Associations tab.
  7. Export Cluster View: Click Export as > PNG or PDF to export the cluster view.
Notes
CI details and associations cannot be modified in the slider. 

Tree View 

  1. Reposition the Map: Click and drag the canvas to reposition the map.
  2. Zoom In/Out: Use the icons to zoom in or out, and click to reset to the default size.
  3. Add Relationship: Hover over a CI and click Add Relationship in the pop-up. Learn more about CI relationships.
  4. View CI Details: Hover over a CI and click View CI details in the pop-up. You can find basic information about the CI in the Details tab.
  5. View Associations  : Hover over a CI and click View CI details in the pop-up. The associated requests, changes, problems, and releases will be displayed under the Associations tab.
  6. Export Tree View: Click Export as > PNG or PDF to export the tree view.

Notes
CI details and associations cannot be modified in the slider. 

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