Alibaba Cloud virtual machine (VM) pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated October 22, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Alibaba Cloud virtual machine (VM) pattern-based discovery

    The Alibaba Cloud virtual machine (VM) pattern-based discovery uses the "Alibaba - Virtual Machine (LP)" pattern within ServiceNow's Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application to identify and collect detailed information about Alibaba Cloud VMs during horizontal discovery. To ensure effective discovery, customers should verify prerequisites outlined in the Alibaba Cloud discovery documentation and update to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store if necessary.

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    Data Collection and Configuration Items (CIs)

    When running the Alibaba VM discovery pattern, the system populates the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with key data about the following CIs:

    • Virtual Machine Instance [cmdbcivminstance]: Includes instance name, ID, state (e.g., Running or Stopped), vCPU count, memory size, number of disks, guest OS type (Windows or Linux), install and operational status, and attached network adapters.
    • Cloud Mgmt Network Interface [cmdbcinic]: Details of elastic network interfaces, such as name, ID, MAC address, private and public IPs, primary status, and node (instance) association.
    • Cloud Image [cmdbcicloudosimage]: Contains image ID (with naming conventions distinguishing public and custom/shared images) and cloud provider information.
    • Cloud Hardware Type [cmdbcicloudhardwaretype]: Includes instance type ID and provider details.

    CI Relationships

    To provide a comprehensive and accurate model of the Alibaba Cloud environment, discovery establishes key relationships between CIs such as:

    • Network interfaces implementing virtual machine endpoints.
    • Virtual machines hosted on Alibaba datacenters and availability zones.
    • Virtual machines provisioned from specific cloud images and hardware types.
    • Cloud images hosted on Alibaba datacenters.
    • Tags linked to virtual machine instances.

    Tag Discovery and Management

    The pattern also discovers tags associated with virtual machines and records them in the Key Value [cmdbkeyvalue] table. Each tag entry includes the tag key, tag value, and the related virtual machine configuration item reference.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Automated and detailed discovery of Alibaba Cloud VMs and their associated components enriches the CMDB for better asset management and operational insight.
    • Accurate relationships between VMs, network interfaces, images, and hardware types enable improved service mapping and impact analysis.
    • Tag collection supports governance, reporting, and automation use cases by capturing metadata directly from Alibaba Cloud resources.
    • Ensures up-to-date cloud infrastructure visibility, aiding in compliance and cost management.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns uses the Alibaba - Virtual Machine (LP) pattern to discover VMs during horizontal discovery. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the Alibaba Cloud discovery prerequisites section in Alibaba Cloud discovery using patterns.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the Alibaba - Virtual Machine (LP) pattern.

    Table 1. Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the instance.
    Object ID [object_id] Instance ID.
    State [state] Status of the instance.

    For example: Running or Stopped.
    CPUs [cpus] Number of Virtual Central Processing Units (vCPUs).
    Memory (MB) [memory] Memory size in megabytes (MB).
    Disks [disks] Number of local disks attached to the instance.
    Guest OS Name [guest_os_fullname] Type of the operating system (OS) of the instance.

    Possible values are Windows or Linux.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the instance. Default value is Installed.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the instance. Default value is Operational.
    Network adapters [nics] Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) attached to the instance.
    Table 2. Cloud Mgmt Network Interface [cmdb_ci_nic]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the ENI.
    Object ID [object_id] ID of the ENI.
    MAC Address [mac_address] MAC address of the ENI.
    Private IP [private_ip] Private IP address of the ENI.
    IP Address [ip_address] Public IP addresses of instances.
    Primary [primary] A Boolean indicating whether a network interface is primary or secondary.
    Node ID [node_id] Instance ID.
    Table 3. Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] ID of the image.
    • IDs of public images contain the operating system version, architecture, language, and release date.

      For example: win2008r2_64_ent_sp1_en-us_40G_alibase_20190318.vhd.

    • IDs of custom, shared, and community images start with m.

      For example: m-0a1b2c3defghijklm4n5o.
    Provider [provider] Image cloud provider: Alibaba.
    Table 4. Cloud Hardware Type [cmdb_ci_cloud_hardware_type]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] ID of the instance type.
    Provider [provider] Image cloud provider: Alibaba.

    CI relationships

    Discovery creates these relationships to support the Alibaba Cloud virtual machine discovery.

    CI Relationship CI
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Implement End Point To::Implement End Point From Cloud Mgmt Network Interface [cmdb_ci_nic]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Hosted on::Hosts Alibaba Datacenter [cmdb_ci_alibaba_datacenter]
    Availability Zone [cmdb_ci_availability_zone] Contains::Contained by Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Cloud Hardware Type [cmdb_ci_cloud_hardware_type]
    Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] Hosted on::Hosts Alibaba Datacenter [cmdb_ci_alibaba_datacenter]
    Key Value [cmdb_key_value] References Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]

    Tag discovery

    The Alibaba - Virtual Machine (LP) pattern collects tags and populates them in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.

    Table 5. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag key.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table.