AWS OS image pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of AWS OS image pattern-based discovery

    The AWS OS image pattern-based discovery feature in ServiceNow's Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns identifies AWS OS images within your cloud environment. It discovers bothowned images(custom images created by your AWS account) andexecutable images(public and shared images your account can use). This capability requires the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application, ensuring up-to-date discovery processes.

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    Key Features

    • Pattern Usage: Uses Amazon AWS - Owned Template (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Template (LP) patterns for discovery.
    • Data Storage Optimization: To prevent an excessive number of records in the Image [cmdbciostemplate] table, you can enable discovery to store OS images in the Cloud Image [cmdbcicloudosimage] table using the Amazon AWS - Owned Cloud OS Image (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Cloud OS Image (LP) patterns.
    • Data Collected: Discovery collects key attributes such as image name, unique AWS object ID, image type, root device type, image source, guest operating system, and cloud provider (AWS).
    • CI Relationships: Automatically creates relationships linking OS images or cloud images to AWS Datacenters and relevant key values to maintain CMDB integrity.
    • Tag Discovery: Starting with version 1.30.2, tag discovery is handled by a dedicated pattern extension to capture AWS tags related to OS images, while license discovery is managed separately by the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure you meet AWS discovery prerequisites as outlined in the Amazon AWS Cloud components discovery documentation to enable successful pattern execution.
    • Consider enabling Cloud OS Image discovery to optimize CMDB storage and avoid large volumes of OS template records.
    • Use the discovered data to maintain accurate, up-to-date CMDB records for AWS OS images, supporting better asset management and operational visibility.
    • Leverage the automatically created CI relationships and tag data to enhance your cloud asset tracking and reporting capabilities.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds AWS OS images (both owned and executable) 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.

    Discovery uses the Amazon AWS - Owned Template (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Template (LP) patterns to discover AWS OS images from your AWS account. Owned images are custom images created by your AWS account, while executable images include public and shared images your account has permission to use.

    When using the Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] table to store Cloud OS images, you may notice an unusually large number of records. To avoid this issue, you can store the discovered OS images in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table. When enabled, Discovery launches the Amazon AWS - Owned Cloud OS Image (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Cloud OS Image (LP) patterns, which populate the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table. For more information, see Enable Cloud OS Image discovery.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the AWS discovery prerequisites section in Amazon AWS Cloud components discovery using patterns.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the AWS OS image patterns.

    Table 1. Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the image.

    For example: CentOS 7.0-64 Minimal for VSI.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier, allocated by Amazon AWS Cloud for this resource.
    Image Type [image_type] Type of the OS image.
    Root Device Type [root_device_type] The device name of the root device volume.

    For example: /dev/sda1.
    Image Source [image_source] Source of the OS image.
    Guest OS [guest_os] Operating system that is secondary to the OS.
    Provider [provider] The cloud provider, which is AWS.

    This field is only populated in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.

    CI relationships

    The AWS OS image patterns create these relationships to support AWS OS image discovery.

    CI Relationship CI
    Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    Key value [cmdb_key_value] References Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]

    AWS Tag discovery

    Starting with Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns version 1.30.2, the pattern extension section discovers tags only. License discovery has moved to the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern.

    Table 2. Key value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.