When discovering a Virtual machine instance, does discovery create a "Computer" or "Windows Server" record as well as the "Virtual Machine Instance"?

[Tk2020]

When discovering VMware using ServiceNow Discovery, I get several records which show up as VMWare Virtual Instance.

However, there also seems to be an associated record which shows up as Computer, Windows Server or Linux Server and shows up as VMWare Inc.

Is this a ServiceNow anomaly? How to resolve it?

[akash_mehta]

This is the expected behavior of discovery for VMs.  The instance information is more related to that object and then based on the OS a CI is created to identify more detailed information.  This information is more of your traditional Server information along with running processes and software installations which can be used in other areas.

-Akash

[Tk2020]

Thank you for the clarification Akash. Isn't that however, technically a duplicate record? E.g. Having a VM instance record as well as the Server record?

[akash_mehta]

I would say that it is technically a duplicate record but they serve different purposes.  The Server record is your typical CI record that has relationships to software installations, running processes, cmdb_ci_appl (and extensions), and so on.  This is a critical CI to other processes like Software Asset Management, Change Management, and Incident Management.

The VM Instance is used in its relationship to the the VM Infrastructure and to track if the VM Instance is on/off/paused/retired (and so on)...

I don't have a ton of experience on the VM side...but know that if you are discovering this data; you will see two records get created and each serve their purpose.