Methods to Discover Snowflake and MarkLogic Instances Using ServiceNow Discovery

[KesavanDot]

• I'm looking for guidance on how to discover instances of Snowflake and MarkLogic using ServiceNow Discovery. To clarify, I am not referring to integrating with these platforms to fetch data (i.e., not through IntegrationHub or APIs for data sync), but rather:I want to discover the actual existence of these instances within our infrastructure — similar to how we discover databases like Oracle or SQL Server.

Some specific questions I have:

• Are there out-of-the-box patterns or probes in ServiceNow Discovery for Snowflake or MarkLogic?
• If not, what are the recommended methods to build custom patterns or leverage existing capabilities to detect these systems?
• Should we rely on port scans, installed software detection, or configuration files for this?
• Is it possible to discover them if they are cloud-hosted (like Snowflake commonly is)?
• How can I identify them as unique CIs in CMDB, and link them to the appropriate business/application services?

[Abbas_5]

Hello @KesavanDot,

ServiceNow Discovery doesn't have out-of-the-box patterns for Snowflake or MarkLogic. To discover these instances, you'll need to build custom patterns, potentially leveraging port scans, software detection, or configuration file analysis. Cloud-hosted Snowflake instances can be discovered, but you'll need to configure appropriate credentials and scan methods for the cloud provider. Unique CIs can be identified by combining discovery data with custom attributes, and relationships to business/application services can be established using CMDB relationships. 

Elaboration:

1. Discovery Methods for Snowflake and MarkLogic:

• Custom Patterns:

  ServiceNow Discovery requires you to create custom discovery patterns to identify unique instances of Snowflake and MarkLogic. This involves defining the characteristics of these systems and how to detect them. 
• Port Scans:

  You can leverage port scanning to identify instances of Snowflake and MarkLogic. These platforms often listen on specific ports. You can integrate port scan results into your custom patterns. 
• Installed Software Detection:

  If the software is installed on a host, you can use ServiceNow's built-in software detection capabilities to identify it. 
• Configuration File Analysis:

  If Snowflake or MarkLogic instances have configuration files, you can analyze these files for unique identifiers and integration into your custom patterns. 
• Credentials and Credentials Manager:

  You'll likely need to configure credentials (usernames and passwords) to allow Discovery to connect to and analyze these systems. This is especially crucial for cloud-hosted instances. 
• Cloud-Hosted Instances:

  For Snowflake, which is commonly cloud-hosted, you'll need to configure credentials for the cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) to allow Discovery to access the instances. 

2. Identifying Unique CIs:

• Unique Identifiers:

  Use the data gathered during discovery to identify unique instances of Snowflake and MarkLogic. This could include the hostname, account name, or other unique attributes. 
• Custom Attributes:

  Define custom attributes in the CMDB to store Snowflake or MarkLogic-specific information, such as instance IDs, versions, or other relevant details. 

3. Linking to Business/Application Services:

• CMDB Relationships:

  Use ServiceNow's CMDB relationships to link the discovered Snowflake and MarkLogic instances to the appropriate business or application services. 
• Service Mapping:

  Service Mapping can be used to discover and map these instances to their related applications and services. 

4. Specific Considerations:

• Security:

  Be mindful of security when configuring credentials and access to these systems. Avoid storing credentials directly in Discovery configurations. 
• Performance:

  Discovery scans can be resource-intensive. Optimize your scans to minimize the impact on your environment. 
• Automation:

  Use ServiceNow's automation capabilities to manage the discovery process and update the CMDB. 
• Configuration:

  Configure Discovery settings to ensure that it discovers the correct instances and avoids errors or duplicates. 

By leveraging these methods and tools, you can effectively discover and manage instances of Snowflake and MarkLogic in ServiceNow Discovery, providing a more comprehensive view of your IT infrastructure. 

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Thanks & Regards,

Abbas Shaik