Discovery for Alibaba Cloud

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Discovery for Alibaba Cloud

    Discovery for Alibaba Cloud is an automated process within the ServiceNow IT Operations Management (ITOM) Visibility framework that scans and identifies Alibaba Cloud resources in your organization's cloud infrastructure. This process is essential for maintaining an accurate and reliable Configuration Management Database (CMDB), which supports effective cloud management and operations.

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    The discovery leverages pattern-based horizontal discovery using Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns to identify various Alibaba Cloud resources such as cloud service accounts, datacenters, availability zones, hardware types, and OS-level details like OS images. It also discovers relationships between resources to create detailed configuration items (CIs) for your CMDB.

    Key Features

    • Pattern-based Discovery: Utilizes predefined Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns to identify and map Alibaba Cloud resources and their relationships automatically.
    • Comprehensive Resource Coverage: Discovers cloud service accounts, datacenters, availability zones, hardware types, and OS images.
    • REST API Permissions Management: Provides a downloadable Cloud Discovery patterns spreadsheet to assist in granting necessary user permissions for discovery operations, including pattern names, CI classes, and vendor documentation.
    • Configuration Requirements: Requires setup on both the ServiceNow AI Platform (plugin installation, credential setup, discoveryadmin role assignment) and Alibaba Cloud (Identity and Access Management roles and permissions).
    • User Permissions Model: Recognizes different Alibaba Cloud user types—Root accounts, RAM users, and RAM roles—with distinct access levels that impact discovery capabilities.
    • Role-Based Task Distribution: Defines clear responsibilities for ServiceNow administrators, cloud administrators, and discovery administrators to install applications, configure MID Servers, create API credentials, and schedule discovery tasks.
    • Discovery Scheduling and Management: Enables creating and managing discovery schedules through the Discovery Admin Workspace to automate ongoing resource discovery.

    Key Outcomes

    • Accurate CMDB Population: Automatic and comprehensive discovery of Alibaba Cloud resources ensures your CMDB reflects the current cloud infrastructure state.
    • Improved Cloud Visibility: Insight into resource relationships and configurations supports better cloud governance and operational decision-making.
    • Streamlined Access Control: Adherence to permission best practices promotes secure and efficient discovery processes while respecting Alibaba Cloud access policies.
    • Operational Efficiency: Automation of discovery and mapping reduces manual effort and errors, enabling IT teams to focus on higher-value tasks.

    Alibaba Cloud discovery is one of the overall Cloud discovery offerings within the IT Operations Management (ITOM) Visibility framework. It’s an automated process used to scan and identify Alibaba Cloud resources within your organization's cloud infrastructure. This discovery process is critical for maintaining an accurate and trustworthy data foundation—the Configuration Management Database (CMDB).

    Pattern-based cloud discovery

    Using Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns to perform horizontal discovery enables you to find and map your organization's Alibaba Cloud resources. You can discover Alibaba Cloud metadata including:
    • Cloud service accounts.
    • Datacenters.
    • Availability zones.
    • Hardware types.
    Patterns also support OS level discovery, for example OS images.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns create configuration items (CIs) for your Alibaba Cloud resources. Additionally, patterns discover the relationships between your organization's Alibaba Cloud resources, such as Hosted On :: Hosts.

    See Alibaba Cloud discovery using patterns to learn about all Alibaba Cloud resources you can discover using Patterns.

    Verify the REST API Permissions

    Download the Cloud Discovery patterns spreadsheet so you can grant user permissions required for running the Discovery patterns. In addition to permissions, the spreadsheet also includes useful information such as pattern names, types, CI Classes, and links to vendor documentation. New patterns are available quarterly, so check periodically to be sure you have the latest version of the spreadsheet.

    Alibaba Cloud discovery configuration

    The basic steps to configure pattern-based discovery for Alibaba Cloud involve preparation on the ServiceNow AI Platform side like installing necessary plugins and setting up credentials. The discovery_admin role in ServiceNow AI Platform is required for creating Alibaba Cloud API credentials and service accounts.

    The discovery process requires configuration within Alibaba Cloud, like setting up Identity and Access Management roles. The discovery permissions of Alibaba Cloud users are determined by their access levels within Alibaba Cloud.

    To promote proper discovery, the Alibaba Cloud user must have at least read-only access to the necessary Alibaba Cloud services.

    Table 1. Alibaba Cloud user discovery permissions
    Alibaba Cloud user Discovery permissions
    Root Account (Master Account) Full access to all Alibaba Cloud resources and services, including Elastic Compute Service (ECS), Object Storage Service (OSS), Relational Database Service (RDS), and Resource Access Management (RAM). Can create and manage RAM users, assign permissions, and perform billing operations.
    RAM user Access to specific Alibaba Cloud resources and services based on assigned policies. Can be granted read-only access for discovery purposes.
    RAM Role (AssumedRoleUser) Temporary access to Alibaba Cloud resources and services based on assumed role policies. Useful for cross-account access, temporary access, or access by ECS instances.
    Table 2. Alibaba Cloud discovery users and tasks
    Typical persona Roles and permissions Responsibility Link to detailed documentation
    ServiceNow administrator or IT Implementation Specialist admin Install the store applications and update them on every store release:
    • Discovery
    • Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns
    • Visibility content.
    • CMDB CI Class Models
    • Discovery Admin Workspace
    		 ITOM Store upgrades
    ServiceNow administrator admin
    • Create a MID Server user.
    • Assign the MID Server role to the user.
    		 Create the MID Server user and grant the role
    ServiceNow administrator admin, mid_server Install a MID Server.
    ServiceNow administrator admin Validate that the MID Server is installed correctly. Validate the MID Server
    ServiceNow administrator admin Assigning users with discovery_admin roles and giving them permission for discovery. Managing roles
    Cloud administrator or Discovery administrator discovery_admin Creating Alibaba Cloud service accounts Set up Alibaba Cloud service accounts
    Cloud administrator or Discovery administrator The person configuring the API credentials must have the discovery_admin role in ServiceNow and must have access to the Alibaba Cloud Access Key ID and Access Key Secret. Configuring Alibaba Cloud API credentials Create Alibaba Cloud API Credentials
    Discovery administrator discovery_admin Use Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns Alibaba Cloud discovery using patterns
    Discovery administrator discovery_admin Set up a discovery schedule for Alibaba Cloud