IRE Identification and Reconciliation Guide

Identification answers: Is this CI already present?

Identification rules compare incoming data with existing CIs using reliable identifiers. If a match is found, IRE updates the existing CI. If no match is found, it can create a new CI.

• Use stable identifiers
• Define ordered identifier entries
• Avoid relying only on display names

Reconciliation answers: Can this source update the attribute?

Reconciliation rules protect trusted values. A lower-priority source may identify the correct CI but can still be prevented from overwriting attributes owned by a more trusted source.

Recommended multi-source design

Give every external source its own discovery source and ingestion pipeline. Load through an IRE-aware mechanism and define ownership per attribute instead of choosing one source for the entire CI.

• Separate discovery sources
• IRE-aware ingestion
• Attribute-level precedence
• Test inserts, updates and rejected updates