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Tracking Software Usage with ServiceNow ACC (MID-less) Without Osqueryd

SK Chand Basha
Tera Sage

2 hours ago

Setting up a MID-less Agent Client Collector (ACC) without osquery is essentially the "light" version of ServiceNow's agent. You’re stripping away the MID Server dependency and the heavy osquery daemon.

 

Before the agent can talk to your instance directly, you have to open the front door.

Phase 1: Instance Prerequisites

  1. Verify ADCv2/mTLS: MID-less communication requires your instance to be on the Application Delivery Controller v2 (ADCv2).
    • Test this by going to https://<your-instance>.service-now.com/adcv2/supports_tls. It must return true.
  1. Install Plugins: Ensure ITOM Cloud Services Core (sn_itom_cloud_svc) and Agent Client Collector Framework  & Visibility are active.
  2. Generate a Registration Key: * Navigate to Agent Client Collector > Deployment > Agent Registration Key.
    • Create a new key (or use an existing one). This key acts as the initial "handshake" for the agent.

SKChandBasha_0-1773999470505.png

 

Phase 2: The Download

  1. Navigate to Agent Client Collector > Deployment > Agent Downloads.
  2. Select your OS (Windows/Linux/macOS).

 

SKChandBasha_1-1773999470510.png

 

 

  1. Copy Single line command of mid less agent Installation

 

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Syntax:
msiexec /i <msi_file_path> /quiet /qn /norestart `
CONNECT_WITHOUT_MID="true" `
ACC_CNC="<gateway_endpoint>" `
REGISTRATION_KEY="<your_key>" `
INSTANCE_URL="https://<your_instance>.service-now.com"

 

Example: msiexec /i https://install.service-now.com/glide/distribution/builds/package/app-signed/agent-client-collector-6.0.4-windows-x64.msi /quiet /qn /norestart CONNECT_WITHOUT_MID="true" ACC_CNC="itomcnc-prod-gateway-amer.sncapps.service-now.com:443" REGISTRATION_KEY="0fb8e9a92b177ed<Registration Key>” INSTANCE_URL="https://ddemo7.service-now.com/" LOCALUSERNAME=SYSTEM

 

Service Account Configuration: The LOCALUSERNAME=SYSTEM parameter ensures the Agent Client Collector runs under the LocalSystem account. Using the SYSTEM user is recommended as it provides the necessary permissions for the agent to perform autonomous auto upgrades without manual intervention.

 

You must point the agent to the ServiceNow cloud gateway corresponding to your instance's home region (not the agent's location):

  • Americas: itomcnc-prod-gateway-amer.sncapps.service-now.com:443
  • EMEA: itomcnc-prod-gateway-emea.sncapps.service-now.com:443
  • APAC: itomcnc-prod-gateway-apac.sncapps.service-now.com:443

 

Phase 3: The Installation

 

  1. Log in to the target Windows endpoint.
  2. Launch Command Prompt as an Administrator.
  3. Execute the installation command configured in the previous step.
  4. The installation will begin immediately. Please allow a few minutes for the process to complete; you can verify the agent is running by checking for the Agent Client Collector process in Task Manager

Phase 4: The Agent Verification in ServiceNow

 

  1. Navigate to All -> Agent Client Collector -> Agents
  2. An agent record got created with the Agent_<Hostname> and Mid field is empty
  3. Open the record and Click on Collect Host Data
  4. Once Data collected click on Host record to verify the Hardware details of a CI.
  5. Software Installations Policy will trigger for every 24 hours to collect Installed Software on a device.

SKChandBasha_3-1773999470538.png

 

Phase 5: Enable SAM Metering and Total Usage with Non-OsQueryd

 

  1. Agent Client Collector Visibility Content v1.6.0 – Supports Non OSquery.
  2. Navigate to System Properties in ServiceNow
  3. Enable sn_acc_vis_content.enable_sam_collection_without_osqueryd property to True.

SKChandBasha_4-1773999470550.png

 

  1. It will enable the SAM background policy ( Non OsqueryD ) Policy

SKChandBasha_5-1773999470565.png

 

  1. Once enable the system property automatically system will disable the Osquery Policy SAM background policy.

Note: Only One policy need to activate either Non Osqueryd or Sam background policy

Once Policy trigger based on the interval defined we can able to see associate check instance under agent record.

 

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To get the Software Usage need to create Software Reclamation Rules.

Note: Instead of configuring the Reclamation rules for every product. There is  property if it is difficult to configure reclamation rules separately for every software product, you can enable this property 'sn_acc_vis_content.disable_sam_reclamation_rules_for_licensable_softwares' that allows the system to capture both metrics (Last Used Date and Total Usage) for all licensable software automatically.

Significance of system property:

Use the sn_acc_vis_content.disable_sam_reclamation_rules_for_licensable_softwares property to define reclamation rules for licensable software, as follows:

True: Disable invoking reclamation rules for licensable software. SAM usage continues for all licensable software.
And for non-licensable software with defined reclamation rules.

False: Store SAM usage according to defined reclamation rules.

 

  1. Add related lists on Target Computer Software Usage and SAM Software Usage Staging

SKChandBasha_8-1773999470595.png

 

 

  1. Total Usage metrics, The data is first populated into the [sn_acc_vis_content_sam_software_usage_staging] table, and then once per month processed and populated onto the [samp_sw_usage] record

 

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If have any questions please feel free to post comments.

Happy Learning !!

 

 

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