Topology Query Language (TQL) Overview

TQL extends the standard SQL language by adding two important capabilities:

• TQL enables you to draw conceptual relationships between configuration items (CIs), which represent their actual interdependencies. Using predefined operators, the different types of interconnections (relationships) that exist between CIs can be established, and consequently the infrastructure design and performance are more accurately represented. This representation serves as a basis and a model for the discovery, arrangement, query, and management of complex infrastructures.

• TQL includes a graphical aspect, consisting of visual symbols and syntax, that represents the resources and their interconnections. This visualization of an IT infrastructure simplifies the understanding, monitoring, and managing of the IT business operations.

TQL plays several roles:

• Builds a business service model that defines and delineates the interconnection between IT assets that function together as business services. The business service model guides the discovery and identification of these business services, from the ever-increasing number and complexity of infrastructure resources. After the resources that comprise the business services are discovered, the business service model structures the way they are organized and managed in the CMDB.

• Constantly searches the CMDB for changes that occur in the state of managed resources. When such changes are detected, the relevant subsystems are informed and updated.

• Creates queries that retrieve business service data from the CMDB, and displays the data in a visual representation that facilitates data monitoring and managing.