2 Replies Latest reply on Apr 30, 2015 1:55 PM by Jeremy Drury

    Overlay Datasets vs. Best Practices Clarification

    Mark Lev Mar 12, 2015 10:17 AM
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      Within the CMDB Best Practices Webinar presentation many references were made to Overlay Datasets, and how they should be used.

       

      This sounds great, and makes sense, conceptually.

       

      However, in the CMDB documentation states:

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      Warning:

      Overlay dataset functionality applies only to BMC Atrium CMDB API clients. If you use the BMC Atrium Core Console or the class forms to view or modify instances in an overlay dataset, you receive unpredictable results and can compromise data integrity.

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      From limited functionality testing, I have found the actual results to support the warning rather than the discussion.  I was not able to get the overlay dataset to perform as the webinar states it should.  I'm able to reconcile as expected, but the "flow through" performance does not function as explained in how it works, or in the webinar.

       

      Can this feature/capability be further explained or clarified?  This webinar has created interest in this feature, yet we are not able to deliver said results.

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        • 1. Re: Overlay Datasets vs. Best Practices Clarification
          Carey Walker
          Carey Walker Champion Mar 12, 2015 8:40 PM (in response to Mark Lev)

          Hi Mark

           

          The overlay dataset concept is interesting and deployed today as part of the CMDB functionality around the sandbox datasets if my understanding is correct - BUT - this is all done using the API mechanism and hence seems to work as advertised. We also tried (many years back when this was first made available) to see how it worked via the UI and got nowhere. We had a number of support calls about it and the advice was 100% consistent with the caveats you have seen from BMC. Basically it is only workable at an API (i.e. programmatic) level.

           

          I didn't attend the webinar (I'll try and catch a recording), but am very surprised BMC are still highlighting this when the practical availability of it is so limited. We had several use cases where the overlay dataset concept, if working in the UI context, could have been really useful, but had to abandon them since we couldn't support an API driven approach to the requirement.

           

          Simple answer is that BMC would be better to present this capability as an API only interaction, OR do whatever is required to make it work once configured, for user interactions. Advertising that it can be used but with unreliable results, isn't a good look.

          • 2. Re: Overlay Datasets vs. Best Practices Clarification
            Jeremy Drury
            Jeremy Drury Apr 30, 2015 1:55 PM (in response to Mark Lev)

            Thank you Mark Lev for starting this discussion. I just got done watching the same Webinar and was a bit confused as well.

            I really appreciate the information Carey Walker. This definitely clears things up. Also, if anyone is viewing this conversation and is interested in watching this Webinar (Which has a lot of great information), I have provided the link.

             

            Connect with Remedy - CMDB Best Practices - Get Set, Get Ready, Go! Webinar

             

            Thank you,

            Jeremy Drury