APM: Application Inventory - Most common questions

[Sasi11]

Purpose:

The purpose of this document is to answer most commonly asked questions when configuring APM application in ServiceNow.  The questions and the answers are focused on the use case of setting up an application inventory, and do not address other topics such as application assessments.

The following is the list of questions answered in this document. 

1. What data should we capture for business applications?
2. We are already using the application class in ServiceNow to manage our applications. What is the difference between the ‘application’ class and ‘business application’ class? 
3. What is a business service? We thought applications are business services, is there a difference?  How are Business Services and Applications related?
4. What data should we track as business applications, and what data should be tracked as business services?
5. How do we associate Business Applications to other entities such as business process, business capabilities, and underlying technologies? What relationship types should we use? 
6. How do we associate a single application that is running different versions at different regions? In Jakarta, there is a one-to-one relationship between business application and software model.  Do we need a Business Application record for each version? 
7. What should be linked to ITSM records like incidents and changes? Business Application record, business service or both?
8. If SAM and Service Mapping are not being used, what is the best way to create relationships between Business Applications and underlying technology components (these could be infrastructure or application related components).
9. How do other organizations ensure that application data stays current, and is validated by relevant stakeholders?

Refer to earlier posts of Mark Bodman, Product Manager for APM on Application Inventory.

Application Portfolio Management - Inventory Best Practices

[Daniel Underwoo]

With the release of London and now Madrid, is there any updated guidance on this topic?

[Kate Dowling]

We are thinking of deploying APM so this is a very useful guide in planning, thank you.  In question 3 it mentions there are two ways of using business services, then bases the answer on the first option.  However we are already using them as per second option and it's in extensive use in many business processes so difficult to change.  I'd like to know if the software models can only be related to a business service in order for APM to use the Technology Portfolio functionality and roll up, or could we configure the software models to be related to the business application instead and still get the desired results?

[Daniel Underwoo]

Kate, read the Common Services Data Model white paper at https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_article&sys_id=6c098c32db1767001089e15b8a961... for an explanation of where ServiceNow is going with business applications and services in general. I strongly encourage you to follow this guidance, even if it means changing existing processes. It will save many heartaches with future upgrades.

[Kate Dowling]

Thanks, a very useful paper

[Sasi11]

Kate, Follow the guidance from CSDM to implement APM, as Daniel pointed out.  The short answer to your question about TPM functionality is to use Business services (pre-London) and Application Services (London+) to link to software models. 

Daniel, to your question about updates to this guidance.  We are working on updates to this document to reflect changes in London and Madrid, particularly to align with CSDM.