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Optionally, you can upload external data that will enrich the content of the CAST Health Dashboard and also the legacy CAST Engineering Dashboard. External data is either a Background Fact, or a Business Value Metric. This can be done BEFORE you generate a snapshot, or AFTER you generate a snapshot.
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Please see http://doc.castsoftware.com and search for "Background Facts" in the most recent documentation set for more information about using the CAST RestAPI interface to upload Background Facts.
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This legacy method requires you to declare (in the CAST Management Studio) an XML file containing the Background Facts configuration. This XML file is then taken into when a snapshot is generated. You need to keep this file up to date before each snapshot generation process
Note
- Note that from AIP Core 8.3.46, the Background Facts upload field will be ignored during an analysis. You should instead use the "AFTER a snapshot is generated" option.
XML file declaration
The name and location of the XML file to upload is defined in the Dashboard Service editor in the CAST Management Studio:
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- Enter the full name of the XML file in the dedicated Background Facts upload file section - CAST suggests using background_facts.xml, but you are free to choose any name you prefer.
- The file will be taken into account when the next snapshot is generated.
The Background Facts upload file is validated automatically by the CAST Management Studio when the Snapshot is generated. This is because it has to take into account Modules (i.e. modules called "<Application name> full content") that may be generated automatically (and that are not yet known to the CAST Management Studio) during the first stages of the Snapshot generation process.
When a Background Facts upload file is uploaded all future snapshot generation processes will automatically include the Background Facts information.
XML file structure
The XML file is composed of several types of information. Each block of information must be presented in the order listed below:
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To create an XML based upload file for integrating external data into the snapshot generation process, create a new empty XML file and enter the following blocks of code:
Step 1 - Header and main DATA block
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1" ?><DATA model="Central Model" version="1.0.0.17" scope="Productivity"></DATA>
Step 2 - Module mapping
You now need to map the Modules you want to include with your own set of IDs - these IDs are fully independent of the Module IDs defined in the CAST Analysis and Dashboard Services. The <OBJECT_TYPE_NODE> is always 20000 for modules. Add the following blocks within the DATA root node:
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Note that:
- IDs must be unique (i.e.: there must be no other identical IDs in the XML file), but there is no need to generate an initial snapshot as the ID scope is limited to the upload XML file. The ID does not need to be consistent with the IDs used in the Analysis or Dashboard Services.
- Names used must be identical to the names declared in the CAST Management Studio - as such, you need to define the modules in the CAST Management Studio before you create this XML file.
- Types must be identical to the types displayed in the Assessment Model (for example, mapping a DATABASE with a SCHEMA will fail).
Step 3 - Declaring a Business Value for each module (optional)
Add the following block to the DATA root node:
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Notes 1) Object IDs must be the same IDs of the modules mapped in step 2
2) The metric value must be a number 3) To avoid "gaps" in the dashboard display, set values for all mapped modules (or set no values at all)
4) Business Value can evolve from one snapshot to the next 5) The Application Business Value is the max value of Module Business Values 6) The System Business Value is the max value of Application Business Values 7) When declaring Business Value metrics (66061), you MUST ensure that the <METRIC_NUM_VALUE> is set to one of the following values:
- Low Business Value = 1 or 1.5
- Moderate Business Value = 2 or 2.5
- High Business Value = 3 or 3.5
- Extreme Business Value = 4
Failure to do so will result in errors in the legacy CAST Engineering Dashboard.
Step 4 - Declaring the development organization (optional)
Add the following block to the DATA root node:
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Note that:
- IDs must be unique (i.e.: there must be no other identical IDs in the XML file) and they must not be the same as any module ID.
- All levels are required: at least one organization, containing one team, containing one developer - Be careful with link direction, links must go from the upper levels to the lower levels.
Step 5 - Mapping developers from the development organization to the modules (using file-defined module IDs and file-defined developer IDs) (optional)
Add the following block to the DATA root node:
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Note that:
- Be careful with link direction: from the developer to the module.
- Assign modules only to developers only: do not create links between systems and developers nor between modules and teams.
- Assign modules to one single developer (the one responsible for the module): do not create links from one module to two developers.
Step 6 - Declaring productivity metric values for modules (optional)
Add the following block to the DATA root node:
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Note that:
- Assign metric values only to modules.
- Modules and productivity metrics may be omitted (in this example, only two metrics are in use).
- Values must be numbers.
Upload file check
When the Snapshot Generation process is started in the CAST Management Studio, the declared upload file is checked for consistency - if it does not pass the check, the Snapshot Generation process will abort.
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