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CI Directory

Overview​

CI Directory is the core module for browsing and managing CIs in CMDB. Through the CI type tree on the left, you can quickly locate and view CI instances of specific types.

What this module can do for you:

  • Browse all CI instances by CI type
  • View CI details, configuration topology, component resources, and change history
  • Create new CI instances (including multi-step creation with strong dependencies)
  • Export the current CI instance list
  • Create CIs associated with the current CI

Main Features​

  • CI Type Tree: Left side displays the hierarchy of all CI types, supporting search and expand/collapse
  • Hide Empty Types: Optionally hide types with no CI instances
  • Dynamic CI Attribute Display: Automatically selects attributes displayed in the list based on the selected CI type
  • Multi-tab Detail Page: View CIs from four dimensions: Details, Configuration Topology, Component Resources, Change History
  • Advanced Filtering: Supports complex filter conditions and query configuration
  • CI Operations: Supports batch deletion, export current list, create CI, create associated CI
  • Persistent Settings: Table column settings, density, page size, etc. are automatically saved to local storage

Interface Layout​

The CI Directory page uses a left-right split layout:

CI Directory Main Interface

Left: CI Type Tree​

The left side displays the hierarchy of all CI types, supporting search, expand/collapse, hide empty types, and other operations. See Type Tree Features for details.

Right: CI Instance List​

The right side displays CI data for the selected type:

  • CIs: Displays corresponding CI attributes based on the selected CI type
  • Advanced Filtering: Configure filter conditions to filter data
  • CI Operations: Create, delete, export CIs
  • Column Settings: Customize displayed columns, table density, etc.
  • Pagination: Supports paginated browsing of large data sets

How to Use​

View CI Instance List​

  1. Select a CI type in the left type tree
  2. The right side displays CI instances of that type
  3. Click the display name of a CI to view details (navigates to CI detail page)

Search CIs​

Use the search box above the list:

  1. Enter the display name of the CI in the search box
  2. The list automatically filters to show only matching CIs
  3. Clear the search box to restore display of all CIs

Filter CIs​

Click the "Filter" button above the list to open the advanced filter panel.

Supported filter operators: Different data types support different operators. See Attribute Filter Configuration for operator details.

Create CI​

Single-step Creation (No Strong Dependencies)​

Most CI types can be created directly:

  1. Select the CI type to create in the type tree. If the selected type is abstract, you must select a concrete subtype
  2. Click the "Create" button in the top toolbar
  3. Fill in the CI information
  4. Click "OK" to complete creation

Multi-step Creation (With Strong Dependencies)​

Some CI types have strong dependency relationships and require multi-step creation:

Step 1: Select Associated CI

  • Select the dependent CI (e.g., the Computer that Installed Software belongs to)
  • The system automatically establishes the association

Step 2: Fill in CI Information

  • Fill in the CI's attribute information
  • Click "OK" to complete creation

Strong Dependency Examples:

  • Installed Software, Disk, File System must belong to a Computer to be created (via contains relationship)

After selecting a CI row, click the "Create Related CI" button in the toolbar to create a new CI associated with it. The system will automatically guide you to select the association type and fill in information based on valid relationships between CI types.

Batch Operations​

After selecting multiple CI rows, you can perform batch deletion to clean up unwanted CIs at once.

Export CI Instance List​

  1. Select the CI type to export in the type tree
  2. Optional: Apply filter conditions to filter data
  3. Click the "Export Current List" button in the top toolbar
  4. The system generates and downloads the export file

List Features​

Column Configuration​

Table columns are dynamically generated based on the attribute definitions of the selected CI type. Attributes are organized by groups (Basic, System, Other, Data Collection), with different default display states for different groups:

Default Visible Columns:

  • Display Name: CI display name, always shown as the first column
  • Type: Name of the CI type the CI belongs to
  • Basic Attributes: All attributes in the "Basic" group defined for this type (excluding Display Name and Type, which are listed separately)

Default Hidden Columns (can be enabled via column settings):

  • ID: Unique identifier of the CI
  • System Attributes: Attributes in the "System" group (e.g., creation time, update time)
  • Other Attributes: Attributes in the "Other" group
  • Data Collection Attributes: Attributes in the "Data Collection" group

Note: Binary type attributes are not in the above list, meaning such attributes cannot be displayed in the table. To view binary type attribute values, use the CI detail page.

Column Operations:

  • Via column settings (click the "Column Settings" button in the toolbar): show/hide columns, adjust column order, pin columns to left or right
  • Direct operations on column headers: drag column borders to adjust width, click column headers to sort

Table Density​

Click the column settings button to adjust table density:

  • Loose: More comfortable reading experience
  • Medium: Medium density
  • Compact: Display more data rows (default)

Persistent Settings​

The following settings are automatically saved to browser local storage:

  • Column State: Show/hide columns, column order
  • Table Density: Compact/Medium/Loose
  • Page Size: Number of rows per page
  • Filter Conditions: Currently applied filter conditions

Settings for each CI type are saved independently.

Common Scenarios​

Scenario 1: View All Computers​

Business Need: View a list of all computers in the system.

Steps:

  1. Expand the CI type hierarchy in the left type tree
  2. Select the Computer type
  3. The right side displays a list of all computers
  4. You can use filtering to narrow down computers by specific conditions

Scenario 2: Create Installed Software​

Business Need: Add a new installed software record for a computer.

Steps:

  1. Select the Installed Software type in the type tree
  2. Click the "Create" button
  3. Step 1: Select the computer this software belongs to (strong dependency)
  4. Step 2: Fill in software information (name, version, etc.)
  5. Click "OK" to complete creation

Scenario 3: Export Production CIs​

Business Need: Export all production CIs for backup.

Steps:

  1. Select the CI type to export
  2. Set filter condition: Environment = "Production"
  3. Click the "Export Current List" button
  4. Wait for export to complete and download the file

Scenario 4: Find a Specific CI​

Business Need: Quickly find CIs with "web" in their name.

Steps:

  1. Select the type that might contain the CI in the type tree
  2. Type "web" in the search box above the list
  3. The list automatically filters to show matching CIs
  4. Use filtering for further precision

Type Tree Features​

Node Selection​

  • Click a type node: Displays all CI instances of that type
  • Instance Count: Displays the number of instances for each type
  • Include Subtypes: Instance count includes all subtype instances

Search Function​

Use the search box at the top of the type tree:

  1. Enter a type name keyword
  2. The tree automatically filters to show matching types
  3. Clear the search box to restore all types

Refresh​

Click the "Refresh" button at the top of the type tree to reload type tree data, useful when:

  • Other users have added or modified CI types and you need to update the local type tree
  • Type instance counts have changed and need updating

Expand and Collapse​

Use the top buttons:

  • Expand All: Expand all type nodes
  • Collapse All: Collapse all type nodes

Hide Empty Types​

Toggle the "Hide Empty Types" switch:

  • On: Only show types with CI instances
  • Off: Show all types (including empty types)

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: Why can't I create CI instances for some types?​

A: These are abstract types. You can only create CI instances of their concrete subtypes.

Q: What are strong dependencies?​

A: Some CI types must depend on other CIs to exist. For example, Installed Software must belong to a Computer. When creating such CIs, the system guides you to first select the dependent CI.

Q: How to view CIs of multiple types at once?​

A: CI Directory can only display CIs of one type (including its subtypes) at a time. To view multiple types:

  1. Select each type individually to view
  2. Use the CI List feature to create custom lists containing multiple types
  3. Use global search to search for CIs

Q: What format is the exported file?​

A: The exported file is in CSV format, containing all CI data after current filtering.

Q: Are filter conditions saved?​

A: Filter conditions are saved to browser local storage and automatically applied when you select the same CI type again.

Q: How to quickly locate a specific CI?​

A: You can use the following methods:

  1. Use the search box above the list to search by name
  2. Use advanced filtering to set precise conditions
  3. Use global search to search across the entire CMDB

Q: Can I batch modify CIs?​

A: The current version does not support batch modification. To modify multiple CIs, edit them individually.

Q: Is the "Hide Empty Types" setting saved?​

A: Yes, the "Hide Empty Types" setting is saved to browser local storage and automatically restored on next visit.