--- 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 --- # Data collection and discovery using Netflow # Data collection and discovery using Netflow {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 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 Data collection and discovery using Netflow Service Mapping in ServiceNow supports discovery of Configuration Items (CIs) and their connections using the Netflow protocol, alongside other traffic-based methods such as netstat, lsof commands, and VPC Flow Logs. While base system configurations rely on TCP data from netstat, ss, and lsof commands, integrating Netflow requires additional setup but enriches the discovery process by providing detailed network traffic data. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Netflow Protocol Integration:** Enables collection of detailed network flow data from switches and servers within your organization. * **Netflow Collector:** Component that receives and processes Netflow data. Placement depends on the mode of operation: * For testing: Netflow Collector is on a server separate from the MID Server, requiring manual copying of data files. * For standard operation: Netflow Collector runs on the same server as the MID Server for fully automated data collection. * **Data Processing Flow:** The Netflow daemon gathers data from network switches, which the Netflow Collector writes into nfdump output files. The MID Server then processes these files, placing refined data onto the ECC queue. * **Data Utilization:** A sensor reads processed flow data from the ECC queue and stores it in the *saflowconnection* table. Service Mapping uses this along with the *cmdbtcp* table to enhance CI connection information within service maps. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * Improves accuracy and completeness of service maps by incorporating network traffic data through Netflow. * Supports both manual testing setups and fully automated production deployments, giving flexibility during implementation. * Enables detection of unique outbound connections not discovered through patterns alone, enriching CI relationship data. ## Next Steps To leverage Netflow-based discovery, configure the Netflow Collector appropriately for your environment---either for testing or standard operation---and ensure the MID Server is set up to process Netflow data. This will enhance your traffic-based discovery capabilities beyond the base TCP command methods. Service Mapping can perform discovery based on data collected using the Netflow protocol. Netflow is a protocol that Service Mapping can use to collect data about CIs and their connections along with Netstat and lsof commands. Using the Netflow protocol for collecting data is one of the traffic-based discovery methods. Other methods deployed by Service Mapping are using netstat and lsof commands and the VPC Flow Logs. For more information, refer to [Traffic-based discovery in Service Mapping](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/FEmf3Rxx5nEzEXp45FDecQ "Service Mapping can discover and map configuration items (CIs) following their traffic-based connections. This method is referred to as traffic-based mapping and complements pattern-based mapping."). In base systems, which are the default or standard configurations, traffic-based discovery relies solely on TCP-related data collected using the netstat, ss, and lsof commands. Discovery based on Netflow and VPC logs requires additional configuration. You can enrich your traffic-based discovery by configuring Service Mapping to use the Netflow protocol. The component, which receives data in the Netflow format is the Netflow Collector. Its location depends on whether you configure data collection for testing purposes or standard operation: For the test purposes : This setup results in half automated data collection flow, where Service Mapping imports data only if you manually copy it from the Netflow Collector. You place the Netflow Collector on a server inside your organization network. This must be a server different from the server hosting the MID Server. You configure and test this setup as described in [Configure a Netflow data import for testing](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/WR9R218uJ95rn2aR876dRA "Configure and test Service Mapping discovery process based on data collected using the Netflow protocol."). For standard operation : This setup results in fully automated data collection flow, where all involved components send, collect and analyze data automatically. You place the Netflow Collector on the same server as the MID Server inside your organization network. For instructions, see [Configure data collection using Netflow](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/mXeC4sjp14NbNSy4cBVN3g "Enable Service Mapping to perform discovery based on data collected using the Netflow protocol. This setup results in fully automated data collection flow, where all involved components send, collect, and analyze data automatically."). Netflow-based discovery has the following flow: 1. The Netflow daemon runs and receives data from switches communicating with servers in the organization. The Netflow Collector writes received data from the Netflow daemon. 2. The server, hosting the Netflow collector, uses the Netflow nfdump utility to write the data into the nfdump output file. This file summarizes the raw data on all switches used for server communication.Figure 1. Collecting data and writing it into the nfdump output file 3. In testing setups, where the Netflow Collector is located not on the same server as the MID Server, you may need to convert the nfdump into the gzip format. Then you must manually copy the raw data in the nfdump output file onto the MID Server.Figure 2. Copying the nfdump output file onto the MID Server 4. The MID Server processes the raw data in the nfdump output file and places the processed information onto the ECC queue.Figure 3. Analyzing the raw data and placing it at the ECC Queue 5. A sensor retrieves the processes data from the ECC queue and writes it into the Flow Connection \[sa_flow_connection\] table. 6. Whenever Service Mapping checks the ECC queue and receives information on a discovered CI, it checks these tables for any data on outbound connections related to the CI: the cmdb_tcp and sa_flow_connection tables. If these two tables contain unique data that patterns did not discover, Service Mapping enriches the information about the CI connections and adds them to the map. Figure 4. Service Mapping retrieves data from the sa_flow_connection table {#data-collection-netflow-mapping__ol_phq_vhj_wy} **Related topics** *