Service Map CIs and their relations?

Henrik Jutterst · ‎01-19-2022

Is there a way to see all the CIs and their relations in a Service Map, just like they are displayed in cmdb_rel_ci table?

Service Mapping is using its own table svc_ci_assoc, but CIs in that view is just a list of CIs that's referring to the Mapped Application Service.

Basically, where can I find the data that draws this picture? CIs and their relations..

rotem1 · ‎01-21-2022

Hi,

The logic of the service visualization is not exposed 😞

(and it complex anyway)

However if u want to export the service to another instance we can help

We have it fully implemented for discovered service :

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/rome-it-operations-management/page/product/service-mapping/concept/transfer-service-definitions.html

For other kind of services we do not have this functionality
(in our roadmap and it will help if u can submit an enhancement request :-))

i can help with the following - try to run the below

gs.print(SNC.ServiceMappingFactory.exportService(SERVICE_ID));

This will give a list fo ci and how they should be related.

do not try to create relation by yourself - it is far more complicated and error prune

instead - use a script include called "CreateOrUpdateITService" method called addCI :

//addCI : function(bsID, sourceCiId , targetCIId)

where you state service id , source ci in the service (or empty string if entry point) and target ci to be added or re-wire

a bit of work - but this is the general way to export other services

View solution in original post

rotem1 · ‎01-19-2022

The answer is not so simple - as some of the above assumptions are wrong - and i will try to explain

First of all - on every ci (icon) on the map u can right click and look at dependency view

If you will do that you can see that the map do not show all ci and relation it actually try to summarize the information for you and that the dependency view flood you with too much information...

For example application runs on server which has 10 nics and 4 storage volumes
u will not see all this information on the map. u will see the application and on the right pane links to the ci and the server details summarized.

even the notion of relation is more advanced.
when u have a "connection" between the applications it is not just a single relation
it is a ci (from type endpoint) which describe the connection attributes (like http with url or snmp with mib)

There could even be several connections between 2 applications (as oppose to single relation from the same type)
Dependency view can show this information - but the service map purpose is to try and summarize this to the applicative view only

Hope it clarify

Henrik Jutterst · ‎01-19-2022

Hi @rotem and thanks for helping out here with my question.

Unfortunately I don't understand your answer. Something in ServiceNow draws the Service Map and shows the correct CI that are used in a Service Map. That's the data that I'm looking for and how the individual CIs are connected to each other - not just a parent/child relation to the Mapped Application Service.

Is there perhaps a table or API or something that we can see the CIs behind a Service Map and how they are related to each other - not just the service.

CMDB Whisperer · ‎01-19-2022

The short answer is that you will find this information in the CI Relationships table (cmdb_rel_ci) and in the Endpoints tables (which extend cmdb_ci_endpoint). The figure drawn is based on the information found in these tables (as well as the CI classes and attributes themselves). The service association table is calculated based on the information about the application service, the CI included, and the CI relationships, but it is the actual application, hardware, logical, and endpoint CIs and their relationships which is used to populate these service associations.

The opinions expressed here are the opinions of the author, and are not endorsed by ServiceNow or any other employer, company, or entity.

Henrik Jutterst · ‎01-21-2022

Hi @Paul Coste and thanks for your reply to my question.

The thing that I don't understand is that if the Service Map is based on cmdb_rel_ci table, there must be some code that's filtering out the correct CI to show up in the map and also draw the relations so that we get a clean map of what's in the Service Map.

Do you know if there's a way to get just that information?

As I see it, there must be some voodoo in the background that runs and filter out this. And I was hoping to view/replicate that so that I can export a complete Service Map with all its related CIs in it.