Getting started with Service Graph Connectors

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Getting started with Service Graph Connectors

    Service Graph Connectors, including API Service Graph Connectors, are predefined integrations designed to import third-party and API data from various domains such as security, servers, software, IoT, and cloud into your Configuration Management Database (CMDB). These connectors ensure that data is accurately mapped according to the Common Service Data Model (CSDM), enhancing the quality, consistency, and reporting accuracy of your CMDB.

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    Connectors can be obtained from the ServiceNow Store, including partner-built options. They automate the data pipeline by ingesting, standardizing, reconciling, and loading data into the CMDB, allowing you to maintain a coherent and up-to-date configuration management environment.

    Key Features

    • Types of Connectors: Standard Service Graph Connectors and API Service Graph Connectors for importing data into CMDB and non-CMDB tables.
    • Data Management Pipeline: Identification of data classes and attributes, standardization per CMDB rules, reconciliation to prevent duplicates, and final ingestion into the CMDB.
    • SGC Central: A centralized application within the CMDB Workspace to discover, install, configure, monitor, and manage connectors throughout their lifecycle with guided setup and playbook deployment.
    • User Roles: Role-based access control with specific roles such as Administrator, SGC-admin, CMDB installation administrator, and SGC-viewer to manage connector permissions effectively.
    • Data Governance: Enforces consistent data association with CI types and leverages the Identification and Reconciliation Engine (IRE) to classify data, prevent duplicates, and maintain attribute consistency.
    • IntegrationHub ETL: Utilizes ETL capabilities to transform and load data efficiently.

    Managing and Troubleshooting

    ServiceNow provides tools like the Otto for CMDB application to diagnose and resolve issues related to connector import sets, helping you maintain integration health and data integrity.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Streamlines the integration of diverse third-party data sources into your CMDB, reducing manual effort and errors.
    • Ensures data compliance with the CSDM for better cross-product data usage and reporting.
    • Enables role-based management to safeguard configuration data and control connector operations securely.
    • Supports continuous monitoring and lifecycle management of connectors through SGC Central, improving operational efficiency.
    • Facilitates rapid and reliable data ingestion using proven identification, reconciliation, and ETL processes.

    Service Graph Connectors, including API Service Graph Connectors, are predefined integrations that ingest third-party data and API data into the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) from various domains, such as security, servers, software or monitoring, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud.

    Important:
    See Service Graph Connectors and API Service Graph Connectors for a list of connectors provided by ServiceNow.

    Request apps on the Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Service Graph Connectors overview

    The following video provides an overview of Service Graph Connectors.

    As a purpose-built app, you can use a Service Graph Connector, including an API Service Graph Connector, to maintain the quality and consistency of third-party data in your CMDB.

    You can use the following connector types:
    Service Graph Connectors
    A Service Graph Connector imports and integrates third-party data into CMDB and non-CMDB tables. For a list of Service Graph Connectors, see Service Graph Connectors.
    API Service Graph Connectors
    An API Service Graph Connector imports and integrates third-party API data into CMDB and non-CMDB tables. For a list of API Service Graph Connectors, see API Service Graph Connectors.
    Partner-built connectors
    Service Graph Connectors can be built by partners and vendors. For a list of partner-built connectors, see the ServiceNow Store website.

    The connectors also make sure that third-party data is mapped to the right locations in your CMDB as specified by the Common Service Data Model (CSDM). The CSDM enables ServiceNow products to use the data and increases reporting accuracy. For more information on CSDM, see Common Service Data Model.

    The Service Graph Connectors, including API Service Graph Connectors, manage the configuration data pipeline in the following steps:
    1. Ingest the data by identifying class, attribute, and data sources by using the identification rules.
    2. Standardize the data to comply with your CMDB.
    3. Reconcile the data into a single coherent picture by using the reconciliation rules.
    4. Ingest the data into your CMDB.
    You can track the status and processing results of all installed integrations using the SGC Central view within the CMDB Workspace or integrations dashboard provided with the Integration Commons for CMDB store app. For more information, see SGC Central, Integration Commons for CMDB, and CMDB Integrations Dashboard.

    Service Graph Connector user roles

    Service Graph Connector users can be assigned specific roles to limit the assignment of the Administrator (admin) user role. The following roles are available for Service Graph Connector users.
    Table 1. User roles
    User role Description
    Administrator (admin) Users with the Administrator (admin) role can install and upgrade Service Graph Connectors, including API Service Graph Connectors. Administrator users can perform the following tasks:
    • Create a connection and configure connection properties.
    • Monitor connections and data imports.
    • Manage connections.
    • Upgrade the connector.
    • Run background scripts.
    • Provide access to tables in the global scope.
    SGC-admin (sn_cmdb_int_util.sgc_admin) The SGC-admin (sn_cmdb_int_util.sgc_admin) user role has the second-highest level of permissions for Service Graph Connectors. SGC-admin users can perform the following tasks:
    • Create, update, and delete connections.
    • Configure connectors using the guided setup.
    • Read and write the system properties that are used by the connectors.
    • Perform all operations that are allowed by other user roles that have lower levels of permission.
    CMDB installation administrator (cmdb_inst_admin) Users with the CMDB (cmdb_inst_admin) role can use IntegrationHub ETL to create and customize integrations. CMDB installation administrator users can perform the following tasks:
    • Read all Service Graph Connector application modules.
    • Read and write the system properties that are used by the connectors.
    • Create, update, and delete custom tables.
    • Create, update, and delete scheduled imports and data sources.
    • Read records that are owned by other applications and are related to the functionality of Service Graph Connectors (for instance, records in the em_event table).
    SGC-viewer (sn_cmdb_int_util.sgc_viewer) Users with the SGC-viewer (sn_cmdb_int_util.sgc_viewer) role can monitor the status of the integration. SGC-viewer users can perform the following tasks:
    • View all application modules.
    • View CCF.
    • View available SGC connections in cmdb workspace.
    • Read the system properties used by the connectors.
    • View scheduled import runs and related logs.
    • View data sources.
    • View custom tables.
    • View records that are owned by other applications and are related to the functionality of Service Graph Connectors (for instance, records in the em_event table).

    Using SGC Central for connectors

    The Service Graph Connector Central application also called as SGC Central is available as a view in the CMDB Workspace. The application enables you to discover and install Service Graph Connectors, including API Service Graph Connectors, and then effectively manage the full life cycle of creating, editing, monitoring, and debugging connections. The SGC Central application also ensures that connectors remain supported and up-to-date with certified partners.

    The SGC Central application minimizes customization and accelerates time to value with intuitive setup options and playbook-guided connector deployment. If the playbook experience isn’t available for a connector, you can follow the guided setup provided with the connector.

    To learn more, see SGC Central.

    Using connectors

    By using Service Graph Connectors and API Service Graph Connectors, you can mandate data governance and design practices. Examples of mandated practices using connectors include:

    Resolving connector issues

    You can use the ServiceNow Otto for Configuration Management Database (CMDB) application to resolve any issues or perform a general analysis on a connector installed on your instance. See Fix SGC import set issues with the ServiceNow Otto SGC diagnosis skill.