Discovery classification parameters

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Discovery Classification Parameters

    The Discovery classification parameters are essential for identifying various types of devices and operating systems within your network. These parameters facilitate the classification of UNIX, Windows, SNMP devices, and processes, enhancing the Discovery capabilities of ServiceNow.

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    Key Features

    • Unix Parameters: Define characteristics for UNIX systems (Linux, Solaris, HP-UX) using SSH protocol. Key parameters include:
      • output: Raw output from the classifier probe.
      • type: Classification type as UNIX.
      • ipaddress: IP address of the discovered device.
      • name: Operating system name (e.g., Linux).
    • Windows Parameters: Identify Windows systems using WMI protocol. Important parameters include:
      • isNode: Indicates if the instance is a node.
      • type: Classification type as Windows.
      • ipaddress: IP address of the device.
      • name: Version of the Windows OS.
    • SNMP Parameters: Characterize devices like routers and printers. Notable parameters include:
      • powering: Indicates if the device is a UPS.
      • hosting: Indicates if the device can host programs.
      • ipaddress: IP address for discovery.
      • sysdescr: Descriptive field for classification data.
    • Process Parameters: Identify running processes for applications such as LDAP and Apache. Key parameters include:
      • parameter: Parameters used to run the process.
      • command: Command to execute the process.
      • output: Complete output from the process probe.
      • type: Indicates process type (e.g., Unix or Windows).

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing these classification parameters, ServiceNow customers can enhance their network visibility and accuracy in device identification. This leads to improved management and monitoring of resources, allowing for better decision-making and operational efficiency.

    These parameters are available for Discovery classifiers.

    Note:
    Condition filters in process classifiers are case-sensitive.

    Unix parameters

    The UNIX parameters define the characteristics of several types of computers, such as Linux, Solaris, and HP-UX, communicating with SSH protocol, version 2.

    Parameter Description
    output The raw output of the classifier probe (uname -a).
    type Returns the classification UNIX.
    IP address Returns the IP address of the device being discovered.
    name Name of the operating system for this UNIX CI. For example, Linux or HP-UX.

    Windows parameters

    Windows parameters identify Windows computers communicating with the WMI protocol.

    Parameter Description
    isNode Indicates if this instance is a node.
    type Returns the classification windows.
    isVIP Indicates if this CI is a virtual machine, with a virtual IP address.
    ip_address Returns the IP address of the device being discovered.
    name Name of the Windows version.
    cidata.name Hostname of the Windows OS

    SNMP parameters

    The SNMP parameters can define the characteristics of several types of devices, such as routers, switches, and printers.

    Parameter Description
    powering A value of true indicates that this device is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
    hosting A value of true indicates that this device can host programs. Hosts are general purpose computers such as servers.
    netware A value of true indicates that this device is running the Netware operating system.
    routing A value of true indicates that this device has network routing capabilities.
    ip_address Returns the IP address through which the device is being discovered. A device can have multiple IP addresses.
    sysdescr Required descriptive field on any SNMP device that can contain useful classification data, such as the operating system and its version.
    vlans A value of true indicates that this device can host a virtual local area network.
    hint_router A value of true indicates that Discovery has determined that this device is a router. This field only applies to devices that can be used as both a router and a switch.
    block_router_exploration If this parameter is true,Discovery will not launch exploration probes for routers it detects. This parameter is used for network Discovery only.
    switching A value of true indicates that this device has network switching capabilities.
    mfr_apc A value of true indicates that this device is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) manufactured by American Power Conversion (APC).
    printing A value of true indicates that this device has printing capabilities.
    block_switch_exploration If this parameter is true, Discovery will not launch exploration probes for switches it detects. This parameter is used for network Discovery only.

    Process parameters

    Process parameters identify processes such as those used by LDAP, Apache Server, and JBoss Server.

    Parameter Description
    parameter The parameters used to run the process.
    command The command used to run the process.
    output The complete output of the current line of the process probe.
    type Indicates the process type (e.g. unix or windows).
    PID The process ID generated by the operating system of a device to identify a running process. Generally, this parameter is not a practical classification criteria, because the value does not remain static, except in the case of processes running on an appliance that is never restarted.
    name Name of the process being discovered. In some cases, this parameter is not reliable, since several process might be given the same name. In Windows, for example several processes return scvhost.exe for this parameter.