Service Mapping : Endpoints & Applications

[Fares1]

Hey Team,

This is a topic I've been wanting to ask but I couldn't formulate the question to gather answers.

In the Service Mapping (SM) module, we give the necessary info according to the type of Entry Point we've chosen.

First question : how does SM generate the relation between the Endpoint and the Application. Does the pattern generate the inter-CI relationship? 

If we have for example MySQL : we have the Software  installed and "MySQL Server 8.x.x" as a Software, how does Service Mapping distinguish the MySQL Instance as an Application.

We have workshops coming soon and we realized we needed to clarify our own definitions of Applications.

A business service is made of applications, but the entry point isn't one : it's an Endpoint in the SNow Schema, how does Service Mapping create that relationship though? What classes or tables does it use? 

Thanks in advance,

Fares

[Balaji14]

Hello

To understand Service Mapping a basic knowledge on Discovery is required, since its similar to the way how relationships are maintained and used.

So lets say the Software is running in Server A and the MySQL is in Server B.

Both the Server needs to be in CMDB first, else SM will trigger discovery to populate the Server details in the CMDB creating the necessary relationship in cmdb_rel_ci table

Upon individual Server information in CMDB, SM will trigger a pattern with respect to the entry point of the application in Server A. With provided access SM will find more details about the software and tracks the configuration file. This create a component in the map with the application name.

So in the config file the details about the Database, i.e the MySQL being installed in Server B will be maintained. What happens next in the map is that the next pattern will fire, that will be for MySQL. From the config file the information such as hostname, db name would have been parsed to take a next set of entry point. This is make one more component pointing from Server A to Server B with the respective names that comes from the provided application entry point process.

Regards

Balaji

[Fares1]

Hi Balaji,

Thanks for your quick answer.

"So let's say the Software is running in Server A and the MySQL is in Server B."

Okay, let's agree that it's a software then.

"Upon individual Server information in CMDB, SM will trigger a pattern with respect to the entry point of the application in Server A. With provided access SM will find more details about the software and tracks the configuration file. This create a component in the map with the application name."

We both agree that the application you're mentioning isn't the software above right? Because if it is we are starting to get confused already.

"With provided access SM will find more details about the software and tracks the configuration file. This create a component in the map with the application name." 

So you're telling me that SM uses the configuration file of the software to create the Application Component, right?

"So in the config file the details about the Database, i.e the MySQL being installed in Server B will be maintained. What happens next in the map is that the next pattern will fire, that will be for MySQL. From the config file the information such as hostname, db name would have been parsed to take a next set of entry point. This is make one more component pointing from Server A to Server B with the respective names that comes from the provided application entry point process."

Except that we never provided an application, but a software. Those are different in ServiceNow.

Best regards,

Fares

[Fares1]

Hi Balaji,

Thanks for your quick answer.

"So let's say the Software is running in Server A and the MySQL is in Server B."

Okay, let's agree that it's a software then.

"Upon individual Server information in CMDB, SM will trigger a pattern with respect to the entry point of the application in Server A. With provided access SM will find more details about the software and tracks the configuration file. This create a component in the map with the application name."

We both agree that the application you're mentioning isn't the software above right? Because if it is we are starting to get confused already.

"With provided access SM will find more details about the software and tracks the configuration file. This create a component in the map with the application name." 

So you're telling me that SM uses the configuration file of the software to create the Application Component, right?

"So in the config file the details about the Database, i.e the MySQL being installed in Server B will be maintained. What happens next in the map is that the next pattern will fire, that will be for MySQL. From the config file the information such as hostname, db name would have been parsed to take a next set of entry point. This is make one more component pointing from Server A to Server B with the respective names that comes from the provided application entry point process."

Except that we never provided an application, but a software. Those are different in ServiceNow.

Best regards,

Fares

[Balaji14 · Accepted solution]

I understand the difference in terminologies has caused some confusion, so lets keep it simple with ServiceNow's Service mapping terminology.

Basically Service mapping maps the application services. So simply put what ever applications end point we provide we would get a map of it.

If the confusion is on software and application thing, an application is a type of software however not all software can be application. And in the above example lets consider that its an application software that we have in Server A.