---
sourceDocument: Australia Platform security
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/platform-security

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Platform security

ft:clusterId :

    - psec

bundleId :

    - psec

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Credential affinity for Discovery and Orchestration

# Credential affinity for Discovery and Orchestration {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Credential affinity is an association between a set of credentials and a device on your network. {#c_CredentialAffinity__ph_short-desc}

When Discovery or Orchestration first attempts to
access a device, they try all available credentials until they find the correct ones. After identifying the credentials for a device, Discovery and Orchestration create an affinity between the credentials and the device using the Credential Affinity `[dscy_credentials_affinity]` table. All subsequent discoveries or Orchestration activities attempt to match the credentials in this table with a device for which an affinity exists. If credentials for a device change, Discovery and Orchestration try all available credentials again until they create a new affinity.{#c_CredentialAffinity__ph_credenital-affinity-process}  
Figure 1. Credential Affinity diagram  
Note:  
If Orchestration and Discovery are installed, and credential alias is enabled, multiple affinities can exist. In this case, the platform looks up credentials for each affinity and inserts the credential for the affinity with the lowest order into the probe.