This article describes how to automate the assignment (known as a resource association) of departments and locations to users and computers, such as on a large or global scale.

General information

Users, computers, departments and locations are located in the Symantec Management Platform (SMP) Console in the following areas:
 

• Core SMP user interface: Manage > User, and, Manage > Computer for users and computers, and Manage > Organizational Views and Groups for departments and locations. These areas do not enable the creation or editing of users or computers.
• CMDB Solution: Manage > Assets > Organizational Type > User, and, Manage > Assets > Manage Configuration Items > Computers and Peripherals > Computer for users and computers, and Manage > Assets > Organizational Types > Department or Location for departments and locations. These areas enables the creation and editing of users and computers.

Users, computers, departments and locations can be added by the following methods:
 

• For users and computers only: core SMP function Microsoft Active Directory Import: this is located at Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Microsoft Active Directory Import.
• Data Connector import rule: this is located at Settings > All Settings > Connector > Data Sources and Import/Export Rules. Note: There are no out of box import rules to import resources. These must be custom set up by creating new import rules.
• Barcode Solution: this is located at Home > Service and Asset Management > Barcode.
• CMDB Solution: this enables manual creation and editing of users and computers.
• For computers only:
  
  * Installation of a core SMP Agent or the deployment of an image that has an SMP Agent already on it. For the former, this is located at Settings > Agents/Plug-ins > Symantec Management Agent > Settings > Symantec Management Agent Install.
  * Inventory Solution's Network Discovery: This is located at Settings > All Settings > Discovery and Inventory > Network Discovery Settings. 

How to automate the assignment of departments and locations

There are several ways to automate the assignment of departments and locations. For conciseness, these are discussed further in their own articles.
 

• Use a custom Data Connector import rule:
  
  How to create a Data Connector import rule to assign a user's department or location
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO64259
  
  How to create a Data Connector import rule to assign a computer's location
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO64381
  
  How to import CMDB Solution departments and locations from Active Directory using a Data Connector import rule
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO59218
   
• Use a custom CMDB rule:
   
  How to create a CMDB rule that will assign Locations to computers
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO10037
   
• For computers only, use the CMDB task Update Network Resource Location:
  
  How to use the CMDB task Update Network Resource Location
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO64412

Related Articles

Symantec Management Platform 7.1 SP2 User Guide (also includes Data Connector instructions)
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4730

Altiris Barcode Solution 7.1 SP2 from Symantec User Guide
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4672

Altiris CMDB Solution 7.1 SP2 from Symantec User Guide
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4671

Altiris Inventory Solution 7.1 SP2 from Symantec User Guide
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC4729

How are Locations, Departments, Equipment and Services populated in ServiceDesk?
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO30360

Restricting permissions in Organizational Groups fails to restrict users from editing assets
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH188388