Difference between "Visibility Content" and "Discovery and Service Mapping" plugins?

[Jim Millet]

Hi,

I am on a Tokyo release. Wanting to update discovery patterns to latest store release. Normally I would just install the latest version of "Discovery and Service Mapping" plugin, BUT I see in Tokyo release notes there is something new called "Visibility Content" plugin. I am not sure if I should install the latest "Discovery and Service Mapping" plugin, or the "Visibility Content" plugin?

[jimmillet]

Update: We opened case CS490945 to get some clarity on these two plugins. Looks like we need to install BOTH of them. Here is the reply in the case:
After confirming internally both plugins need to be installed from the Tokyo version. Those are all the discovery patterns from the application "Global", this was done for easy management of the changes, instead of waiting for the next family release or major patch.

Starting from Tokyo, ServiceNow releases all discovery patterns using the following applications:
Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns (sn_itom_pattern)
This application provides the latest versions of discovery patterns the original version of which ServiceNow released on ServiceNow Store.
Visibility Content (sn_pattern_design)
This application supplies the updated version of the patterns that were part of the family releases up until Tokyo.

Please refer Docs:

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/tokyo-it-operations-management/page/product/service-mapping/task/...

[Smitty]

This is still confusing to me.  What if you have never had Visibility Content installed?

[Jason82]

If you never installed the Visibility Content plugin, then the patterns under the "Global" application only get updated when during a release patch or upgrade.

The new plugin allows you to update the "Global" patterns more frequently without having to depend a release patch or upgrade.

[Jim Summers]

What happens if the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns plugin was installed but Visibility Content plugin wasn't?