Servicenow Azure Discovery Modernizes CMDB with Cloud Automation

Servicenow Azure Discovery allows for automated discovery of Azure resources, which can be a game-changer for IT teams.

By leveraging Azure's API, Servicenow Azure Discovery can scan and inventory Azure resources in near real-time, providing a comprehensive view of the entire IT landscape.

This level of automation helps reduce manual effort and minimizes the risk of human error, allowing IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.

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To get started with Azure Cloud Discovery in ServiceNow, you'll need to integrate ServiceNow with Azure services using Azure AD and the required connectors. This is the first step in the discovery process.

The discovery process involves identifying and importing devices from Azure into the ServiceNow CMDB. This is where things get interesting.

To utilize Azure Cloud Discovery in ServiceNow CMDB, you'll need to configure the discovery process first. Once you've done that, you can start discovering devices from Azure.

Azure Cloud Discovery can discover a wide range of resources hosted in Microsoft Azure, including virtual machines, storage accounts, and more.

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Azure Cloud Discovery can discover a wide range of resources hosted in Microsoft Azure.

To utilize Azure Cloud Discovery in ServiceNow CMDB, you can configure mapping rules to ensure that the discovered data is correctly placed in the relevant CMDB tables and related records.

Each Azure resource type can be configured to sync to the ServiceNow CMDB. Most often, you would set the scope of the policy across many Azure resources from all your Azure subscriptions.

You can map Azure resource details to ServiceNow CMDB CI tables, and even extend existing tables. In this case, the Azure Storage Account resource type maps to a new cmdb_ci_azure_storage_account.

Automated Azure cloud discovery for ServiceNow CMDB can be configured to sync Azure resources to the CMDB. This can be done by setting the Turbot Guardrails policy to “Enforce: Sync” and applying it to all or specific Azure subscriptions.

Instantly, the Azure resources will be added to the associated ServiceNow CMDB table. As Azure resources are added, updated, or deleted, Turbot Guardrails handles the configuration drift and keeps the ServiceNow CMDB updated.

You can also add custom ServiceNow CMDB CI fields to capture additional information from Azure resources. For example, you can add a CMDB CI column to capture the Application ID associated from ServiceNow to the Azure resource.

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Cloud plugins and automation are crucial for a seamless Azure discovery experience in ServiceNow. ServiceNow uses various plugins to extend its capabilities, and for Azure Cloud Discovery, you might need plugins related to Azure integration, cloud discovery, and possibly additional plugins for specific features.

Some relevant plugins include ServiceNow Cloud Management and Discovery and Service Mapping.

To utilize Azure Cloud Discovery in the ServiceNow CMDB, you can configure automated discovery for various Azure resource types, such as Azure Storage Accounts. This involves setting the Turbot Guardrails policy to "Enforce: Sync" and applying it to all or specific Azure subscriptions.

Here are some key plugins and automation tools for Azure Cloud Discovery in ServiceNow:

By leveraging these plugins and automation tools, you can streamline your Azure discovery process and maintain an up-to-date CMDB.

Mapping and Transforming Cloud Data is a crucial step in the ServiceNow Azure Discovery process. This involves taking the raw data from Azure and mapping it to the relevant ServiceNow CMDB tables and related records.

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You can use plugins such as ServiceNow Cloud Management and Discovery and Service Mapping to extend the capabilities of ServiceNow. For Azure Cloud Discovery, you might need plugins related to Azure integration and cloud discovery.

To map Azure resource details to ServiceNow CMDB CI tables, you can define mappings of which columns to create in the Table Definition policy. This allows you to add custom ServiceNow CMDB CI fields and populate them dynamically using the Configuration Item policy.

One way to map data is by using transform maps, which is what we will use in this tutorial. To create a transform map, search for transform and click on Table Transform Map. Click Create and enter the name of the configuration item, in this case, Virtual Machine.

Here are the field maps you can create for a Virtual Machine:

To ignore anything that is not a virtual machine, select onBefore under When and paste in the below script in the Script field.

You should now see a list of the 10 field maps that you just created, which can be used to transform the cloud data.

To set up cloud import and data mapping in ServiceNow Azure Discovery, you'll first need to create an import set table. This is done by clicking Create Application File, selecting Table, and then creating a new table to save the data that will be received from Azure. You can call this table "Azure Resource" and set it to extend Import Set Row.

Next, you'll need to add field mappings to map the data from the import set into your CMDB. This can be done by closing the newly created record and clicking on New again to add another field mapping. For example, you can map the "Created" field in the Source field to the "Most recent discovery" field in the Target field.

Alternatively, you can use transform maps to map the data from the import set into your CMDB. This involves creating a new transform map, setting the Source table to "Azure Resource" and the Target table to the corresponding CMDB table. You can then add field maps to map specific fields from the import set to the corresponding fields in the CMDB table.

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Here are some examples of field maps that you might use:

Remember to set the "Coalesce" option to true to ensure that existing CIs are updated rather than created again. You should also use source scripts to parse the properties field and return the desired values.

It's also worth noting that you can use scripts to ignore anything that is not a virtual machine. This can be done by adding a script to the "onBefore" section of the transform map.

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Automated Azure discovery can be achieved through ServiceNow's Azure Cloud Discovery, which provides real-time, comprehensive visibility into Azure resources with just $0.05 per resource per month.

Turbot Guardrails is a solution that enables automated discovery and sync for Azure resources into your ServiceNow instance, with a 14-day free trial available.

To utilize Azure Cloud Discovery in ServiceNow CMDB, you can use plugins such as ServiceNow Cloud Management and Discovery and Service Mapping.

Each Azure resource type can be configured to sync to the ServiceNow CMDB, with most often setting the scope of the policy across many Azure resources from all your Azure subscriptions.

You can map Azure resource details to ServiceNow CMDB CI tables, such as mapping the Azure Storage Account resource type to a new cmdb_ci_azure_storage_account table.

Here are some key steps to map Azure resource details to ServiceNow CMDB CI tables:

By automating Azure discovery, you can confidently know that your Azure data is current and fresh, with most of the manual work removed.