ServiceNow Hardware Asset Management: How Hardware Normalization Works?

[RahulY00040]

Hello everyone,

I’m trying to understand how Hardware Model normalization works automatically when matching content is found in the library.

In my discovery source, only the Name and Manufacturer fields are populated. The Name field sometimes includes the model number, but even when the Model Number field is missing, the hardware model still gets normalized correctly with Company, Product, and Model.

I reviewed the BR – Normalize Hardware Model, but I can’t see the logic because it’s protected.

Based on my observations, this is my understanding:

1. The system first identifies the Normalized Company using the Manufacturer value from the model record.
   Then, using the Model Name, it finds the Normalized Product and finally compares the Model Number (if available) to fully normalize the hardware model.

2. If the Model Number is missing, the system compares the Model Name with the normalized_model field to identify the model.
   Once the normalized model is identified, the Normalized Product and Normalized Company fields are populated automatically.
   (I inferred this from the client script that updates normalized company and product when the normalized model changes.)

Please review and let me know if this understanding is correct or needs correction.

Thnaks,
Rahul

[fknell]

Hi @RahulY00040,

Your understanding of how Hardware Model Normalization works is very close to correct and aligns well with what actually happens under the hood. The only difference is that the process is driven by the Hardware Model Normalization Engine, rather than a sequential approach of „first company, then product, then model.“

Here’s how it lines up with your points:

- The system uses Manufacturer, Name (Model Name), and Model Number (if present) as inputs to the Hardware Model Normalization Content Service.

- From those, the engine determines Normalized Company, Normalized Product, and Normalized Model in one go, without changing the original fields.

- When Model Number is missing, normalization can still succeed using Manufacturer + Name; the engine matches against the Content Service’s model library and derives the normalized values.

- Once Normalized Model is set, the client script you mentioned updates Normalized Company and Normalized Product on the form, which is exactly what you observed.

Hope this helps!

[RahulY00040]

Thanks for your response. I am trying to understand what happens under the hood as I am not able to simulate this entire process by calling BR- normalize hardware model (upon record creation) or calling the script mentioned in BR in script background by passing the reference to HW model record. 

Does anyone/you know what happens under the hood for sure (as the SI is protected and not able to view)?

Thanks in advance,

Rahul