Application Service class: "Used for" vs. "Environment" field?

Jacques Clement · ‎09-09-2021

Hi -

Does anyone know why on Application Service (and other Service tables), we have both Used for and Environment to model the environment. They both seem to represent the same thing - or am I missing something?

Thanks

scott_lemm · ‎09-09-2021

A bit of history here:

1. used_for is a legacy attribute in ServiceNow CMDB and not present on all CMDB classes

2. The used_for label is quite possibly the worst label in all of ServiceNow CMDB. The industry refers to this data as "Environment". Due to the poor name, many customers didn't know this attribute existed. The #1 custom created attribute in ServiceNow CMDB is "Environment".

3. The oob Environment attribute is our effort to right a wrong by providing an object that is available on all CMDB classes and labeled appropriately as "Environment".

Eventually, after customers have migrated from used_for to environment, we will deprecate the legacy used_for object. We recommend you utilize "Environment" in your operations.

Hope this helps in understanding why both objects exist.

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Alok Gupta5 · ‎09-09-2021

Hello,

You are right both are same but Used for is for cmdb_ci_service table but Environmnet is for cmdb_ci table that is the parent table thats why it extends in all child table.

Regards,

Alok Gupta

Jacques Clement · ‎09-09-2021

Oh yes, good catch! Still does not make much sense to have both, IMHO. Probably some legacy design I suppose, as Environment could have been just fine for cmb_ci_service.

Alok Gupta5 · ‎09-09-2021

Yes definetly but sometimes customers need Used for in service table. Thats why they have provied used for only for cmdb_ci_service table.

scott_lemm · ‎09-09-2021

There is no longer any need for used_for. The used_for attribute exists on the Service table, and others, because that was how it was originally designed. The used_for attribute was a flawed design which has since been replaced with the more commonly available "environment" attribute. We recommend using "environment" as it is consistently available on all classes and properly labeled.