Does the ACC Client create relationships between CIs like discovery does?

[Morgan2]

We are looking to leverage the ACC client for other purposes, but the question has come up to whether the ACC client could replace discovery. I cannot find any information listed anywhere on whether the ACC client can create the same relationships that horizontal discovery can. My guess would be no, as it is just reporting data from individual CIs. But would like confirmation. Thanks!

[Shivalika]

It has several limitations - 

Unsupported application pattern operations

Application patterns are not supported in the following pattern operations:

WMI method invocation

Change/unchange user

All custom operations

SNMP query

Put file

Additionally it will just catalyse the existing patterns in discovery, which it is already doing. It is nowhere powerful to replace the original horizontal and Vertical discoveries, but yes it can assist in both. 

This documentation by Servicenow - https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/yokohama-it-operations-management/page/product/service-mappin...

clearly recognizes pattern based discovery and horizontal based discovery as a full fledged go to approach while ACC-V as supporter - because that's what it is. 

Kindly mark my answer as helpful and accept solution if it helped you in anyway. This will help me be recognized for the efforts and also move this questions from unsolved to solved bucket. 

Regards,

Shivalika 

My LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivalika-gupta-540346194

My youtube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsHuNzTdkE5Cn4PyS7HdV0Vg8JsfdgQlA&si=0WynLcOwNeEISQCY

[James Behrens]

I'm running through the Xanadu version of Advanced Service Mapping (originally took it with Vancouver) and it says, as of Washington, ACC can be used for Service Mapping. We've installed over 6000 ACC clients. They were a handy replacement where we could not use CyberArk credentials (Citrix PVS, DMZ servers, Vendor Appliances) and on Domain Controllers where we did not want to use Domain Admin credentials to implement horizontal discovery.

I can tell you that ACC does collect TCP connections and running processes. I cannot speak with any experience on relationships or service mapping yet. We've only just deployed the ACC clients and we are just getting started with service mapping proper.

[Morgan2]

@James Behrens appreciate the info! Tangential question, since you have so many clients installed. How do you keep them updated? Our plan is to package the installer and push it out via SCCM, but there has to be a way to keep them updated other than to repackage the new version every month/whenever it is released. Thanks!!

[James Behrens]

Citrix PVS makes up 5000 of those 6000. Each 'golden image' has to be updated manually and republished. The targets provision off the new images.

The DMZ servers and Domain Controllers are pushed via SCCM. The 'recommendations' document has a pretty good SCCM writeup on updating with that. (Recommendations on deploying and maintaining ServiceNow Agent Client Collector for Customers - 😎

Open Systems make up just a handful, they have their own deployment process.

Vendor servers and appliances are the hardest to identify much less deploy.

NOTE: Domain Controllers we went with gMSA, it works just fine. 

[James Behrens]

Another note, We have recently committed to do both major releases annually. We plan to deploy ACC Client updates when the release notes on the major updates say we need to. The ACC Client does not have to stay in sync with the ServiceNow version theoretically.