Service Mapping - Executables as Entry Points

[Tom104]

Hi All,

How do you actually define your entry points? I've a number of applications running in the organisation that are only consumed by the end user via an EXE file. There's no web-based entry point for these applications.

For the life of me, I can't understand why an EXE isn't a default entry point type in Service Mapping.

Can anyone actually shed any light on this?

[Jeff WelchBAE]

To be clear, I was not attempting to map anything on a client machine. 

[Elvis]

hi Tom, 

Did you figure out the way forward? I am in the similar situation where as I need to give ".exe" as an entry point for a custom app developed on prem

[Tom104]

Hi Elvis,

I've marked off the correct solution. What this inevitably came down to was user education, Service Mapping is only meant to demonstrate the infrastructure that makes up the application Service. An executable is not considered an Endpoint.

If yours has some underpinning database, or IIS Server, etc, those should be your entry point options.

[Manuel Stimac]

Hi @Tom104,

I also faced a similar question once. I was only able to bring it to paper so this is a bit of a theoretical answer to your question.

You could create an endpoint & pattern by yourself.

The endpoints usually extend from the table cmdb_ci_endpoint.

The definition could be path, filename & machine installed on. Challenge would be to get into all the clients.

Also searching the .exe for more information is quite hard as it is compiled already. In the best case you would have some configuration file to parse, like which DB your application connects to to build the map.

This is all high level of course. But to get you started, I strongly recommend the Service Mapping Implementation On Demand course. There are quite good labs how to build new patterns and connection from scratch. Especially the last chapter is really hands on with a real world example!

Some completely other approach would be the other way around. Like @Mary Vanatta1 described with the query builder. But this would leave the point of your map behind.

Let me know if this helps and how you go further. Very nice topic by the way 😎

If this answer helps you please mark it as Helpful/Solution.
Thanks & Regards - Manuel

[Mary Vanatta1]

I recommend you to check out the latest improvement found in the ServiceNow store called Service Mapping Plus. 
We had a release on Nov 3rd.  Our product manager has made a post here: https://www.servicenow.com/community/itom-blog/automated-service-suggestions-machine-learning-is-sup...