Enable service maps using DaemonSet

Release version: Australia

Updated March 12, 2026

1 minute to read

Enable application service maps based on the traffic between the workloads in Kubernetes by using a ServiceNow DaemonSet as part of Kubernetes Visibility Agent (KVA) installation.

Before you begin

Role required: discovery_admin.

About this task

If you use a ServiceNow DaemonSet, a pod is running on each Kubernetes node and reports to the main Informer pod every 60 seconds on new connections detected. For more information, see Install Kubernetes Visibility Agent (KVA) Informer

Procedure

Set parameters either during Helm chart archive installation or by modifying the Kubernetes YAML file provided by ServiceNow.

Method Actions

During Helm chart archive installation

Method	Actions
During Helm chart archive installation	In the Helm `install` command, add the following parameter: `--set connectionsDiscovery.method=servicenow` If your organization's policy requires it, pull the DaemonSet image from Docker hub and place it in your organization’s image repository. Replace the placeholder X characters with the number of the most recent release provided in the Kubernetes Visibility Agent (formerly CNO for Visibility) Helm Chart and Kubernetes YAML file releases [KB1564347] article in the Now Support Knowledge Base. `Docker pull servicenowdocker/informer_ds:X.X.X Docker tagservicenowdocker/informer_ds:X.X.X COMPANY_REPO:X.X.X` In the `Helm install` command, add the following parameters: `--set image.dsRepository=COMPANY_REPO –set image.dsTag=X.X.X`
Modifying the k8s_informer.yaml file	In the k8s_informer.yaml file, uncomment the DaemonSet, ServiceAccount (used by the DaemonSet), and Service.Deployment resources according to the instructions in the file. Uncomment the lines containing environment variables. If your Prometheus server URL isn't the default one, uncomment the lines containing the environment variable `PROMETHEUS_URL` and change the value. Run the following command: `kubectl apply -f k8s_informer.yaml`

In the Helm install command, add the following parameter:
```
--set connectionsDiscovery.method=servicenow 
```
If your organization's policy requires it, pull the DaemonSet image from Docker hub and place it in your organization’s image repository.
Replace the placeholder X characters with the number of the most recent release provided in the Kubernetes Visibility Agent (formerly CNO for Visibility) Helm Chart and Kubernetes YAML file releases [KB1564347] article in the Now Support Knowledge Base.
```
Docker pull servicenowdocker/informer_ds:X.X.X
Docker tagservicenowdocker/informer_ds:X.X.X COMPANY_REPO:X.X.X
```
In the Helm install command, add the following parameters:
--set image.dsRepository=COMPANY_REPO –set image.dsTag=X.X.X

Modifying the k8s_informer.yaml file

In the k8s_informer.yaml file, uncomment the DaemonSet, ServiceAccount (used by the DaemonSet), and Service.Deployment resources according to the instructions in the file.
Uncomment the lines containing environment variables.
If your Prometheus server URL isn't the default one, uncomment the lines containing the environment variable PROMETHEUS_URL and change the value.
Run the following command:
```
kubectl apply -f k8s_informer.yaml
```

What to do next

Create application service maps