Amazon CloudFront Distribution pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated May 6, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Amazon CloudFront Distribution pattern-based discovery

    The Amazon CloudFront Distribution pattern-based discovery enables ServiceNow customers to identify and map Amazon CloudFront Distributions within their AWS cloud environment. This discovery is performed using the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application, which populates data into both CMDB and non-CMDB tables. Keeping the application updated and correctly configuring patterns is essential for accurate discovery.

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    Key Features

    • Pattern Activation: The CloudFront Distribution discovery pattern is disabled by default. Customers must enable it to start discovery. Activating or deactivating patterns from version 6.28.0 onward does not count as customization, ensuring updates continue seamlessly.
    • Prerequisites: AWS discovery prerequisites must be verified, including removing any CloudFront resources from the Resource Inclusion List to avoid duplicate discoveries.
    • Data Population:
      • Non-CMDB Tables: The pattern populates detailed inventory data in non-CMDB AWS-specific tables accessible via the ServiceNow navigation, including information such as CloudFront domain names, ARNs, and deployment statuses.
      • CMDB Tables: Key CloudFront resource information is stored in the CMDB’s Cloud Resource table, including operational and install statuses, resource type, and unique identifiers.
    • CI Relationships and References: The pattern establishes relationships between CloudFront distributions and cloud service accounts, and includes references linking configuration items to cloud resources to maintain relational integrity.
    • AWS Tag Discovery: Tags associated with CloudFront distributions are collected and stored in the Key Value table, linked back to the corresponding cloud resource in the CMDB.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By enabling and configuring this pattern, customers can automatically discover Amazon CloudFront Distributions and maintain up-to-date configuration and inventory information within their ServiceNow CMDB. This supports enhanced visibility, compliance, and management of AWS cloud resources. Proper setup prevents duplication, ensures data accuracy, and leverages AWS tags for richer asset context. Relationships created by the pattern facilitate impact analysis and service mapping relevant to CloudFront resources.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds Amazon CloudFront Distributions on your cloud environment. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the AWS discovery prerequisites
    For more information, see the prerequisites section in Amazon AWS Cloud components discovery using patterns.
    Remove resources from the Resource Inclusion List table
    Verify that the relevant resource isn't listed in the Resource Inclusion List [sa_cloud_inventory_resource_whitelist] table to avoid duplicate discovery. For more information on removing resources from the Resource Inclusion List, see Amazon Web Services (AWS) Resource Inventory.
    Enable the relevant pattern
    The pattern for this service is disabled by default. Starting with Visibility Content version 6.28.0, activating or deactivating a pattern won't be considered a customization, and it will continue to receive updates. Patterns that were previously activated or deactivated will reset to the latest predefined version after upgrading while retaining the last active field value. For more information on enabling patterns, see Activate a disabled pattern.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in both CMDB and non-CMDB tables.

    Data stored in non-CMDB tables

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in the non-CMDB table when running the Amazon AWS - CloudFront Distribution - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern.

    You can review the non-CMDB AWS tables by navigating to All > Configuration > AWS. You can also search the navigation filter for the specific pattern name.

    Table 1. AWS CloudFront Distribution [cmdb_aws_cloudfront_distribution]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Domain name of the CloudFront distribution.
    Object ID [object_id] Amazon Resource Name (ARN) that uniquely identifies the CloudFront distribution.
    Id [id] Unique identifier assigned to the CloudFront distribution.
    Status [status] Deployment status of the CloudFront distribution.
    Configuration Item [configuration_item] References the Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] table.

    Data stored in CMDB tables

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in the CMDB when running the Amazon AWS - CloudFront Distribution - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern.

    Table 2. Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] ARN that uniquely identifies the CloudFront distribution.
    Name [name] Domain name of the CloudFront distribution.
    Resource type [resource_type] Type of resource. The value is set to AWS::CloudFront::Distribution.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the resource. Default value is Operational.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the resource. Default value is Installed.

    CI relationships

    The Amazon AWS - CloudFront Distribution - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern creates the following relationships and references to support Amazon CloudFront Distribution discovery. References link to records in other tables and don't appear in the CI Relationship [cmdb_rel_ci] table.

    Table 3. CI relationships
    CI Relationship CI
    Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] Hosted on::Hosts Cloud Service Account [cmdb_ci_cloud_service_account]
    Table 4. CI references
    CI Field Referenced CI
    AWS CloudFront Distribution [cmdb_aws_cloudfront_distribution] Configuration Item [configuration_item] Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]
    Key Value [cmdb_key_value] Configuration item [configuration_item] Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]

    AWS Tag discovery

    The Amazon AWS - CloudFront Distribution - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern collects tags and populates them in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.

    Table 5. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] table.