Can DVR Systems be discovered by servicenow Discvoery

[Snow909]

Hello All,

I am trying to discover the DVR systems and Label Printers through ServiceNow Discovery . Any inputs how to get them discovered ?

[PrashantLearnIT]

Hi @Snow909 

Discovering DVR systems using ServiceNow Discovery can be challenging because DVR systems often do not have standardized software configurations like typical servers or network devices. However, you can use a combination of methods to get DVRs discovered by ServiceNow Discovery.

Here’s a general approach to discover DVR systems:

1. Check Network Visibility and Connectivity

Before starting the discovery, ensure that the DVR systems are on the network and have the necessary IP addresses that ServiceNow Discovery can access. The discovery process relies heavily on network accessibility. Ensure:

• The DVR systems are reachable via standard network protocols (e.g., SNMP, SSH, or WMI).
• ServiceNow MID Server has access to the network segment where the DVR systems are located.

2. Custom Device Classifications

If the DVR systems are not classified under any predefined CI classes in ServiceNow, you may need to create custom classifications and custom probes. Here’s how:

A. Create a New CI Class for DVRs (Optional)

If you want to classify DVRs as their own CI class:

• Navigate to Configuration > CI Class Manager.
• Click on Create New Class.
• Define the DVR class (e.g., under Hardware > Network Gear, or whichever class best fits the device type).
• Once the class is defined, ensure it inherits from the CMDB.

B. Create Discovery Patterns or Probes

Depending on the DVR’s management interface (SNMP, SSH, or other proprietary protocols), you can create Discovery Patterns or Probes to gather information.

• SNMP Discovery: Many DVR systems support SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), which allows basic device management.
  • Go to Discovery > SNMP Classifications.
  • Create a new SNMP Classification for the DVR system by specifying the Object Identifier (OID) that is unique to your DVR system. This will allow Discovery to classify the system as a DVR.
  • Set up an SNMP probe to collect details such as device name, serial number, and system information.
• SSH/Custom Script Discovery: If your DVR system supports SSH or other command-line interfaces, you can create a custom Discovery Probe:
  • Go to Discovery > Discovery Patterns and create a pattern that will query your DVR system via SSH.
  • Write custom scripts (shell, Python, etc.) that will pull specific information from the DVR system and return it to Discovery.

C. Windows or Linux-based DVR Systems (Using WMI or SSH)

If the DVR system is based on a Windows or Linux OS, it may be possible to use standard WMI or SSH probes:

• Windows DVRs: Use WMI Probes for Windows-based devices to collect system information.
• Linux DVRs: Use SSH Probes to collect system information from Linux-based DVRs.

3. ServiceNow MID Server Configuration

Ensure the MID Server is correctly configured to handle the DVR discovery. For example:

• If using SNMP, ensure the MID Server has the correct SNMP credentials (community strings, SNMP version).
• If using SSH or WMI, ensure the MID Server has access credentials for those protocols.
• Ensure that the MID Server can access the network segment where the DVR devices are located.

4. Custom CI Attributes and Identification Rules

DVR systems may require custom attributes (such as model number, serial number, or firmware version). Create these custom fields for the DVR class:

• Navigate to Configuration > CI Class Manager.
• Add custom attributes to the newly created DVR class.

Also, define custom identification rules to ensure that DVR systems are uniquely identified when they are discovered:

• Go to Configuration > Identification and Reconciliation Rules.
• Create a rule for your DVR class (e.g., using serial number, MAC address, or any other unique attribute).

5. Run Discovery

After setting up classifications, probes, and MID Server configurations, perform the discovery:

• Go to Discovery > Discovery Schedule.
• Create a new schedule targeting the IP range where your DVR systems reside.
• Ensure the appropriate patterns or probes (SNMP, SSH, WMI) are associated with the schedule.
• Run the discovery process and review the results in the Discovery Status.

6. Verify Discovery Results

Once the discovery process completes:

• Navigate to the Discovery Logs to review any errors or warnings.
• Check the CMDB to ensure the DVR systems are correctly classified under the right CI class and contain accurate data.

Summary of Key Steps:

• Ensure network connectivity and verify DVR system accessibility.
• Create custom CI Classes for DVRs (if necessary).
• Use SNMP, SSH, or WMI Probes to gather data.
• Configure MID Server with appropriate credentials.
• Run the discovery and validate results.

If the DVR system uses a proprietary protocol that isn’t covered by standard probes, you may need to reach out to the DVR vendor to see if they provide specific APIs or protocols for system management. You could then build custom REST API probes for integration.

[Snow909]

Thanks for the Response. but the DVRs support only ONVIF (open Network Video Interface Forum).

I don't think they can be reachable by SNMP.