IBM Tivoli Software

Using IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact to

Integrate the Netcool/OMNIbus
Active Event List and Charting
Portlets in the Tivoli Integrated Portal
Document version 1.0
Brian R. Fabec
IBM Software Developer

 Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2013.

US Government Users Restricted Rights Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule
Contract with IBM Corp.

Netcool/Impact Overview

Netcool/Impact Overview
IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact is a highly scalable event processing engine that provides a
common platform for ubiquitous data access that easily circumvents traditional
organizational boundaries. Leveraging this data, IT operations staff can correlate,
calculate, enrich, deliver, notify, escalate, visualize and perform a wide range of automated
actions. The advanced policy-engine provided by Netcool/Impact allows IT operations staff
to add business context to IT events, thereby making it easier to perform essential
functions such as event prioritization, business impact analysis and measurement of key
performance indicators. The Operator View allows user to create Web-based views
consolidate multiple data sources and provide a single point from which to view distributed
data.
Netcool/Impact is a set of runnable server components that work together to provide event
management and integration functionality for the Netcool suite of products. From an
implementation perspective, you can understand Netcool/Impact as a development tool
that you use to customize, enhance, and expand the functionality of an existing Netcool
installation. It is a platform that you can use to build new functionality into your current
installation of the Netcool product suite.
For more information on Netcool/Impact, refer to the following URL:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/servicemanagement/bsm/tni/index.html

Scenario
In this scenario, we have a Netcool/OMNIbus ObjectServer TDW (Tivoli Data Warehouse)
gateway which forwards events to an IBM DB2 database for event archiving purposes. We
want to setup two new right click menu options:
1. LaunchEventArchive When selected, a new page that contains our archived
events will be displayed in context to the event that was selected.
2. UpdateEventArchive When selected, the charting portlet in the same page will be
updated in context to the event which was selected.
You can use Netcool/Impact to expose data types and policy user output parameters
through the UI data provider to populate Tivoli Integrated Portal (TIP) charting portlets.
Through the use of Netcool/Impact polices, you can provide additional filtering logic to
allow the data populated in the portlets to be in context of other portlets, like the Active
Event List (AEL). In this scenario we will visualize the archived event data in real-time.

Steps

Figure 1 - Event Archive Portlet in context to the Active Event List

2.1

Scenario Assumptions

The Netcool/Impact UI is installed in the same Tivoli Integrated Portal environment

as Netcool/OMNIbus Active Event List.

This particular scenario has been written and tested with Netcool/Impact 6.1.1,
Tivoli Integrated Portal 2.2.0.11, and both Netcool/OMNIbus 7.3.1.5 and
Netcool/OMNIbus 7.4.

Steps
1. In the Netcool/Impact data model UI, create a data source and data type for archived
events.
2. In the Netcool/Impact policy UI, create an IPL policy that uses the GetByFilter function
to query the data type with the filter to uniquely identify a particular event. This
scenario uses the identifier slot to perform this function, however any of the columns
that are specified needs to be handled in the policy. For example, if the Node and
Identifier fields are passed in from the AEL, the GetByFilter function input parameter
filter needs to be updated to handle both fields.

Steps

Log("GetArchiveEvents: entering policy with Identifier: " + Identifier);

if (Identifier == null) {
//Identifier hasn't been passed into policy- show all events in archive database
archiveEvents = GetByFilter("ARCHIVE_STATUS", "1=1 ORDER BY FIRSTOCCURRENCE desc
fetch first 100 rows only", false);
} else {
//Show only events in the archive database whose Identifier column matches runtime parameter
archiveEvents = GetByFilter("ARCHIVE_STATUS", "IDENTIFIER='" + Identifier + "' ORDER BY
FIRSTOCCURRENCE desc fetch first 100 rows only", false);
}
Log("GetArchiveEvents: located " + Length(archiveEvents) + " events.");
Log("GetArchiveEvents: exiting policy.");

3. When the policy is created and saved you can add the Identifier runtime parameter for
your filter and the archiveEvents user output parameter, which will be used to populate
our charting portlet. After a 5 minute refresh time, the user output parameter will be
available for selection in the Portlet charting data types.

Figure 2 - Policy Runtime and User Output Parameters

4. In Tivoli Integrated Portal, under Settings -> Portlet, select the new portlet icon to
create a new portlet based upon this new user output parameter. Select Next to start
the wizard.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Select Charting as the Base Portlet.

Provide the portlet name, description, and associated images.
Select the portlet security roles, or click next to select the default values.
Under the General, select Create a chart.
Under Data Types, select the connection to your Impact server. For example,
with Impact and TBSM in the same TIP environment, it would be
Impact_TBSMCLUSTER. Otherwise, it may be Impact_NCICLUSTER.
f. Select the policy name of the policy that was previously created in step 2.
g. Select the user output parameter that was created previously in step 3.
h. Under Parameters, enable the Update context based on selections made in
other portlets check box and the executePolicy check box.
i. Under Filters, create your portlet filters, or click next to select the default.

Steps

j.

Under Visualization, select the table widget and choose the columns you
want to visualize.
k. Under Visualization Options, select your paging, or click next to select the
default.
l. Select Finish to create your portlet.
5. Now that the portlet is created, create a page that contains the portlet that you want to
launch into.

a. In Tivoli Integrated Portal, under Settings -> Pages, select New Page.
b. Provide a page name, location and layout, select OK to create the page.
c. Drag and drop the new portlet to the pages workspace, and customize your
page as required.
d. After the page is created and saved, in the top right select page Action ->
About and record the Page ID, for example:
com.ibm.isclite.admin.Freeform.navigationElement.pagelayoutA.modified.ObG
Hz6Bn4tV6w3bS1S5VZax1362541420437

6. Now that the page and portlet is created, you need to create a new menu item for the
AEL. In Tivoli Integrated Portal, under Administration -> Event Management Tools ->
Tool Creation, select the New Tool icon.
a. Provide a name for the new tool, i.e. LaunchArchiveEvents.
b. Under Type, select Script.
c. Under Script Commands, enter the following command:
var eventObject =
{
'name': 'http://ibm.com/isclite#launchPage',
'NavigationNode': '<Page ID>,
'pageInstanceRef': 'null',
'switchPage': 'true',
'Identifier':'{$selected_rows.Identifier}'
};
{$appletparam.portletnamespace}sendPortletEvent( eventObject );

d. Disable the Execute for each selected row check box.

e. Select Save to save the new tools.

Steps

Figure 3 - Create new tool: LaunchArchiveEvents

7. Create another menu item for updating other portlets in the same page. In Tivoli
Integrated Portal, under Administration -> Event Management Tools -> Tool Creation,
select the New Tool icon.
a. Provide a name for the new tool, i.e. UpdateArchiveEvents.
b. Under Type, select Script.
c. Under Script Commands, enter the following command:
var event = {
name: "http://ibm.com/tip#NodeClickedOn",
'Identifier':'{$selected_rows.Identifier}',
payload: { product: { OMNIbusWebGUI: { displaycontext: {
filterName : "RawEvents_740",
filterType : "user_transient",
registerFilter : "true",
sql : "Severity=4",
forceOverwrite : "true",
viewName : "RawEvents",
viewType: "system",
dataSource : "NCOMS"
} } } } };
{$appletparam.portletNamespace}sendPortletEvent(event);

d. Disable the Execute for each selected row check box.

e. Select Save to save the new tool.

Steps

Figure 4 - Create new tool: UpdateArchiveEvents

8. Now the Launch tool is created, you need to add the tool to the alerts menu. In Tivoli
Integrated Portal, under Administration -> Event Management Tools -> Menu
Configuration, select the alerts menu and Modify. Add the new tools that were just
created from the Available items list to the Current items list and select Save.

Steps

Figure 5 - Alerts Menu Editor

9. Now that everything is configured, you can test our new menu item,
LaunchArchiveEvents. In Tivoli Integrated Portal, under Availability, select the Active
Event List to open the AEL. Right click on the event and select the new menu item.

Figure 6 - Selecting the new LaunchArchiveEvents menu item

Steps

The new page that was created previously will load with the portlet in context to this
particular events identifiers value.

Figure 7 - LaunchArchiveEvents loaded a new page in context to the AEL

10. Refer back to step 5, and create a new page that contains both of the portlets, the AEL
and the Event Archive. When you right click on the event and select
UpdateEventArchive, the Event Archive portlet is updated in context to the event that
was selected.

Figure 8 - Selecting the new UpdateArchiveEvents menu item

REFERENCES
IBM Tivoli Netcool/Impact 6.1.1 Infocenter:
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v8r1/index.jsp?topic=%2Fcom.ibm.netcoolimpact
.doc6.1.1%2Fwelcome.html

IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus V7.4 Infocenter:

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v8r1/topic/com.ibm.netcool_OMNIbus.doc_7.
4.0/omnibus/wip/welcome.htm
IBM Tivoli Netcool/OMNIbus-TDW Integration:
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21407664


Copyright IBM Corporation 2013
IBM United States of America
Produced in the United States of America
US Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with
IBM Corp.
IBM may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this document in other countries. Consult your local IBM
representative for information on the products and services currently available in your area. Any reference to an IBM
product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that IBM product, program, or service may be used.
Any functionally equivalent product, program, or service that does not infringe any IBM intellectual property right may be
used instead. However, it is the user's responsibility to evaluate and verify the operation of any non-IBM product, program,
or service.
IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter described in this document. The furnishing of
this document does not grant you any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries, in writing, to:
IBM Director of Licensing
IBM Corporation
North Castle Drive
Armonk, NY 10504-1785
U.S.A.
The following paragraph does not apply to the United Kingdom or any other country where such provisions are
inconsistent with local law:
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS PAPER AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow
disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply to you.
This information could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes may be made periodically to the
information herein; these changes may be incorporated in subsequent versions of the paper. IBM may make improvements
and/or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this paper at any time without notice.
Any references in this document to non-IBM Web sites are provided for convenience only and do not in any manner serve
as an endorsement of those Web sites. The materials at those Web sites are not part of the materials for this IBM product
and use of those Web sites is at your own risk.
IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter described in this document. The furnishing of
this document does not give you any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries, in writing, to:
IBM Director of Licensing
IBM Corporation
4205 South Miami Boulevard
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 U.S.A.
All statements regarding IBM's future direction or intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent
goals and objectives only.
This information is for planning purposes only. The information herein is subject to change before the products described
become available.
If you are viewing this information softcopy, the photographs and color illustrations may not appear.

11

Trademarks
IBM, the IBM logo, and ibm.com are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in
the United States, other countries, or both. If these and other IBM trademarked terms are marked on their first occurrence in
this information with a trademark symbol ( or ), these symbols indicate U.S. registered or common law trademarks
owned by IBM at the time this information was published. Such trademarks may also be registered or common law
trademarks in other countries. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the web at "Copyright and trademark
information" at http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.
Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.