---
sourceDocument: Yokohama Platform security
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/yokohama/platform-security

 Release :

    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Platform security

ft:clusterId :

    - psec

bundleId :

    - psec

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Exploring credentials, connections, and aliases

# Exploring credentials, connections, and aliases {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated August 11, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read

Summarize  
![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI  
This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Exploring credentials, connections, and aliases

In the ServiceNow AI Platform, application integrations require properly configured connections, credentials, and aliases to securely access external systems and resources.
Before executing an integration, you must create these components to define how your platform communicates with external endpoints and authenticates access.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Concepts

* **Connection:** Defines integration details such as endpoints, IP addresses, or database specifics necessary to link with an external system.
* **Credential:** Contains authentication data like user IDs and passwords required to establish the connection.
* **Alias:** Acts as a reusable tag that groups connection and credential information, simplifying integration setup by avoiding repeated input of these details. Aliases can represent multiple environments such as QA, development, and production.

Aliases are categorized as:

* **Credential Alias:** Links only to credential data and resolves at runtime.
* **Connection and Credential Alias:** Links both connection and credential data, also resolved at runtime.
* **Child Aliases:** Sub-aliases under a parent alias, allowing multiple connections within the same integration while inheriting parent properties but maintaining their own credentials and connection details.

## Benefits

* Centralized management of credentials for external services.
* Reusable definitions that reduce repetitive configuration across platform features.
* Enable non-administrators to leverage predefined connections and credentials securely.
* Enhanced security by managing credentials systematically.

## Platform Features Utilizing Connections, Credentials, and Aliases

* Flow Designer
* IntegrationHub (requires separate subscription)
* Cloud Management
* Discovery
* Orchestration
* Service Mapping

## Setup and Management

Aliases can be created via:

* The Connections and Credentials module within ServiceNow AI Platform.
* The Connections dashboard in IntegrationHub.

## MID Server Credential Synchronization

MID Servers maintain synchronized copies of credentials to speed up network device access during Discovery and Service Mapping. Synchronization occurs via SOAP calls triggered by credentialsreload jobs, including custom credential fields. To optimize performance when many MID Servers or custom fields are involved, system properties allow controlling inclusion of custom fields and the depth of reference table traversal.

## Security and Data Separation

* **Scope Protections:** Allow classification of Connection \& Credential records within scopes to enforce access controls and prevent unauthorized interactions.
* **Domain Separation:** Supported for Credentials and Connections, enabling logical data partitioning and controlled user access within domains.

## Configuration Templates

Administrators and users with the flowdesigner role can use customizable configuration templates to streamline setting up spoke integrations with third-party systems through a single form.  
All
application integrations in the ServiceNow AI Platform use connections,
credentials, and aliases to enable applications to access resources.

Before you can execute an application integration in the ServiceNow AI Platform, you must
create and configure connection information, corresponding credentials, and add an alias. To
understand how ServiceNow defines these
terms:  

Connection
:   A connection is an integration with a system, such as an IP address or
    endpoint with protocols. It contains specific details, such as database particulars,
    when integrating with a database.

Credential
:   A credential is the authentication data required to make the connection,
    such as an ID and password.

Alias
:   An alias is a naming convention, or tag, that ties to a set of
    connections or credentials on your instance. An alias contains the necessary connection
    and credential information to make an application integration. Rather than enter that
    information every time you integrate, you can use an alias. For example, you can
    designate an alias to house your QA, development, and production credentials for the
    same application integration. The alias resolves the application integration for each
    environment.  
    The ServiceNow AI Platform distinguishes different types of aliases:

    Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to credential data only, and resolves during
        runtime.

    Connection and Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to connection information and the credential data
        required to complete the integration, and resolves during runtime.

Within connection and credential aliases, you can also create additional aliases called
child aliases. Child aliases allow you to create multiple connections within
the same application integration. When you create a child alias, the alias you created it
under becomes a parent alias. While child aliases inherit properties from their
parent alias, child aliases carry their own connection and credential information.

## Benefits to using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_ull_gwz_tcb}

* Central location to store and manage credentials to an external service
* Define once and reuse for multiple platform features
* Minimize configuration of other platform features
* Allow non-administrators to use predefined connections and credentials
* Increased security
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_e4c_kwz_tcb}

## Features using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_xkx_tyy_slb}

The following features use connections, credentials, and aliases:

* Flow Designer
* IntegrationHub
* Cloud Management
* Discovery
* Orchestration
* Service Mapping
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_hww_5zy_slb}  
You can set up aliases on the ServiceNow AI Platform in one of two ways:

* Using the Connections and Credentials module. See [Create a Connection \& Credential alias](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~ewemww8PiZSKqKYWit90g "Define an alias to label a credential or connection record.").
* In the Connections dashboard of Integration Hub. See [Add a connection](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=dashboard-add-connection&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).  
  Note:  
  Integration Hub requires a separate subscription. For more information, see [Request Integration Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=request-ih-overview&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_w1h_qv3_zlb}

## Credential synchronization on MID Servers {#credentials-connections-alias__section_zmz_g5j_4db}

Each MID Serverin your network synchronized with the instance keeps a copy of
every credential that you create. The Management, Instrumentation, and Discovery (MID)
Server is a Java application that enables communication and the movement of data between a
ServiceNow instance and external applications, data sources, and services. This
synchronization speeds up the reading of credentials when applications like Discovery or Service Mapping need to access multiple devices on
the network. The MID Servers synchronize when they find a
credentials_reload job in the ECC Queue. The reload job instructs the
MID Server to make a SOAP call to the instance to get the entire list of credentials in the
Credentials \[discovery_credentials\] table, including all the field values. To learn more,
see [MID Server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=mid-server-landing&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US).  
The SOAP response that your instance sends to each MID Server also includes custom fields that you added to any credential form that you customized. If you added reference fields, the data in the referenced table is also sent as part of the SOAP response. This can lead to performance issues when credential synchronization occurs with multiple MID Servers. To control this, manually add these properties to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table:  
Note:  
To change the values in these properties, add them to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table. If you do not add them, the system uses the default value.
{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db__entry__2}

| Property | Description |
|-|-|
| `com.snc.credentials_user_fields` | Includes all customized fields in credential sync. Set this property to false if you do not want to include the fields that you added to credential forms. * Type: true \| false * Default value: true {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_qj4_mcl_h2b} |
| `com.snc.credentials_recursion_depth` | Defines the number of tables to traverse when the credential-sync mechanism collects fields from reference tables. Lower this number if you are experiencing performance issues and you have customized credential forms that include reference fields to tables that also have reference fields. * Type: integer * Default value: 3 {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_vfn_qcl_h2b} |
[ ]

{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db}
* **[Scope protections for Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/JAeZnfpQAai2KkF~FR5eYA)**   
  You can classify certain types of Connection \& Credential records as belonging to a scope, and extend scope protections to them. These scope policies protect records you create in a table, and prevent interactions with records that are private to another scope.
* **[Domain separation and Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/5JYVgAm6Mmdb6jZkGiILqA)**   
  Domain separation is supported in Credentials and Connections. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.
* **[Connection \& Credential configuration templates](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jTc1VRnbbZ2m7QTo89MBwQ)**   
  Enable users with the admin and flow_designer roles to set up spoke integrations with third-party systems using a single, customizable form.