How CIM Discovery works

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    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 How CIM Discovery works

    This document explains the processing flow of Common Information Model (CIM) Discovery in ServiceNow, specifically for classifying CIM storage systems. CIM Discovery leverages probes and queries to detect and classify storage components such as SAN and NAS devices by interacting with WBEM services and SLP servers in the network. It is essential for customers who want detailed and structured discovery of storage infrastructure components using CIM standards.

    Show full answer Show less

    Processing Flow

    • The Shazzam probe initiates the discovery by launching the wbem port probe during network discovery.
    • The wbem port probe detects activity on target ports (SLP 427, CIM 5989, 5988) and uses the SLP query to identify the presence of WBEM services via the service:wbem service type.
    • A scanner is launched to retrieve service attributes from the SLP server and to discover interop namespaces of CIM servers.
    • The namespaces and SLP data are appended to the wbem port probe results, which then pass this information to the CIM Classify probe.
    • The CIM Classify probe uses this data to explore CIM servers and extract details such as VMware ESX serial numbers and SAN/NAS connector relationships.

    Key Components

    • wbem port probe: Stores retrieved data in the CIM Classification [discoveryclassycim] table and detects WBEM services using SLP queries.
    • SLP Query: Detects wbem services on SLP servers and collects service attributes.
    • CIM - Classify probe: Uses appended SLP data including namespaces to classify CIM storage components and extract detailed storage-related information.
    • System property mid.cim.interop.namespace: Defines default storage namespaces; customers using custom namespaces must add them here to ensure proper discovery.

    SMI-S and CIM Probes and Sensors

    This set of probes and sensors enables detailed discovery of storage environments by retrieving specific storage elements:

    • CIM - Identity: Identifies systems via CIM per SMI-S standard.
    • SMI - Array probes: Retrieve information on controllers, disks, file shares, pools, ports, and volumes.
    • SMI - Fabric: Discovers SAN fabrics, zones, connections, and related components.
    • SMI - Fibre Channel Switch: Retrieves information on Fibre Channel switches.
    • SMI - NAS Head probes: Gather data on virtual file servers, IPs, file servers (CIFS/NFS), and file shares.
    • SMI - Storage Server: Retrieves SAN and NAS arrays and server details.
    • SMI - WBEM Service: Retrieves WBEM service information including profiles and SMI-S versions.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging CIM Discovery:

    • Customers gain automated and detailed classification of storage systems across diverse vendors.
    • They can accurately map storage components and relationships, enhancing CMDB accuracy.
    • Support for custom namespaces allows flexibility in multi-vendor environments.
    • Discovery data is stored in structured tables for easy access and reporting.

    This is the processing flow for classifying Common Information Model (CIM) storage systems.

    Processing flow

    1. The Shazzam probe launches the wbem port probe as part of network discovery.
    2. The wbem port probe detects activity on target ports SLP 427, CIM 5989 and 5988, and then examines the Service Registry Queries related list, at Discovery Definition > Port Probes, for the SLP query. The base system provides this query to detect the service:wbem service type, which indicates the presence of an SLP server.
    3. The Shazzam probe launches a scanner for the WBEM service type. The scanner retrieves:
      • The attributes of the service from the SLP server.
      • The interop namespaces of CIM servers in the network.
    4. The scanner appends the namespace values it finds to the port probe results.
    5. The wbem port probe appends the SLP data it carries to the CIM Classify probes.
    6. The CIM Classify probe uses that information to explore the CIM servers.
      Figure 1. CIM Shazzam Processing Diagram
      CIM Shazzam Processing Diagram

    The wbem port Probe

    The wbem probe stores the data it retrieves in the CIM Classification [discovery_classy_cim] table. To view the wbem port probe, navigate to Discovery Definition > Port Probes.

    Figure 2. wbem port probe record
    wbem port probe record

    SLP query

    The SLP query detects the wbem service (service:wbem) on an SLP server and gathers the attributes of the service. To view the SLP Query record, open the wbem port probe record and select SLP Query from the Service Registry Queries related list.

    Figure 3. SLP Query record
    SLP Query record

    CIM - Classify probe

    The wbem port probe appends the SLP data it carries, including namespaces, to the CIM - Classify probe before launching it. The CIM classification probe extracts VMware ESX serial numbers and connector relationships between the SAN and NAS components from CIM Servers in the network.

    To access the CIM classification probe, navigate to Discovery Definition > Probes and select CIM - Classify from the list of probes.
    Note:
    The mid.cim.interop.namespace system property defines four default storage namespaces:
    • interop
    • root/interop
    • root/pg_interop
    • pg_interop
    If you’re using multiple storage vendors with custom namespaces not specified as one of the defaults, add the new namespaces to the comma-separated list in this property. If you intend to continue using any of the default namespaces, make sure to include them in the property.
    Figure 4. CIM - Classify probe record
    CIM - Classify probe record

    SMI-S and CIM probes and sensors

    Table 1. SMI-S and CIM probes and sensors
    Probe/Sensor Description
    CIM - Identity Identifies a system via CIM per SMI-S.
    SMI - Array - Controllers Retrieves controller information.
    SMI - Array - Disks Retrieves storage disk information.
    SMI - Array - File Shares Enumerates NAS file shares from a storage server.
    SMI - Array - Pools Retrieves storage pools.
    SMI - Array - Ports Retrieves storage ports.
    SMI - Array - Volumes Retrieves storage volumes.
    SMI - Fabric Retrieves SANs, fabrics, zone sets, zones, zone aliases, endpoints, and connections.
    SMI - Fibre Channel Switch Retrieves FC switches.
    SMI - NAS Head - Component Systems Retrieves all virtual file servers in a NAS head profile.
    SMI - NAS Head - File Server IPs Retrieves IP addresses for each NAS file server.
    SMI - NAS Head - File Servers Retrieves NAS file servers such as Common Internet File System (CIFS) and Network File System (NFS).
    SMI - NAS Head - File Shares Retrieves file shares for each NAS file server.
    SMI - Storage Server Retrieves SAN and NAS arrays and servers.
    SMI - WBEM Service Retrieves WBEM Service information such as profiles and SMI-S version.