What is CMDB - Dynamic IRE in Australia Release

[John Zhang1]

What is Dynamic IRE / Dynamic Reconciliation?

Dynamic IRE (Dynamic Identification and Reconciliation Engine) in ServiceNow is an advanced CMDB capability that dynamically identifies and reconciles Configuration Items (CIs) during data ingestion, replacing the traditional static rule-based approach.

Unlike Static IRE, where predefined sources always take priority, Dynamic IRE uses real-time context from CMDB 360 discovery history and the CMDB Multi-Source Data table to determine the most reliable data source based on factors such as recency and reporting frequency. It also includes fallback mechanisms when no clear source priority exists.

Dynamic IRE automatically updates identification logic, evaluates multiple payload conditions in parallel, and uses scoring algorithms to improve CI matching accuracy and reduce duplicate CIs. It eliminates much of the manual rule configuration and maintenance required in Static IRE.

Currently, Dynamic IRE applies only to the Hardware CI class and its child classes, though specific subclasses can be excluded if needed. Key benefits include improved CI identification accuracy, reduced duplicates, automated reconciliation, and lower administrative overhead

Key Capabilities of Dynamic IRE in ServiceNow

1. Dynamic CI Identification
   Automatically identifies Configuration Items (CIs) using adaptive matching logic based on CI class, source system, available attributes, environment, and operational state.
2. Dynamic Reconciliation
   Dynamically determines the most trusted data source using factors such as source priority, data freshness, discovery history, and reporting reliability.
3. Parallel Matching Algorithms
   Evaluates multiple CI attributes and identification conditions simultaneously to improve CI matching precision and reduce identification failures.
4. Automatic Rule Adaptation
   Continuously adjusts identification behavior during data ingestion without requiring frequent manual updates to static IRE rules.
5. Duplicate CI Reduction
   Uses broader attribute correlation, scoring, and intelligent matching logic to minimize duplicate CIs in the CMDB.
6. Source-Aware Multi-Source Intelligence
   Supports integrations from multiple discovery and monitoring tools such as AWS, Azure, GCP, SCCM, Tanium, SolarWinds, and Service Graph Connectors while tracking source reliability and attribute ownership.
7. Fallback Reconciliation Logic
   Provides fallback matching and reconciliation mechanisms when no single source fully satisfies the identification or reconciliation criteria.
8. Reduced Administrative Overhead & Improved Accuracy
   Reduces manual maintenance of Identification and Reconciliation rules while improving CI matching accuracy through expanded attribute evaluation and intelligent reconciliation behavior.

What Makes Dynamic IRE Different in ServiceNow

Dynamic IRE in ServiceNow differs from traditional Static IRE by using intelligent, adaptive algorithms instead of fixed manual rules for CI identification and reconciliation. Unlike Static IRE’s predefined matching logic, Dynamic IRE supports runtime evaluation, conditional identification, source-aware reconciliation, and context-based CI matching. This improves CMDB accuracy in complex enterprise environments with multiple data sources, changing cloud resources, varying standards, and inconsistent CI attributes.

Dynamic IRE Use Cases in ServiceNow

1. Multi-Source Data Reconciliation
   Reconciles CI data from multiple sources such as Discovery, SCCM, cloud platforms, and monitoring tools.
2. Duplicate CI Reduction
   Prevents duplicate hardware CIs by matching records using multiple attributes and intelligent scoring.
3. Dynamic Source Prioritization
   Automatically selects the most reliable data source based on recency, frequency, and data quality.
4. Large Enterprise CMDB Management
   Supports scalable CI identification and reconciliation across large hardware environments.
5. Cloud and Hybrid Infrastructure Management
   Improves CI matching accuracy for dynamic cloud and hybrid environments with rapidly changing infrastructure.
6. CMDB Data Quality Improvement
   Helps clean up stale, inconsistent, and duplicate CI records during CMDB optimization initiatives.
7. Mergers and Acquisitions Integration
   Reconciles overlapping CI data from different organizations, tools, and naming standards.
8. Reduced Manual IRE Administration
   Minimizes manual maintenance of identification and reconciliation rules through automated intelligence.

How to Access Dynamic IRE in ServiceNow

Dynamic IRE is not a separate UI module—it is accessed and managed through CMDB configuration and CI Class Manager settings, and it runs behind the scenes in the Identification and Reconciliation Engine.

1. Navigate to:
   CMDB → Identification/Reconciliation → CI Class Manager
2. Open a supported Hardware CI class, such as:
• cmdb_ci_hardware
• Server classes
• Computer classes
• Network gear classes
3. In the class configuration, check whether:
• Dynamic IRE is enabled
• The class is included or excluded from Dynamic IRE processing
4. Review Dynamic IRE behavior through:
• CMDB 360
• Identification Simulation
• IRE logs
• CMDB Multi-Source Data table (cmdb_multisource_data)

Enable via System Property (Admin Control)

You can also control it through a system property-glide.identification_engine.dynamic_ire_enabled