Application patterns for the Agent Client Collector

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Application patterns for the Agent Client Collector

    Application patterns in the Agent Client Collector (ACC) gather detailed information about applications running on server hosts. These patterns are executed only after the ACC host discovery completes and are supported exclusively for servers, not endpoints. Application patterns enable enhanced application classification and discovery, integrating with ServiceNow’s Discovery and ITOM Visibility capabilities.

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    Prerequisites and Setup

    • Install the Agent Client Collector Framework, Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content, and Discovery plugins.
    • Ensure the agent connects through a MID Server, as pattern execution on agents requires MID Server support.
    • Set the system property snagent.applclassificationbehavior to full and restart connected MID Servers to enable application patterns and allow-list pattern commands.
    • Windows environments require PowerShell 3.0 or higher.
    • Host device roles needed:
      - Linux/macOS: ServiceNow user with sudoers privileges and no password prompt.
      - Windows: Local System, SYSTEM, or a local user with "Logon as a service," "Backup," and "Debug Programs" privileges.

    Viewing and Managing Application Patterns

    • View supported application patterns in ServiceNow under All > Pattern Designer > Supported Patterns for ACC.
    • To see executed patterns on an agent, navigate to All > Agent Client Collector > Agents, select an agent, then access Discovery and the Application Pattern logs tab.
    • Executed patterns are marked with true in the "Executed On Agent" column.
    • Unsupported operations include WMI method invocation, SNMP queries, custom operations, and file transfer actions (Put file).

    Configuration Properties

    Configure key system properties to optimize application pattern use:

    • snagent.applclassificationbehavior: Set to full to enable application pattern commands and execution. Default is simple.
    • snagent.triggerpatternsonendpoints: Set to true to enable pattern triggering on endpoint CIs; default is false, meaning endpoints use simple classification.

    Adjust MID Server timeout properties to control pattern execution durations:

    • mid.discovery.agent.command.mid.timeout: Time MID Server waits for agent response (default 60 seconds).
    • mid.discovery.agent.command.timeout: Maximum execution time for commands on the agent (default 60 seconds).

    Debugging Patterns

    To debug application patterns in ACC mode:

    • Set snagent.applclassificationbehavior to full.
    • Enable debug mode in Pattern Designer and select "Use ACC connection" in Debug identification.
    • Check MID Server logs by setting mid.log.level to DEBUG for detailed pattern execution insights.
    • ACC logs contain pattern check details searchable by the string PatternOnTheFlyCheck.

    Oracle Global License Advisory Services (GLAS) Integration

    Application patterns support Oracle Java process discovery via GLAS data collection:

    • Works with both pattern-based and file-based discovery methods on ACC.
    • Pattern-collected data takes precedence if both discovery methods detect the same Java installation.
    • Ensure users have the Oracle GLAS store app (version 1.8.4+) and relevant Agent Client Collector plugins installed.
    • Applicable for all server environments; partial support for Windows desktop environments.
    • Put file operations for Oracle GLAS are handled by ACC plugins, not SSH or WMI.

    Java installation data can be discovered using either file-based or process-based discovery with ACC for Visibility Content, enabling comprehensive Java environment visibility.

    Application patterns gather details on the applications that run on the Agent Client Collector (ACC) host. Application patterns are supported only for servers, and are triggered after the Agent Client Collector host Discovery is complete.

    Prerequisites for using application patterns

    To enable application patterns on the Agent Client Collector, install the following:

    • Agent Client Collector Framework
    • Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content
    • Discovery

    Ensure that the agent is connected to a MID Server to enable pattern execution. Pattern execution on an agent is supported only using a MID Server. Each pattern step is executed on the agent as an ad-hoc check; ad-hoc checks are logged on the agent side as PatternOnTheFlyCheck.

    Set the sn_agent.appl_classification_behavior property to full, and restart any MID Servers connected to the agent.

    When working in a Windows environment, ensure that you're working with Powershell 3.0 or higher.

    Role required (on the host device):
    • In a Linux or macOS environment: ServiceNow user with sudoers; nopasswd enabled with regular Discovery commands.
    • In a Windows environment: Local System user, SYSTEM, or a local user account where the local user account uses one of the following:
      • Logon as a service
      • Backup (SeBackupPrivilege)
      • Debug Programs privileges

    Viewing supported application patterns

    To view the list of patterns supported for Agent Client Collector, navigate to All > Pattern Designer > Supported Patterns for ACC. Application patterns are the only pattern types supported for use with Agent Client Collector.

    Viewing Application Patterns executed on Agent Client Collector

    You can view the application patterns that were executed on a given agent.
    1. Navigate to All > Agent Client Collector > Agents.
    2. Select an agent.
    3. Select View > Discovery from the context menu (hamburger icon).
    4. Open the agent.
    5. Select the Application Pattern logs tab on the bottom of the page.

      The list of patterns executed on the agent appears. Executed patterns are indicated with the value true in the Executed On Agent column.

    Unsupported application pattern operations

    Application patterns aren't supported in the following pattern operations:

    • WMI method invocation
    • Change/unchange user
    • All custom operations
    • SNMP query
    • Put file

    Agent Client Collector pattern execution properties

    Configure the following properties (All > System Properties > All Properties) to maximize the use of application patterns with Agent Client Collector:
    Table 1. Application pattern properties
    Property Description
    sn_agent.appl_classification_behavior Set value to full to enable working with applications patterns and to access pattern commands in the allow-list.

    Default: simple

    Note:
    To enable application pattern execution with the allow-list, use the allow-list template for application patterns. For details, see Generate a Pattern allowlist.
    sn_agent.trigger_patterns_on_endpoints Controls whether Discovery patterns are triggered during application classification for endpoint CIs (cmdb_ci_computer). Set to true to enable pattern triggering on endpoints, which follows the same classification path as non-endpoint CI types. When set to false, endpoints skip pattern-based classification and fall back to simple classification behavior.

    Default: false
    Table 2. MID Server configuration parameter properties
    mid.discovery.agent.command.mid.timeout The maximum duration, in seconds, that the MID Server waits for a response from the agent before timing out.

    Default: 60 seconds
    mid.discovery.agent.command.timeout The maximum amount of time, in seconds, that the command is given to execute on the agent host.

    Default: 60 seconds

    Using pattern designer debugging in ACC mode

    You can debug application patterns that are configured in ACC mode.

    1. Set the sn_agent.appl_classification_behavior property to full.
    2. In the Pattern Designer, enable the debug option and select Use ACC connection in the Debug identification section.

    The pattern log indicates whether the pattern was successfully executed on the agent.

    You can also receive pattern details in the following logs:

    • MID Server logs: Set mid.log.level to DEBUG for the mid agent log to display details on the pattern step, ACC check, and the pattern response.
    • ACC logs: Search for the string PatternOnTheFlyCheck for details on pattern checks.

    Oracle Global License Advisory Services (GLAS) data collection

    Oracle Java process discovery works either with patterns (when using either a MID Server or Agent Client Collector), or with file-based discovery (using Agent Client Collector with file-based discovery). If both the pattern and file-based discovery run the same Java installation, the pattern-collected data takes precedence.

    When performing Discovery with Agent Client Collector, ensure that you have the following settings:
    • All users must have the Oracle GLAS store app, starting with version 1.8.4.
    • Agent Client Collector users:
      • Must have the Agent Client Collector Framework store plugin.
      • Can have the Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content store plugin, for extra data.

      For information about privileged user access, see KB1705845.

      Note:
      Oracle Java discovery with ACC is applicable in all server environments. However, currently, it's partially supported for different Desktop environments. For a Windows Desktop update set, see the KB article KB1705845.

    For information on java installation Discovery using Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content, see Discover java installation data using Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content file-based discovery.

    For information on the collected data, see Data collected by Oracle GLAS using Agent Client Collector for Visibility Content.

    Application patterns support Oracle GLAS data collection in a Linux environment. For details on using patterns, see Oracle GLAS data collection using patterns.

    Although Oracle GLAS supports Put file operations, the related files are deployed using Agent Client Collector plugins instead of SSH or WMI.