AWS OS image pattern-based discovery

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

    AWS OS image pattern-based discovery in ServiceNow enables automated identification of AWS operating system (OS) images within your cloud environment. This includes bothowned images(custom images created by your AWS account) andexecutable images(public or shared images your account can use). The discovery leverages specific patterns—Amazon AWS - Owned Template (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Template (LP)—to find these OS images.

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    To handle the potentially large number of OS image records effectively, discovered images can be stored in the Cloud Image [cmdbcicloudosimage] table instead of the traditional Image [cmdbciostemplate] table. Enabling this option triggers patterns that populate the Cloud Image table, optimizing data management within your CMDB.

    Key Features

    • Pattern-based discovery: Uses AWS-specific patterns to detect owned and executable OS images.
    • Flexible data storage: Option to store OS images in either the Image or Cloud Image tables to manage scale effectively.
    • Detailed data collection: Captures essential attributes such as image name, unique AWS object ID, OS type, root device, image source, guest OS, and provider.
    • CI relationships: Establishes relationships between OS images and AWS datacenters, supporting CMDB integrity and traceability.
    • AWS Tag discovery: From version 1.30.2, tag discovery is handled as a pattern extension focusing solely on tags, while license discovery is managed separately.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Update to latest patterns: Ensure the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application is up to date to leverage the latest AWS OS image discovery capabilities.
    • Enable Cloud OS Image discovery: Consider enabling this feature to improve performance and reduce record clutter by using the dedicated Cloud Image table.
    • Verify prerequisites: Review AWS discovery prerequisites to ensure proper configuration and successful discovery runs.
    • Understand discovered data: Use the detailed fields collected to accurately identify and manage your AWS OS images within your CMDB.
    • Leverage relationships: Utilize the CI relationships created by the patterns to maintain accurate associations across your AWS infrastructure.

    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 AWS 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.