Configuring File Observer jobs

Using the File Observer functionality, you can write bespoke data to a file in a specific format, upload this data to the topology service, and then visualize this data as a topology view in the Agile Service Manager UI.

Create the file to be used by the File Observer

1. Use the following information to create or configure the file.
   Tip: An example file is available in the $ASM_HOME/data/file-observer directory.

   Topology data in a file is comprised of vertices (nodes) and edges. A vertex represents an object (resource), while an edge represents the relationship between two objects.

   Each line of the file you create should be in one of the formats below, loading a single resource vertex (including optional relationships in the _references field) or a single edge, deleting a single vertex, or pausing execution.

   Lines starting with V: (vertex), E: (edge), D: (delete) or W: (wait) are treated as instruction lines to be processed. Other lines, for example lines that are empty or commented out, are ignored.

   Line format

   V:

   Load a resource vertex, with a JSON representation as documented for the body of the topology service API method: POST /resources

   If specifying the _status element, acceptable state values are open, closed, or clear, and acceptable severity values are clear, indeterminate, warning, minor, major, or critical.

   E:

   Load an edge, with a JSON representation as documented for the _references section of the body of the topology service API method POST /resources

   D:

   Delete a resource vertex, identified by it's uniqueId

   W:

   Pause for the given duration (for testing purposes only).

   Takes an integer period followed by a string specifying the units.

   Important: Ensure that the file is structured correctly. For each line of the file, information included after the closing } that matches an opening { is ignored, and no error is recorded. See the related links for more information on available timestamps formats.
2. Upload the file.
   You can use Swagger (POST /files) or a cURL command to upload the file. See the Swagger reference topic for more information.

Configure the File Observer job

3. From the Observer Configuration UI, click Configure under the File icon, or select an existing File job to be edited.
4. Enter or edit the following parameters, then click Run job to save your job and begin retrieving information.

   Table 1. File Observer job parameters

   Parameter	Action	Details
   Unique ID	Enter a unique name for the job	Required
   File Name	Specify the name of the file to be loaded.	Required. Must be relative to the $ASM_HOME/data/file-observer/ directory (rather than absolute).
   Job schedule	Specify when the job should run, and whether it should run at regular intervals. By default the job runs immediately, and only once. Optionally you can specify a future date and time for the job to run, and then set it to run at regular intervals after that.	Optional. Transient (one-off) jobs only. If you set a job schedule, the run intervals must be at least 90 seconds apart, and if you set them at less than 15 minutes, a warning is displayed, as the frequency can impact system performance.
   Observer job description	Enter additional information to describe the job.	Optional