---
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 October 8, 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 access external resources securely and efficiently.
Before executing any integration, you must create and configure these components to enable seamless connectivity and authentication.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Concepts

* **Connection:** Defines the integration endpoint or system details (e.g., IP address, database specifics) necessary to establish communication with an external system.
* **Credential:** Contains authentication information such as IDs and passwords required to access the connection.
* **Alias:** A reusable naming convention that links to specific connections and credentials, simplifying integration setups by avoiding repetitive data entry. Aliases can represent different environments like QA, development, and production.

## Alias Types and Usage

* **Credential Alias:** Resolves credential data only during runtime.
* **Connection and Credential Alias:** Resolves both connection details and credentials during runtime.
* **Child Aliases:** Sub-aliases under a parent alias that allow multiple connections within the same integration, each with its unique connection and credential information.

## Benefits

* Centralized management of credentials for external services
* Reusable configurations that reduce setup time across multiple platform features
* Minimized configuration effort and enhanced security
* Enables non-administrators to use predefined connections and credentials

## Features Utilizing Connections, Credentials, and Aliases

These components are essential for features such as Flow Designer, IntegrationHub, Cloud Management, Discovery, Orchestration, and Service Mapping.

## Configuration Options

You can set up aliases using the Connections and Credentials module or through the Integration Hub Connections dashboard (note that Integration Hub requires a separate subscription).

## Credential Synchronization on MID Servers

MID Servers synchronize credentials with the instance to expedite access during operations like Discovery and Service Mapping. This synchronization occurs via a credentialsreload job and SOAP calls that transfer credential data, including custom fields. To prevent performance issues from extensive customizations, you can control synchronization behavior by adjusting specific system properties:

* **com.snc.credentialsuserfields:** Include or exclude custom credential fields (true/false, default true)
* **com.snc.credentialsrecursiondepth:** Limits table traversal depth for referenced fields during synchronization (default 3)

## Security and Data Separation

* **Scope Protections:** You can assign connections and credentials to specific scopes, enforcing access controls and preventing unauthorized interactions.
* **Domain Separation:** Supported within Credentials and Connections to segregate data and administrative tasks across domains, controlling user access accordingly.

## Configuration Templates

Administrators and users with the flowdesigner role can leverage connection and credential configuration templates to streamline the setup of spoke integrations with third-party systems using a single customizable 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.