Valid Links

Overview

Valid Links define what relationships the current CI type can establish with other types. By defining valid links, you can build connections between CIs to form complete CI topology graphs.

Business Value:

• Establish dependency and association relationships between CIs
• Visualize CI topology
• Support impact analysis and fault location

Interface Layout

The Valid Links tab provides two view modes:

View	Description	Use Case
Table View	Lists all valid links in table format	View detailed relationship list
Graph View	Displays valid links graphically	Intuitively view relationship network

The toolbar contains view toggle buttons and action buttons:

• Add Valid Link: Define a new valid link
• Toggle View: Switch between table and graph views

Table View

The table view displays all valid links where the current type is a source or target:

Column	Description
Source CI Type	Source CI type of the relationship
Relationship Type	Type of relationship (e.g., depends on, uses, etc.)
Target CI Type	Target CI type of the relationship
Inherited	Shows whether the relationship is inherited from a parent type
System	Shows whether the relationship is system built-in or custom
Actions	Edit, delete, view operations

Graph View

The graph view displays valid links visually:

Graph Elements

Element	Description
Nodes	Represent CI types. Background color meaning: orange (current type), light blue (relationships defined on current type), gray (inherited relationships)
Containers	Group nodes that share the same relationship type with the current type, with the relationship type label at the top
Edges	Represent valid links, with arrows pointing to the target type

Graph Layout

The graph view uses a vertical layout with nodes distributed as follows:

Area	Content
Top	Relationships where the current type is the target
Bottom	Relationships where the current type is the source
Center	Current type node

Graph Operations

Operation	Description
Click type name	Opens the valid links page for that CI type
Click X button on opposite type	Deletes the relationship between the current type and that type (only effective for custom relationships; inherited or system built-in relationships don't show the X button)

Adding Valid Links

Steps

1. Click the "Add Valid Link" button in the toolbar
2. Configure the valid link in the popup dialog

Field Reference

Field	Description
Current CI Type	The current CI type; cannot be modified
Link Direction	Select forward or reverse. Forward: current type is source; Reverse: current type is target
Target CI Type	Select the type at the other end of the link. Any type can be selected
Relationship Type	Select the relationship type. Must be defined first in CI Relationship Types

Examples:

• Application → Computer: Application depends on Computer
• Computer → Server Room: Computer is located in Server Room

Editing and Deleting Valid Links

Steps

Edit Valid Link:

1. Find the relationship to edit in the table view list
2. Click the "Edit" button on that row
3. Modify the relationship configuration in the popup dialog
4. Click "OK" to save changes

Delete Valid Link:

1. Find the relationship to delete in the table view list
2. Click the "Delete" button on that row
3. Click "OK" in the confirmation dialog

Restrictions

The following types of valid links can only be viewed, not edited or deleted:

Relationship Type	Description	How to Handle
Inherited relationships	Valid links inherited from parent type	Need to modify or delete in the parent type
System built-in relationships	System predefined valid links	Cannot be modified or deleted

Deletion Note: Deleting a relationship only removes the relationship definition and does not affect existing CI association instances.

Inherited Relationships

Subtypes automatically inherit valid links from their parent type.

Example:

• Host type defines a relationship with Data Center
• Computer inherits from Host and automatically has this relationship
• Computer can then define a relationship with Rack

In the valid links list, inherited relationships show an "Inherited" label and can only be viewed, not edited or deleted. To modify them, go to the parent type.

System Built-in Relationships

The system includes predefined valid links to ensure the integrity of the base topology structure. These relationships can only be viewed, not edited or deleted.

Characteristics:

• Predefined by the system, not modifiable
• Usually common generic relationship types (e.g., depends on, uses, manages, etc.)
• Can be used in any CI type

Relationship Type Management

Relationship types must be predefined in the "CI Relationship Types" module.

For detailed relationship type management instructions, see: CI Relationship Types

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between valid links and attributes?

A:

• Valid Links: Establish connections between CIs, can form topology graphs
• Attributes: Record characteristic information about CIs themselves

Q: Why can't some relationships be edited or deleted?

A: The following two types of relationships cannot be edited or deleted:

• Inherited relationships: Valid links inherited from parent types; need to modify or delete in the parent type
• System built-in relationships: System predefined valid links that ensure base topology structure integrity; cannot be modified or deleted

Q: Does deleting a valid link affect existing data?

A: No. Deleting a valid link definition only prevents new associations from being established; existing CI associations are not affected.

Q: How to establish bidirectional relationships?

A: Define relationships in both directions separately. For example:

• Application → Computer: depends on
• Computer → Application: provides

Q: Is there a limit on the number of valid links?

A: There's no hard limit. However, it's recommended to keep the number of valid links reasonable to avoid overly complex topology affecting performance and readability.

Q: How to use valid links with CIs?

A: In CI Directory, select a CI instance, click the Configuration Topology tab, switch to Explore Mode, click the "Create Related CI" button, select the defined target CI and valid link to establish the relationship.