Asset & CI Field map

[csatish]

Hi Team,

Could you please help me identify which fields in the alm_asset table are populated from Discovery Source?

We have already identified the data coming from Oracle (for reference, I have attached the screenshot). However, we are unable to determine which fields are being updated via Discovery.

Could someone please guide us on how to identify or trace the Discovery-sourced fields in the alm_asset table?

Thanks.

[Mark Manders]

Are you sure that Discovery is updating the assets? Isn't Discovery updating the CIs and from there the assets are updated?

[csatish]

Hi @Mark Manders 
We are not sure that discovery is updating the assets are not, But I want to understand which particular attributes/Fields are getting updating in the alm_asset  table.
Can you please provide me the steps to navigate in instance to extract this data.

Thanks

[sivasankaris]

Hi @csatish ,

Discovery does not directly populate most fields in alm_asset. Discovery primarily updates CI tables (cmdb_ci*), and asset data is populated indirectly via CI → Asset synchronization.

To identify which fields are being updated by Discovery, you need to look at the CI to Asset mapping and the Source History on the CI side.

1. Check Out-of-the-Box Field Mappings

ServiceNow uses a mapping table to determine which CI fields push data into Asset fields in asset table.

• Navigate to: Asset > Administration > Asset-CI Field Mappings.

• What to look for: This list shows exactly which field on the CI (source) maps to which field on the Asset (target). Any field listed here that Discovery updates on a CI will automatically "flow" into the alm_asset table.

2. If you wanna check whether the CI is Updated by Discovery.

Because Discovery populates the CI first, you should trace the data source there:

1. Open an Asset record and click the CI reference link to open the CI.

2. Look for the Discovery source field on the CI form. If it says "ServiceNow," it was populated by Discovery and also there will be more sources like servicewatch, import set.. which may update this CI.

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3. Tracking the Updation of Asset via discovery.

If you want to see a log of a specific field update on the alm_asset table:

1. Open the Hardware Asset record.

2. Right-click the header and select History > List or Calendar.

3. Filter by the Field you are interested in (e.g., Serial Number).

4. Look at the Updated by column. If Discovery is causing the change via the CI sync, the update will often be attributed to the System Administrator or a specific MID Server user account.

If this is useful, please mark my answer as helpful and please Accept my solution....

Best Regards

SIVASANKARI S