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Rule 2 - VMware CI-to-CI Relationships

Rule Synopsis

These are the rule/s that automatically determine and create the CI-to-CI relationships (dependencies) for each VMware Asset/CI Type.

Rule Details and Default

The default rule/s are described by the table below which show the default CI-to-CI Relationships per Asset/CI Type.

Assets/CI Types

Relationships

vCentre Instances

  • vCenter Cluster contained by vCenter Datacenter

  • vCenter Datacenter managed by vCenter

  • vCenter Datastore contained by vCenter Datacenter

  • vCenter Datastore provides storage for Virtual Machine Instance

  • Center Datastore provides storage for Virtual Machine Template

  • vCenter Network connects Virtual Machine Instance

  • vCenter Network connects Virtual Machine Template

  • vCenter Network contained by vCenter Datacenter

  • vCenter Network provided by ESX Server

  • vCentre Resource Pool contains vCentre Resource Pool

  • vCentre Resource Pool defines resources for vCentre Cluster

  • vCentre Resource Pool defines resources for vCentre Datacentre

  • vCentre Resource Pool defines resources for ESX Server

ESX Servers

  • ESXi Server contained by vmware vCenter Datacenter

  • ESXi Server managed by vmware vCenter

  • ESXi Server member of vmware vCenter Cluster

  • ESXi Server uses vmware vCenter Datastore

Virtual Machine Instance

  • Virtual Machine Instance contained by vCentre Datacentre

  • Virtual Machine Instance member of vCentre Resource Pool

  • Virtual Machine Instance registered on ESX Server

For existing Syncfish customers up to June 2026

  • Virtual Machine Instance instantiates Computer#1

For NEW Syncfish customers from July 2026 and onwards

  • Computer instantiates Virtual Machine Instance#1

Virtual Machine Template

  • Virtual Machine Template contained by vCentre Datacentre

  • Virtual Machine Template registered on ESX Server

#1 Please read the Additional Information section for more information about this relationship.

Override Options

Context

  1. Customers may be seeking more CI-to-CI relationships (dependencies) than those shown above.

  2. Customers may also want to change the relationship hierarchy to be used between Virtual Machine Instances and the associated Computer CIs.

Options

  1. Additional Relationships can be added (if the source system offers additional ones).

  2. The Virtual Machine Instance to Computer relationship can be overridden so that CI Sync reverses the hierarchy to be used between Virtual Machine Instances and the associated Computer CIs.

Overriding via Connection Settings

To fundamentally change relationships

  1. A connection setting is not available to generally add/remove/change relationships.

  2. General modifications to the relationships from CI Sync requires a Custom Data Sync Rule (and therefore a Syncfish Support Plan to modify the default behaviour).

To influence the relationship hierarchy for Virtual Machine Instances and Computers

Customers can perform the override using a “Connection Setting” via the CI Sync User Interface (i.e. customers can perform the overrides themselves). Additional information for this is available via the following documentation:

  1. For a general overview of CI Sync Connection Settings please read Understanding the use of CI Sync Connection Settings.

  2. For the specific CI Sync Connection Setting/s related to the rule described on this page please read Swap the direction of Virtual Machine Instance to Computer relationships for VMware vSphere

For documentation on all CI Sync Connection Settings please visit the page tree Connection Setting Guides.

Additional Information

Topic #1 - Overview of conflicting relationship documentation about VM Instances and Computer CIs

ServiceNow’s has published conflicting documentation about the relationship hierarchy to be used between Virtual Machine Instances and the associated Computer CIs.

Some ServiceNow documentation recommends treating the Virtual Machine Instance as the parent, and the Computer CI as the child. In this case the resulting relationship would be as follows:

  • Virtual Machine Instance instantiates Computer

Other ServiceNow documentation recommends treating the reverse (i.e. the Computer CI is treated as the parent, and the Virtual Machine Instance as the child. In this case the resulting relationship would be as follows:

  • Computer instantiates Virtual Machine Instance

Topic #2 - Detailed explanation about Virtual Machine Instances and Computer CIs and how CI Sync builds relationships between each

Syncfish recommend the following FAQ article that explains the difference between Virtual Machine Instance objects/CIs and Virtual Machine objects/CIs.

The FAQ explains each object type, why the exist as separate objects, where they exist in the CMDB and how they relate to one another (i.e. the standard CI-to-CI Relationships or Dependencies created for these objects.

We suggest you read FAQ - Overview of Virtual Machine Instance objects and Virtual Machine objects and the associated CIs.

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