---
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


---

# Explore credentials, connections, and aliases

# Explore credentials, connections, and aliases {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated August 11, 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 Explore credentials, connections, and aliases

In the ServiceNow AI Platform, application integrations require the setup of connections, credentials, and aliases to securely and efficiently access external resources.
These components enable integrations to authenticate and communicate with external systems, such as databases or APIs.
Show full answer Show less  
Before executing an application integration, you must create and configure:

* **Connection:** Defines the integration endpoint or system details, like IP addresses or database specifics.
* **Credential:** Contains authentication data (e.g., ID and password) needed to establish the connection.
* **Alias:** Acts as a reusable naming tag that encapsulates connection and credential information, simplifying integration setup across environments (e.g., QA, development, production).

## Key Features

* **Alias Types:** Credential aliases link only to credential data, while connection and credential aliases include both connection and authentication details. Child aliases can be created under parent aliases to manage multiple connections within the same integration, each with unique connection and credential data.
* **Centralized Management:** Store and manage external service credentials in one place, allowing reuse across multiple platform features and minimizing repetitive configuration.
* **Security and Access Control:** Enables non-administrators to use predefined credentials and connections securely, supports domain separation for data segregation, and applies scope protections to restrict access to connection and credential records.
* **Integration Support:** Connections, credentials, and aliases are utilized by key ServiceNow features such as Flow Designer, IntegrationHub, Cloud Management, Discovery, Orchestration, and Service Mapping.
* **Configuration Options:** Aliases can be created via the Connections and Credentials module or the IntegrationHub Connections dashboard (note that IntegrationHub requires a separate subscription).
* **Credential Synchronization on MID Servers:** MID Servers cache credentials locally to improve performance for network operations like Discovery and Service Mapping. Synchronization is managed via jobs in the ECC Queue, with configurable system properties to control credential sync behavior and optimize performance.
* **Connection \& Credential Configuration Templates:** Allow administrators and flow designers to set up integrations using customizable forms, streamlining the setup of third-party system spokes.

## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

* Reduce repetitive configuration by defining connections and credentials once and reusing them across multiple integrations and features.
* Improve security by centralizing credential management, enabling controlled access through scopes and domain separation.
* Enhance operational efficiency with MID Server credential caching, reducing latency in accessing external devices and services.
* Simplify environment management by using aliases to easily switch between credentials and connections for different stages such as development, QA, and production.
* Support a wide range of integrations seamlessly through standardized connection, credential, and alias frameworks.  
All
application integrations in the ServiceNow AI Platform use connections,
credentials, and aliases to enable applications to access resources.

Before you can execute an application integration in the ServiceNow AI Platform, you must
create and configure connection information, corresponding credentials, and add an alias. To
understand how ServiceNow defines these
terms:  

Connection
:   A connection is an integration with a system, such as an IP address or
    endpoint with protocols. It contains specific details, such as database particulars,
    when integrating with a database.

Credential
:   A credential is the authentication data required to make the connection,
    such as an ID and password.

Alias
:   An alias is a naming convention, or tag, that ties to a set of
    connections or credentials on your instance. An alias contains the necessary connection
    and credential information to make an application integration. Rather than enter that
    information every time you integrate, you can use an alias. For example, you can
    designate an alias to house your QA, development, and production credentials for the
    same application integration. The alias resolves the application integration for each
    environment.  
    The ServiceNow AI Platform distinguishes different types of aliases:

    Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to credential data only, and resolves during
        runtime.

    Connection and Credential Alias
    :   This alias associates to connection information and the credential data
        required to complete the integration, and resolves during runtime.

Within connection and credential aliases, you can also create additional aliases called
child aliases. Child aliases allow you to create multiple connections within
the same application integration. When you create a child alias, the alias you created it
under becomes a parent alias. While child aliases inherit properties from their
parent alias, child aliases carry their own connection and credential information.

## Benefits to using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_ull_gwz_tcb}

* Central location to store and manage credentials to an external service
* Define once and reuse for multiple platform features
* Minimize configuration of other platform features
* Allow non-administrators to use predefined connections and credentials
* Increased security
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_e4c_kwz_tcb}

## Features using Connections, Credentials, and Aliases {#credentials-connections-alias__section_xkx_tyy_slb}

The following features use connections, credentials, and aliases:

* Flow Designer
* IntegrationHub
* Cloud Management
* Discovery
* Orchestration
* Service Mapping
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_hww_5zy_slb}  
You can set up aliases on the ServiceNow AI Platform in one of two ways:

* Using the Connections and Credentials module. See [Create a Connection \& Credential alias](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/5PU~jQN5CzR7tQd_zKNw1Q "Define an alias to label a credential or connection record.").
* In the Connections dashboard of Integration Hub. See [Add a connection](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=dashboard-add-connection&version=australia&pubname=australia-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).  
  Note:  
  Integration Hub requires a separate subscription. For more information, see [Request Integration Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=request-ih-overview&version=australia&pubname=australia-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US).
{#credentials-connections-alias__ul_w1h_qv3_zlb}

## Credential synchronization on MID Servers {#credentials-connections-alias__section_zmz_g5j_4db}

Each MID Serverin your network synchronized with the instance keeps a copy of
every credential that you create. The Management, Instrumentation, and Discovery (MID)
Server is a Java application that enables communication and the movement of data between a
ServiceNow instance and external applications, data sources, and services. This
synchronization speeds up the reading of credentials when applications like Discovery or Service Mapping need to access multiple devices on
the network. The MID Servers synchronize when they find a
credentials_reload job in the ECC Queue. The reload job instructs the
MID Server to make a SOAP call to the instance to get the entire list of credentials in the
Credentials \[discovery_credentials\] table, including all the field values. To learn more,
see [MID Server](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=mid-server-landing&version=australia&pubname=australia-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US).  
The SOAP response that your instance sends to each MID Server also includes custom fields that you added to any credential form that you customized. If you added reference fields, the data in the referenced table is also sent as part of the SOAP response. This can lead to performance issues when credential synchronization occurs with multiple MID Servers. To control this, manually add these properties to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table:  
Note:  
To change the values in these properties, add them to the System Properties \[sys_properties\] table. If you do not add them, the system uses the default value.
{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db__entry__2}

| Property | Description |
|-|-|
| `com.snc.credentials_user_fields` | Includes all customized fields in credential sync. Set this property to false if you do not want to include the fields that you added to credential forms. * Type: true \| false * Default value: true {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_qj4_mcl_h2b} |
| `com.snc.credentials_recursion_depth` | Defines the number of tables to traverse when the credential-sync mechanism collects fields from reference tables. Lower this number if you are experiencing performance issues and you have customized credential forms that include reference fields to tables that also have reference fields. * Type: integer * Default value: 3 {#credentials-connections-alias__ul_vfn_qcl_h2b} |
[ ]

{#credentials-connections-alias__table_swn_mwj_4db}
* **[Scope protections for Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Gy8aPBYD3WOzbrajPxdFCQ)**   
  You can classify certain types of Connection \& Credential records as belonging to a scope, and extend scope protections to them. These scope policies protect records you create in a table, and prevent interactions with records that are private to another scope.
* **[Domain separation and Credentials and Connections](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/qlVhsLrK7reRzqavgilYxw)**   
  Domain separation is supported in Credentials and Connections. Domain separation enables you to separate data, processes, and administrative tasks into logical groupings called domains. You can control several aspects of this separation, including which users can see and access data.
* **[Connection \& Credential configuration templates](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/U17UcXnyDXHe861Qh55IzA)**   
  Enable users with the admin and flow_designer roles to set up spoke integrations with third-party systems using a single, customizable form.