SAM pro custom integrations

[suvro]

Hi,

Has anybody tried a custom integration with SAM Pro? There is a list of integration profiles available out of the box, for which ServiceNow has documentations.

There are requirements in my team to integrate with other tools as well which are not part of that list.

So before I commit anything to the stakeholders I wanted to be aware of the complexity involved, is it recommended do those integrations, and what all things I need to take care in case we do such integrations.

Any kind of pointers will be appreciated.

Thanks a lot in advance

Suvro

[pr8172510]

Hi @suvro,

Yes, custom integrations with SAM Pro are definitely possible.

the recommended approach is to bring software data into:

• cmdb_ci_computer
• cmdb_sam_sw_install
• alm_asset
• discovery/source normalization tables

and then allow SAM normalization + reconciliation engines to process the data.

 

1. IntegrationHub / REST API 

Best option for:

• SaaS tools
• Cloud inventory
• Third-party asset repositories

You can:

• Pull installation data
• Create/update software installations
• Populate discovery source
• Trigger normalization

2. Import Set + Transform Map

Best for:

• CSV exports
• Flat files
• Legacy systems

This is the most common approach in SAM implementations.

3. Custom ETL / MID Server

Use when:

• Data volume is huge
• On-prem tools require MID connectivity
• APIs are restricted internally
  

  Data Quality
  
  

• SAM heavily depends on:

  • Publisher names
  • Product versions
  • Edition information
  • Device identifiers

  Poor-quality source data creates normalization and reconciliation issues.

   

• Discovery Source Strategy

  Always populate:

  discovery_source

  This helps avoid duplicate software installs and reconciliation conflicts.

  Reconciliation Rules

  If multiple tools send the same software/device data:

  • Define source priority
  • Define reconciliation logic
  • Avoid duplicate CI creation

   

• Normalization

  Custom integrations do NOT automatically normalize software.

  You still need:

  • Content Library
  • Normalization jobs
  • Publisher/product mapping validation

   

• Licensing Impact

  Incorrect installation imports can directly affect:

  • Compliance position
  • Entitlements
  • reclamation candidates
  • SaaS calculations

  So testing is very important before production rollout.
  
  

  • Using OOB content integrations whenever available
  • Using Import Sets/Transform Maps for unsupported tools
  • Importing raw discovery data first
  • Letting SAM normalization engine process the records afterward

  They also recommend avoiding direct writes into reconciled tables unless you fully understand the reconciliation model.

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @suvro ,

My input on OOB one: For SAM-pro integrations , ServiceNow has well documentation .  All are OOB here.

From 3rd party , you need credential , client id/secret with required permission as per Servicenow documentation. 

Then you can start the integration. I did not find any complexity other than for Workday  integration.

For Custom integration - refer:

*Must go through this Servicenow Documentation: SaaS License Connections 

https://www.servicenow.com/community/sam-forum/sam-pro-integration-with-procurement-systems/m-p/3456...

https://www.servicenow.com/community/sam-forum/custom-integration-with-servicenow-software-asset-man...