Well here I go, my first work related post!

Quick background for those that don’t know, I work for a large legal firm in Sydney. I am what is called a System’s Engineer.

Despite the title I’m not incredibly nerdy and technical, I found myself in IT over 14 years ago but I don’t have an IT degree, just industry technical training, indeed my formal education is as a Hotel Manager!

I’m letting you know that because the following is not 100% accurate (gasp!), i.e. I’m going to refer to objects that maybe properties or attributes and I’m going to present some code that probably isn’t too clean and in the attached file the formatting isn’t spot on…….and I have a life beyond work so it is a bit rough

(and my English, grammar and punctuation is a shocker as well)
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Please read through all the posts and make sure this solution suits you before wasting too much time on it.
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Ok, lets get into it!

I got into Microsoft System Centre when I was tasked with migrating our MOM 2005 infrastructure to SCOM 2007 and I’m now that’s completed I am on to System Centre Service Manager 2010 (SCSM).

SCSM does a great job at getting CI’s (Config Items) from SCCM, AD and SCOM, but what about mobile phones, scanners, projectors? How do we get those in?

This bugged me for ages and clearly it bugged others, hence, having figured it out, I’m posting how I did it so as to help others. It may not be the best way, but I believe it is close and I’m trying to write it so you understand it.

This post and the following will show you how I did it for Mobile Phones. The relevant MP’s will be in the following posts and you can use them as template for other CI MP’s that you want to create.

Oh, by the way, I’m assuming you are to my level, i.e. know what SCSM is, are familiar to a basic degree with the SCSM Authoring tool, you understand how xml is structured but you don’t care much for playing in visual studio and the like (you are not a developer).

Our MP is going to extend the “Generic” form.

The form is used to add CI’s and view and adjust their properties. It gives us a variety of properties straight off such as Display Name and Asset Status and it allows us to do things like relate the CI to users etc.

These are the “extra” properties I have decided I want for the Mobile Devices;
• Asset Tag
• Model
• IMEI / Serial number
• Centre (Assigned Location/Site/Cost Centre)
• Purchase Date
• Warranty Expiry

The property “Model” is going to be a list internal to the MP but “Centres” is going to be an external list.

The idea is that if a list is to be referenced by different Management Packs, then it should be in its own MP.

Further the MP should be sealed so that modifications can be managed and the MP can not be adjusted within the console, thereby minimizing risk of data loss when MP updates occur.

A list is in effect an Enumeration.

So next step is to create my “Centres” MP, and that will be the next post!

Part 2 here

The Apollo Barge presents some nice wide angle picture opportunities because it is upright and intact.

Despite a very slow decent and dry suit troubles, it was nice to get a deep dive in, it has been several weeks!

Peter Field’s was a willing model for the scooter shot and its either Peter or Marieanne Tibbitts in the other shot.

It is amazing how only 20 years ago, ships (is it technically a ship?) were just “dumped” to the point that no one really knows the history of this barge, and now there is such an uproar over the sinking of the HMAS Adelaide and its environmental impact.

On the Adelaide, looks like it will be sunk soon and thats great but wow, the Government and the organisers seem to have really stuffed up in terms of community consultation and sinking timings, I hope the community up there move on from it quickly.

I’m delighted to see some great work by Damien, Nipper and Fil getting due credit on ABC TV’s “7.30 Report” last night.

The trio have been the first to dive, and hence confirm the identity of, a wreck off South West Rocks in NSW that is now known to be the MV Fairwind.

Check out Damo’s blog here for some great Canon 7D video at90 metres!

Weather bad…minimal diving…did manage a dive at Clifton last week….

The Biennale of Sydney is on at the moment, more info here.

They put on a great free exhibition at Cockatoo Island, free ferry ride over and back included, this is what makes Sydney a great city. The Biennale isn’t over yet, if you can get to an event do try…and of course Vivid is on as well!

Here are a few Cockatoo piccies;