Using ServiceNow ADM to Map Physical Network Connections

[Daniel May]

Hey everyone,

We are looking to identify the physical devices connected to our network switches and the ports they are plugged into. I believe we can script this by leveraging router ARP tables and switch forwarding tables discovered from these assets, but I’m wondering if ServiceNow’s Application Dependency Mapping (ADM) already provides this capability—or if it can assist in automating this process.

I have a few key questions for those familiar with ADM and network discovery:

1. Mapping Physical Connections – Can ADM help determine which devices are physically plugged into which switches and ports?
2. ADM Relationship Building – How does ServiceNow establish relationships between physical infrastructure components?
   • What tables store these relationships?
3. Data Accuracy & Validation – How can we confirm that the physical device-to-switch relationships are correct?
   • How do we ensure the data is reliable?
4. Stale Relationships – Do these relationships expire or become stale over time?
   • How can we detect when this happens?
   • What’s the best practice for keeping ADM relationships up to date?
5. Built-in Metrics & Insights – Are there any OOTB (out-of-the-box) reports or metrics that help monitor the accuracy of these relationships?

Has anyone successfully used ADM for physical network connection mapping? Would love to hear how you've approached this and any lessons learned.

Thanks in advance for your insights!