Preparing ServiceNow CMDB for synchronization
The BMC Helix Discovery integration with ServiceNow CMDB is supported for all supported releases of ServiceNow CMDB.
Add BMC Discovery to cmdb_ci discovery_source choice list
The BMC Helix Discovery integration uses a Discovery Source choice list on the base cmdb_ci class. Discovery Source is a choice list meaning that it is not a free text field and that the values allowed are restricted to a predefined list. The Discovery Source text used in theBMC Helix Discovery CMDB integration is BMC Discovery and this must exist in the choice list.
- Login to the ServiceNow CMDB with a system administrator privileged account and navigate to System Definition > Choice Lists
Click on New to add a choice list record and complete the following fields:
Field Value Table "Configuration Item [cmdb_ci]" Element discovery_source Language English (mandatory) Label "BMC Discovery" Value The default value is, "BMC Discovery". This must match the "Source Name" used in the configuration in BMC Helix Discovery, and be unique in your ServiceNow CMDB instance.
- Click Submit.
Create the bmc.integration user
A ServiceNow user must be created to allow the BMC Helix Discovery CMDB integration to create / update and manage CIs within the ServiceNow CMDB.
This procedure assumes that the roles have not been modified from their default configuration.
Login to the ServiceNow CMDB with a system administrator privileged account and navigate to User Administration > Users
Click on New to add a User record and complete the following fields:
Field Value User ID This must match the Username used in the configuration in BMC Helix Discovery.
First Name Integration user first name Last Name Integration user last name Password This must match the Password used in the configuration in BMC Helix Discovery.
Active Set to "Active" Locked Out Ensure this is not selected Password needs reset Ensure this is not selected Web service access only Ensure this is selected. Language English (mandatory) - Click Submit.
Locate the created user and open the User record, select Roles and Edit. The following roles must be added to the user:
Role Purpose itil The itil role is required to give access to the cmdb_ci tables model_manager The model_manager role is required so that any missing products (models) can be created when a CI is added to ServiceNow. The products (models) are stored in the table cmdb_model. The role model_manager gives write access to the cmdb_model table. user_admin Optional - The user_admin role is to allow write permissions to the core_company table to create / add missing "manufacturers" to the system. If not provided, manufacturers unknown by ServiceNow will be empty on CIs. personalize_choices The system needs to read the sys_choice records to check that the discovery source exists in the choice list of the cmdb_ci table. This procedure assumes that the above roles have not been modified from the default configuration.
- Click Save.
Setting the OAuth API Endpoint
Create an OAuth application endpoint to allow the BMC Helix Discovery CMDB integration to access system resources in the ServiceNow CMDB.
Login to the ServiceNow CMDB with a system administrator privileged account and navigate to System OAuth > Application Registry
- Click New
- On the interceptor page, click Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients.
Complete the following fields:
Field Value Name A unique name.
Client ID This is created by default. This must match the Client ID used in the configuration in BMC Helix Discovery.
Client Secret If no value supplied the system automatically generates this. This must match the Client Secret used in the configuration in BMC Helix Discovery.
- Click Submit.
Class configuration summary
The following table shows a summary of the configuration changes that you need to make to ServiceNow CMDB classes.
Info
Unless stated otherwise all dependency rules you create must be of the type "Hosting" rather than the default of "Containment".
Class | Internal Class Name | Change | Dependency | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hardware |
| Remove the identifier entry for “Name” and remove the identifier entry for “Serial Number” and replace with an identifier entry for “Name” + “Serial Number” with allow null attributes selected. This new identifier entry should be the 2nd in priority behind the Serial Number lookup identifier entry. | ||
Storage Volume |
| Change first Identifier Entry to be Object ID and Name with allow null attributes | ||
Resource Group |
| Change Identifier Entry to be Object ID and Name with allow null attributes. Add in a dependency for Environment | Resource Group - Contains (Contains::Contained by) - Environment | Rule must be of the type “Containment” and should be added via the Metadata Editor. See below for details. |
Environment |
| Create Identification Rule: Independent, Set Identifier Entry to be Serial Number and Name with allow null attributes | ||
Application |
| Add two additional dependencies for Logical Datacenter and Cluster | Application - Runs on (Runs on::Runs) - Logical Datacenter | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
Application - Runs on (Runs on::Runs) - Cluster | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". | |||
Virtual Machine Instance |
| Add two additional dependencies for Server and Network Gear | Virtual Machine Instance - Runs on (Runs on::Runs) - Server | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
Virtual Machine Instance - Runs_on (Runs on::Runs) - Network Gear | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". | |||
Fibre Channel Port |
| Change Identifier Entry to be Name and WWPN with allow null attributes and add in another dependency for IP Switch | Fibre Channel Port - Owned By (Owns::Owned by) - IP Switch | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
Logical Datacenter |
| Add in a dependency for Environment | Logical Datacenter - Hosts (Hosted on::Hosts) - Environment | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
VMware vCenter Datacenter |
| Add in a dependency for ESX Server | VMware vCenter Datacenter - Contains (Contains::Contained by) - ESX Server | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
VMware vCenter Datastore |
| Add in a dependency for VMware vCenter Datacenter | VMware vCenter Datastore - Contained by (Contains::Contained by) - VMware vCenter Datacenter | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
Service |
| Create Identification Rule: Independent, Set Identifier Entry to be Name. | ||
Datastore Disk |
| Create Identification Rule: Dependent, Set Identifier Entry to be Name and add in dependency for VMware vCenter Datastore. | Datastore Disk - Provided By (Provided By::Provides) - VMware vCenter Datastore | Check. This is NOT Rule must be of the type "Hosting". |
Load Balancer Service |
| Change first Identifier Entry to include Fully Qualified Domain Name, Port, IP Address, Name and Object ID and Allow null attributes and add in another dependency for Load Balancer Application | Load Balancer Service - Runs on (Runs on::Runs) - Load Balancer Application | Check. This is NOT Runs (Runs on::Runs) Rule must be of type “Hosting”. |
Cloud Load Balancer |
| Change Identifier Entry to include Name, IP Address and Object ID and Allow null attributes | ||
Business Application | cmdb_ci_business_app | Create Identification Rule: Independent. Set Identifier Entry to be Name. | ||
File System | cmdb_ci_file_system | Change first Identifier Entry to be Name and Mount Point with allow null attributes | ||
IP Network | cmdb_ci_ip_network | Create Identification Rule: Independent. Set Identifier Entry to be Subnet. | ||
Load Balancer Application | cmdb_ci_appl | Change the Identification Rule to be Independent. Set Identifier Entry to be Name and Serial number with allow null attributes | ||
Load Balancer Pool | cmdb_ci_lb_pool | Add in a dependency for Load Balancer Application | Load Balancer Pool - Owned by (Owns::Owned by) – Load Balancer Application | Check. This is NOT Owns (Owns::Owned by) Rule must be of type “Hosting”. |
Metadata Editor
Some IRE rules require a type of "Containment" rather than "Hosting". To set up these rules, use the Metadata Editor.
The following example shows how to set up the Containment rules between Environment and Resource Group:
- Navigate to the Metadata Editor in the Service Now UI.
- Under the Containment Rules tab, click Add New Rule .
- In the "Add Top-Level Containment Rule select "Environment".
- For the newly create rule for environment select "Add Containment Rule".
- Select "Resource Group" for the configuration Item type and "Contains::Contained by" for the relationship type.
System Property Modification
Some classes in ServiceNow are configured to require specific attributes to be defined at the time of creation, for example, it_application_owner
and cmdb_software_product_model
in the cmdb_ci_business_app
class.
To enable successful creation of CIs with these mandatory attributes, disable the following system property in ServiceNow:
- Open the ServiceNow menu, in the All search field, enter
sys_properties.list
and press Enter. - On the resulting table view, filter the Name column by using the term
glide.required.attribute.enabled
, and open the system property. - Change the value from true to false. The term false must be in lowercase.
You should consult your ServiceNow product documentation for full details on its configuration.
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