--- sourceDocument: Australia Workflow Data Fabric sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/integrate-applications Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Workflow Data Fabric ft:clusterId : - crint bundleId : - crint workflow : - Creator --- # Connect # Connect to external systems {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 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 Connect to external systems Connect Hub is a unified workspace within ServiceNow designed to simplify the discovery, building, and management of integrations with external systems. It consolidates key integration tasks---such as discovering systems, configuring connections, and managing credentials---into a single interface, enabling ServiceNow customers to efficiently connect with over 200 third-party platforms including MS Teams, Jira, and Snowflake. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Discovery of external systems and integration opportunities:** Explore available external systems and identify suitable connection methods to extend ServiceNow capabilities. * **Connector management:** Access and build integrations using prebuilt components like Spokes, Zero Copy Connectors, and custom connector types. The connector library provides reusable integration logic tailored to specific external systems. * **Connection configuration:** Set up secure authentication details, endpoint URLs, and access controls for each integration instance, ensuring secure and environment-specific connectivity. * **Specialized integration tools:** Use Connect Hub as the entry point for building Spokes and configuring Model Context Protocol clients to support advanced integration scenarios. ## Understanding Connectors and Connections Connect Hub distinguishes between two core concepts essential for integration development: * **Connectors:** Prebuilt components that encapsulate communication logic with specific external applications. They provide actions, triggers, and data mappings, and serve as reusable templates across multiple connections. For example, a Jira connector contains the logic to interact with Jira's API. * **Connections:** Specific instances of a connector configured with credentials and endpoint information to communicate with a particular external system environment. Multiple connections can be created from a single connector to support different environments such as development, staging, and production. This one-to-many relationship allows customers to reuse integration logic while maintaining separate configurations and credentials for each external system instance. ## Next Steps ServiceNow customers can explore and request additional integration apps through the ServiceNow Store. The current version of Connect Hub is v2.4.0, which includes the latest capabilities to support efficient integration management. Connect Hub is a unified workspace for discovering, building, and managing integrations between ServiceNow and external systems. It consolidates discovery, configuration, and management into a single interface. ## Key capabilities of Connect Hub {#connecthub-connect-to-external-systems__section_jfh_gq1_23c} Connect Hub provides a consolidated interface to accomplish key integration tasks : Discover external systems and integration opportunities : Explore available [external systems](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/NVnwWEibd7s0ABflHeG1eQ#connecthub-create-external-systems "Create a custom external system to organize integrations beyond the default systems.") and identify connection methods for over 200 third-party systems like MS Teams, Jira, and Snowflake. Build and manage connectors : Access prebuilt integration components including Spokes, Zero Copy Connectors, and custom connector types. Browse the connector library to select appropriate tools for your integration scenarios or integrate Model Context Protocol clients. Configure connections and credentials : Set up and manage secure authentication details, endpoint URLs, and access controls for your integrations between ServiceNow and external systems. Access specialized integration tools : Use Connect Hub as the entry point for building Spokes and setting up Model Context Protocol clients. ## Understanding connectors and connections {#connecthub-connect-to-external-systems__section_mqv_3q1_23c} Connect Hub distinguishes between two fundamental integration concepts: connectors and connections. Understanding this relationship is essential for effective integration development. Connectors : Prebuilt integration components that define communication with specific external applications. A connector acts as a translator between ServiceNow and the target system, providing actions, triggers, and data-mapping capabilities. For example, a Jira connector contains all the logic needed to interact with Jira's API, including available operations like creating issues or updating workflows. Connectors are reusable tools that you configure once and use across multiple connection instances. Connections : Specific configuration instances that contain the credentials and endpoint details needed to establish communication with a particular external system. A connection holds authentication information such as API keys, OAuth tokens, or user name and password combinations, along with the target system's URL. You create a connection by selecting a connector and providing the specific credentials for your environment. For example, you might use the Jira connector to create separate connections for your development, staging, and production Jira instances. The relationship between connectors and connections follows a one-to-many pattern. A single connector supports multiple connection instances, enabling you to reuse integration logic across different environments or system instances while maintaining separate credentials and configurations for each. For example, you can have one Jira spoke connector but have three different connections: one each for development, staging, and production respectively. ## Request apps on Store {#connecthub-connect-to-external-systems__section_vxq_m23_vjc} Visit the [ServiceNow Store](https://store.servicenow.com/sn_appstore_store.do#!/store/home) website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. ## Application version {#connecthub-connect-to-external-systems__section_tnm_f23_vjc} Connect Hub v2.4.0 is the latest version.