CIS-Discovery Certified Implementation Specialist - Discovery Questions and Answers

On the ECC Queue, sensor records have a Queue value of output and probe records have a Queue value of input. The ECC Queue is the connection point between the instance and the MID Server, and it displays the input and output messages from and to the MID Server1. A probe is a message that the instance sends to the MID Server to request information from a device or application2. A sensor is a script that the MID Server runs to process the results returned by the probe3. When a probe is created, it is inserted into the ECC Queue with a Queue value of input, which means that it is waiting to be picked up by the MID Server4. When a sensor is created, it is inserted into the ECC Queue with a Queue value of output, which means that it is waiting to be processed by the instance.

References: 1: ECC Queue - ServiceNow 2: Probes - ServiceNow 3: Sensors - ServiceNow 4: How the ECC Queue table records get processed: from output ready to input processed - Support and Troubleshooting - Now Support Portal : [ECC Queue Processing and Debugging, with “Discovery - Sensors” used as an example - Support and Troubleshooting - Now Support Portal]

The Put file operation allows the transfer of a file from the MID Server to a target1. This operation can be used to copy files from the MID Server to a target device, such as configuration files, scripts, or binaries2. The Put file operation requires the file path on the MID Server and the file path on the target as inputs2.

References:

• 1: Put file
• 2: Define discovery steps

In configuring the MID Server Service Settings in ServiceNow, the MID Server name must adhere to certain naming conventions. Among the options provided, "mid server1" (D) is not a valid MID Server name because it contains a space. MID Server names should not include spaces or special characters that are not typically used in naming conventions. Names like "mymidserver1," "mid.server1," and "midserver1" are more in line with the standard naming practices. References = ServiceNow MID Server documentation, specifically the sections detailing MID Server configuration and naming conventions.

According to the ServiceNow website1, the key capabilities of a ServiceNow ITOM Enterprise solution are:

• Manage hybrid clouds: Gain visibility and control across your hybrid cloud environment with a single system of action for IT.
• Proactively eliminate service outages: Identify issues and anomalies before they cause service outages with AIOps and machine learning.
• Automate IT service operations: Automate common service requests, processes, and tasks with digital workflows and virtual agents.
• Optimize IT service delivery: Align your IT resources and investments with business priorities and optimize service delivery performance.

References:

• 1: ITOM - Enterprise IT Operations Management - ServiceNow

The ECC Queue is the normal connection point between an instance and other systems that integrate with ServiceNow, such as MID Servers1. The ECC Queue displays input and output messages from and to MID Servers2. The actual XML payload that is sent to or from an instance is stored in the ECC Queue3. The ECC Queue also provides a connected flow of probe and sensor activity, as probes are sent from the instance to the MID Server, and sensors are sent from the MID Server to the instance2.

References:

• 1: ServiceNow Discovery Overview
• 2: ECC Queue Processing and Debugging, with “Discovery - Sensors” used as an example
• 3: Manage ECC Queue content for a MID Server

The main Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the CMDB Health scorecard in ServiceNow include Correctness, Completeness, and Staleness. These KPIs are critical for assessing the overall health and quality of the CMDB. Correctness refers to the accuracy of the data in the CMDB, Completeness measures whether all required CI data is present, and Staleness indicates the freshness or timeliness of the CI data. Compliance and Duplicates, while important, are not considered main KPIs in the context of the CMDB Health scorecard. References = ServiceNow CMDB documentation and CMDB Health Dashboard user guide, focusing on the key performance indicators for CMDB health.

The Pattern Designer in ServiceNow Discovery uses different types of horizontal patterns to model various IT components and services. The temporary variable 'computer_system' seen in the pattern indicates that this is a 'Computer System' pattern type. This type of pattern is used to model and discover details about computer systems, which typically include hardware, operating system, and other related components.

 The MID Server’s user account must have the mid_server role to interact with a ServiceNow instance. This role allows the MID Server to access protected tables and perform discovery and orchestration tasks on behalf of the instance. The other roles are not related to the MID Server functionality. The discovery_admin role is for configuring and managing discovery, the sm_mid role is for using the Service Mapping MID Server, and the mid_discovery role is for running discovery probes and sensors.

References:

• Setting up MID Server user and role
• Configure Windows MID Server service credentials
• Correcting MID Server Windows service account user and permissions

Discovery Range Sets in ServiceNow Discovery offer a flexible way to manage and identify networks. They simplify the administration of network discovery by allowing administrators to define groups of IP ranges. This organization helps in effectively managing and targeting different network segments without needing to define each IP range in individual Discovery Schedules. Range Sets do not necessarily show the number of IPs in a subnet, nor are they the only way to define multiple IP ranges in a schedule.

In a Merge Table pattern operation within ServiceNow Discovery, the editable fields typically include the Target Table, Second Table, and First Table. These fields are configurable and allow users to specify the tables involved in the merge operation. The Target Table is where the merged data will be stored, while the First and Second Tables are the source tables whose data is being merged. The Primary Table is not typically an editable field in this context. References = ServiceNow Discovery documentation, particularly the sections discussing pattern design and operations, including Merge Table operations within Discovery Patterns.

The vCenter Event Collector is a MID Server extension that listens for vCenter-related events and updates the CMDB accordingly. The event collector allows the CMDB to be updated with changes to virtual machines (VMs), in addition to the updates detected by Discovery1.

References:

• 3: Product Documentation | ServiceNow

During the Port Scan phase in ServiceNow Discovery, the warning level error "No results returned from probe" typically indicates a connectivity issue. This error often arises when a logical or physical firewall is blocking the connectivity between the MID Server and the target device. This prevents the probe from successfully scanning the ports and returning results. The other options, such as incorrect process classifier configuration, wrong credentials, or incorrect datasource precedence, would generally lead to different types of errors or issues in the discovery process. References = ServiceNow Discovery documentation, particularly the sections that deal with troubleshooting Port Scan issues and understanding common errors during Discovery phases.

SNMP credentials are used by Discovery to communicate with devices that support the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). SNMP credentials do not include a user name, just a password, called the community string. The default read-only community string for many SNMP devices is public, and Discovery will try that automatically. Enter the appropriate SNMP credentials if they differ from the public community string1.

References: 1: SNMP credentials - Product Documentation: Utah - Now Support Portal

 The Location field for a discovered CI is populated by the Location field of the Discovery Schedule that triggered the discovery of that CI. This is done by the DiscoverySensor script, which gets the location ID from the Discovery Schedule and passes it to the Shazzam probe, which then updates the cidata with the location information. The Location field for a parent CI Type, a Port Probe, or a Discovery Dashboard report does not affect the Location field for a discovered CI.

References: Discovery - How Location field is set for a CI, How to pass discovery schedule fields to a CI record via discovery

The deletion strategy ‘Mark as absent’ means that when a related CI that was previously discovered by a pattern is no longer found, the install_status attribute of that CI is set to Absent. This indicates that the CI is missing or removed from the network. The main CI (in this case, the Linux Server CI) is not affected by the deletion strategy of the related CI (in this case, the Disk CI)12.

References1: Set a deletion strategy - Product Documentation: San Diego - ServiceNow2: Network adapter status setting to “Absent” in EMC … - ServiceNow …

In ServiceNow Discovery, relationships between Configuration Items (CIs) in a horizontal pattern are created using the "Create Relation/Reference" operation. This operation allows the pattern to define and establish relationships or references between discovered CIs, based on the information gathered during the discovery process. Options B and C are incorrect as relationships are not automatically created nor is it true that they cannot be created via patterns. Option D, "Create Connections," is not a standard operation in this context. References = ServiceNow Discovery documentation, specifically the sections on creating and managing horizontal discovery patterns.

The mid.discovery.max_pattern_payload_size property defines the maximum overall size for the returned payload that comes from patterns. This property is set on the MID Server and applies to all patterns that run on that MID Server. If the payload size exceeds this limit, the pattern execution fails and an error message is logged in the ECC queue. The default value of this property is 10 MB1.

References: 1: ServiceNow Docs - MID Server properties for Discovery and Service Mapping 2: ServiceNow Docs - Discovery payload size and processing

The Duplicate CI Remediator is a feature of ServiceNow Discovery that helps to identify and merge duplicate CIs in the CMDB. It uses predefined rules and criteria to compare CIs across different data sources and determine if they are duplicates. It also provides a user interface to review and approve the suggested merges, or to manually merge CIs as needed. The Duplicate CI Remediator helps to improve the accuracy and quality of the CMDB data and reduce the maintenance efforts.

References:

• Duplicate CI Remediator
• Identify and merge duplicate CIs
• Duplicate CI Remediator rules

When increasing the maximum number of threads for a MID Server in ServiceNow Discovery, it's often necessary to also increase the memory allocated to the MID Server application. This is because more threads can result in higher memory usage as each thread may consume resources while performing discovery tasks. Increasing disk space, updating ACL rules for CMDB tables, or increasing the MID Server max payload size are not directly related to the number of threads used by a MID Server. References = ServiceNow Discovery documentation, especially sections discussing MID Server configuration and performance tuning.

Discovery and Service Mapping are both products that help to identify and map the IT infrastructure and services in an organization. However, they have different approaches and objectives. Discovery uses IP address ranges as the starting point for finding devices and applications on the network, and then runs probes and sensors to collect information and classify them. Discovery focuses on inventory-related use-cases, such as asset management, configuration management, and compliance. Service Mapping uses entry points, such as URLs or host names, as the starting point for mapping business services and their dependencies. Service Mapping runs patterns, which are sequences of operations that follow the traffic connections between devices and applications, and then creates a service map that shows the logical and semantic relationships. Service Mapping focuses on service-related use-cases, such as service availability, impact analysis, and root cause analysis12.

References:

• 1: ServiceNow Discovery Overview, page 9
• 2: ServiceNow Discovery Documentation, Service Mapping section

Debug mode is a feature of the Pattern Designer that allows you to test and troubleshoot your patterns in real time. To activate Debug mode, you need to have the admin role or a role that includes the pattern_designer_debug permission. Debug mode is not available for users who only have the pattern_designer_read permission1.

References: 1: Activate pattern Debug mode - Product Documentation: San Diego - ServiceNow

Discovery uses the ping method to determine if a host IP is active or alive. Ping is a network utility that sends an ICMP echo request packet to a target IP address and waits for an ICMP echo reply packet. If the target IP address responds, it means that the host is active or alive12.

References:

• 1: ServiceNow Discovery Documentation, Discovery Process section
• 2: ServiceNow Discovery Overview, page 8

During the Discovery process, the Model Category of the Configuration Item (CI) determines if an Asset record is created. A Model Category is a grouping of models that share the same asset tracking strategy and the same CI and Asset tables. The asset tracking strategy defines whether Discovery creates an Asset record for each CI of that Model Category. There are three possible asset tracking strategies: Create Assets, Don’t create Assets, and Create Consumable Assets12.

References:

• 1: ServiceNow Discovery Documentation, Model Categories section
• 2: ServiceNow Support Article, Why do Assets get created when inserting a CI that has a Model that is set to Don’t create Assets?

 Reconciliation rules are used to determine which data sources can update CI attributes in ServiceNow. Reconciliation rules can be static or dynamic, and they can be applied to specific CI classes, attributes, or discovery sources. Reconciliation rules can also specify the actions to take when there are unmatched values, such as removing, ignoring, or updating them1.

References:

• 1: Reconciliation rules - Product Documentation: San Diego - Now Support Portal

Step 25 uses a shared library called Windows - Storage, which is a reusable component that can be invoked by multiple patterns to discover the storage information of Windows servers. A shared library is a collection of steps that can be referenced by a pattern name and can accept input parameters and return output values. Shared libraries help to avoid duplication of code and simplify the maintenance of patterns.

References:

• Pattern Designer | Shared libraries
• Windows - Storage shared library

One method for deleting specific CIs not discovered in 30 days is to use a scheduled job that runs a script to query the CMDB for CIs that have not been updated by Discovery for a certain period of time, and then delete them or mark them as retired. This method can help you keep your CMDB clean and accurate, and avoid having stale or obsolete CIs. You can configure the scheduled job to run at a specific frequency and time, and specify the criteria for selecting the CIs to delete.

References: Automated way to disable/retire CIs not updated for 45 days, ServiceNow CIS-Discovery Sample Questions

In ServiceNow Discovery, a horizontal discovery pattern refers to the logical set of steps that the Discovery process executes to find CI information across the network. Each step in a horizontal discovery pattern performs specific operations such as running probes, executing commands, or querying databases to gather information about the configuration items (CIs). It's about expanding the breadth of discovery across devices and applications, rather than going in-depth into a specific CI's details, which would be vertical discovery. Classifiers, credential depots, and port scanning tools are part of the discovery process but do not describe the horizontal discovery pattern itself.

For discovering Windows Servers, ServiceNow Discovery recommends using credentials that have a domain user account with local administrator access on the target servers. This level of access ensures that Discovery can successfully execute the necessary probes and sensors to collect comprehensive data about the server without being restricted by permission limitations. The other options either provide excessive permissions (like a domain administrator with sudo access) or insufficient privileges (like a standard domain user with read access).

CI identifiers can be viewed under the CI record1. A CI identifier is a set of attributes that uniquely identify a CI of a specific class2. CI identifiers are used by the identification and reconciliation engine (IRE) to match incoming data with existing CIs in the CMDB3. CI identifiers can be viewed and edited in the CI record by clicking the Identification Information related link1.

References:

• 1: View and edit CI identifiers
• 2: Create or edit a CI identification rule
• 3: Identification rules