Programically accessing data from AssetCenter

[Avitar]

Hello,

I am building a series of application connectors that need to pull/push data from/to HP Openview AssetCenter 5.x to automate EDI between departments. I have been advised that we are not allowed to have our applications directly interface with the database behind AssetCenter due to licensing/warranty restrictions.

I am looking for some sort of documentation on how to interface with AssetCenters API (which I believe is called Connect-IT). Even Googling this info came up with mostly consultants or brief abstract information that was thing. Could someone please give me some guidance on how to create a connection to AssetCenter with PHP?

Is it as simple as making a ODBC connection ie.:

<?php

class Database_1_0 {

    var $dbh, $db, $host, $user, $pass;

    function Connect(){
        if($this->db != '' && 
           $this->host != '' && 
           $this->user != '' && 
           $this->pass != '')
                {
            $this->dbh = odbc_connect($this->host,$this->user,$this->pass) 
                or die ('Error connecting to database ');
        }
    }
    function Disconnect(){ odbc_close($this->dbh); }
    function Database_1_0(){}
}

?>

[Artur]

I believe there is a "data" or "datakit" subdirectory under AssetCenter with
demo in VB for connecting.
I do not recall any restrictions for reading using any tool/language.
But there are for sure restrictions for writing - you have to use API or ConnectIt.
ConnectIt is just a tool for integration not an API.
If you are able to use DLL with php - you can use the API for reading and writing.

regards
Artur

[Avitar]

I will try this out later today. Thanks that at least gets me in the right direction.

Update:

I tried using the code base located in the SDK folder of assetcenter and the example code doesn't even compile; their example is broken code! Maybe I will just push for the company to go to a better designed system like Altiris Asset Management. In the mean time I am stuck with this lousy application.

[Avitar]

More info for anyone else working with this app:

I found that the DLL is not a valid COM object as well and has problems at the low levels just being registered via windows reg server commands (both .net and earlier models).

I did discover that installing the client application for asset center does create a generic odbc connection that can be used to work with the oracle back end.

[Artur]

Remeber - if you do some dorect writing - HP support will likely to refuse to help in case of problems (if you tell them about it, or send the logs or DB ant they will find it).

Last version I used DLL fo AC was about AC4.4. It worked well with VB, no problems to use the API.

regards
Artur