--- sourceDocument: Brazil IT Operations Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-operations-management Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil IT Operations Management ft:clusterId : - itom bundleId : - itom workflow : - Technology --- # Discovery for VMware vCenter # Discovery for VMware vCenter {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 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 Discovery for VMware vCenter Discovery for VMware vCenter enables ServiceNow customers to explore vCenter processes running on Windows or Linux hosts, supporting IPv6. It identifies vCenter CIs and their relationships to hosts or appliances, helping maintain an accurate and up-to-date CMDB of VMware infrastructure. Show full answer Show less The ServiceNow platform supports vCenter API versions 4.0 and higher, with tested compatibility up to vCenter version 9.0 and appliance version 6.7. For vCenter appliances, Discovery creates server CIs with key attributes like Name, IP Address, MAC Address, and Discovery Source. ## Key Features * **Comprehensive vCenter Discovery:** Launches probes to collect detailed information about datacenters, ESX hosts, virtual machines, and other vCenter objects, ensuring thorough infrastructure mapping. * **Relationship Mapping:** Establishes "Runs on" relationships between vCenter applications and their host servers (Windows/Linux) to reflect accurate infrastructure dependencies. Note that dedicated vCenter appliances do not create this relationship. * **Credential Requirements:** VMware credentials must have read-only roles; for Software Asset Management, additional License Admin privileges are required. Windows credentials are not necessary when valid VMware credentials are used. * **vCenter Event Collector:** An optional MID Server extension that listens for vCenter events to update the CMDB incrementally, reducing the need for frequent full discoveries. This supports real-time updates on VM state changes such as power on/off and deletion. * **Handling VM and CI Deletions:** VMs deleted from vCenter are marked as terminated and retired in the CMDB. Removed CIs are flagged as stale either through discovery audit records or event collector data, enabling lifecycle management and compliance with CMDB Health policies. * **Configuration Options:** Customers can control stale CI reporting via system properties and set up remediation workflows to automatically manage stale CIs, maintaining CMDB integrity. ## Best Practices for ServiceNow Customers * Run vCenter Discovery before discovering server CIs to ensure accurate relationship mapping between servers and vCenter-managed infrastructure. * Use properly formatted VMware domain credentials (Domain\\UserName or username@domain) with the necessary privileges for discovery and SAM tracking. * Leverage the vCenter event collector extension to keep the CMDB up to date with minimal full discovery runs, optimizing performance and data freshness. * Configure stale CI management to clearly identify removed infrastructure components and automate remediation to maintain CMDB health. This capability helps ServiceNow customers maintain an accurate, dynamic, and comprehensive representation of their VMware environment within the ServiceNow CMDB, supporting operational visibility, asset management, and compliance. Discovery can explore the VMware vCenter process running on a Windows or Linux host. IPv6 is supported for discovery in VMware vCenter. Note: If a Windows or Linux server is running vCenter application, after creating the vCenter CI, a "Runs on" relationship to the Windows or Linux server host is created. When a vCenter application is running on a dedicated vCenter appliance, a "Runs on" relationship to the vCenter CI isn't created. ## Tested vCenter versions {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_kht_qrw_xcb} The ServiceNow® platform supports vCenter API versions 4.0 and higher. The following versions were tested with the Brazil release: * vCenter versions 9.0 and earlier * vCenter appliance version 6.7 and earlier {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__ul_uxh_m2m_qr} For installations based on the vCenter appliance, a server CI is created for the vCenter appliance and the following fields are populated: * NameIP * AddressMAC * AddressDiscovery * Source {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__ul_vnr_ldh_ttb} Note: If you're discovering SUSE Linux hosts for vCenter appliances, version 6.0 and earlier, observe these [SSH restrictions](https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2100508). See [Data collected for VMware Cloud Discovery](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/lMGu59uBRa1gAeJ6MUnEXg "Discovery collects information about VMware resources in your cloud service accounts.") for a description of the VMware architecture and component relationships. ## vCenter discovery process {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_pbc_4wc_h1b} After classifying vCenter, Discovery launches the VMware - vCenter Datacenters probe, which in turn launches specific probes that return information about ESX machines, virtual machines, and other vCenter objects. The vmapp port probe is also configured to launch the VMware - vCenter Datacenters probe. Note: For accurate relationship mapping between server CIs and vCenter resources (such as ESX hosts and datastores), you should initiate discovery of the vCenter environment before discovering Server CIs. This approach helps Discovery associate servers with their corresponding vCenter-managed infrastructure more effectively. ## VMWare credentials {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_art_1y3_xdb} To access vCenter with a domain account, specify the domain with the user name in the credential record using a supported format, such as Domain\\UserName or username@domain. The VMware credentials must have a read-only role in vCenter. For Software Asset Management (SAM) tracking, the credentials also require the "Assign license" privilege in vCenter, also known as the License Admin privilege. Important: Windows credentials aren't necessary for vCenter Discovery when valid [VMware credentials](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_VMwareCredentialsForm&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-platform-security&ft:locale=en-US) are used. ## Updating the CMDB with vCenter event collector {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_k1c_4wc_h1b} In addition to finding vCenter data through the standard discovery process, Discovery can also update the CMDB by detecting vCenter events through a MID Server extension called the [vCenter event collector](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_VCenterEventProcessorExtension&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US). The event collector allows the CMDB to be updated with changes to virtual machines (VMs), in addition to the updates detected by Discovery. A change to a VM is sent as an event from the vCenter server to the vCenter event collector. When an event is received, the CMDB is updated accordingly. Full vCenter Discovery does not need to rerun. For some events, such as powered on and powered off events, Discovery does not need to run again at all. For most events, Discovery runs only on the necessary vCenter resource. For instructions on configuring vCenter events, see [Configure and run the vCenter event collector extension](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_VCenterEventProcessorExtension&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform§ion=t_ConfigVCenEvntProcExt&ft:locale=en-US). ## VM deleted from vCenter {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_n3s_vw5_3mb} If the VM is deleted from vCenter, the cmdb_ci_vm_instance state changes to terminated and the Status field changes to retired. ## CIs removed from vCenter {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_syb_4wc_h1b} When a vCenter CI, such as a virtual machine, is removed, the ServiceNow instance marks it as "stale" in the CMDB, using either of these procedures: * When Discovery runs, it creates an audit record in the [Components installed with CMDB Health](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_TablesInstalledCMDBHealth&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US) table for the missing CI and marks the CI "stale". * If the instance is configured to collect vCenter events, the system can also create a "stale" audit record for the CI in the CMDB Health Result \[cmdb_health_result\] table from the VmRemovedEvent event, without having to run Discovery. {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__ul_edc_nww_fv} Note: When the Staleness setting is configured, the dependency view (BSM map) grays out stale CIs in its relationship diagram to indicate that they were removed from vCenter. To avoid stale CI health indicators from being generated during VMware discovery, set the system property glide.cmdb.health.src.cmdb_health_audit_only to true. This disables stale CI reporting from the VMware discovery source, enabling you to manage the CI life cycle through other means. For more information, see [CMDB Health system properties](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_CMDBHealthProperties&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US). You have the option of creating a [CMDB remediation rule](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_CreateCMDBRemediationRule&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US) to automatically execute a remediation workflow that can, for example, delete stale CIs. For more information on stale CIs, see [CMDB Health Metrics](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=r_CMDBHealthMetrics&version=brazil&pubname=brazil-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US). ## vCenter Discovery on Windows host {#c_DiscoveryForVMwareVCenter__section_jvx_kpz_rz} Windows credentials aren't necessary for vCenter Discovery, when valid VMware credentials are used.