Cloudian Storage Discovery

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
  • Summarize
    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 Cloudian Storage Discovery

    ServiceNow Discovery leverages the Cloudian Storage discovery pattern to identify Cloudian servers and their related disks. To enable this functionality, customers must install the Patterns application, along with the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns and CMDB CI Class Models applications from the ServiceNow Store. These applications are interdependent and designed for use on the ServiceNow AI Platform starting with the Paris release or later.

    Show full answer Show less

    Cloudian provides software-defined, S3-compatible object storage solutions through its Hyperstore software, which runs on CentOS or RHEL servers, either on physical hardware, virtual machines, or pre-installed appliances.

    Prerequisites and Configuration

    • The target device must respond successfully to the /bin/systemctl status cloudian-s3 command indicating it is a Cloudian HyperStore Storage System; otherwise, it is classified as a Linux server.
    • SSH credentials must be configured for the Cloudian Storage Server with appropriate privileges to run required commands.
    • The MID Server must have network access to the Cloudian Storage Server.
    • Required plugins include:
      • CMDB CI Class Models (version 1.31.0 or later)
      • Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns (version 1.0.84 or later)

    Running Discovery

    To discover Cloudian Storage Systems, create a Discovery schedule targeting the Cloudian Storage Server's IP address, ensuring the configured SSH credentials allow access. Discovery collects comprehensive data across several configuration item (CI) classes:

    • Storage Server (cmdbcistorageserver): Includes fields such as name, serial number, IP address, manufacturer, model, OS version, CPU details, RAM, etc.
    • Disk (cmdbcidisk): Captures device ID, storage type, size, manufacturer, model, and associated storage server.
    • File System (cmdbcifilesystem): Details file system name, size, free space, mount point, related storage server, and providing disk.
    • Network Adapter (cmdbcinetworkadapter): Includes IP address, netmask, MAC address, and associated storage server.
    • IP Address (cmdbciipaddress): Captures IP address, netmask, and linked network adapter.

    Classification and Probes

    The Cloudian probe executes the command /bin/systemctl status cloudian-s3 to verify the presence of the Cloudian HyperStore Storage System. The Cloudian Server classifier runs prior to the Linux classifier, ensuring accurate classification and creating records in the cmdbcistorageserver table. This classification triggers the Cloudian Storage System pattern to populate the CMDB with detailed Cloudian-specific data.

    CI Relationships

    The Cloudian Storage discovery pattern automatically establishes key relationships in the CMDB to reflect system topology and dependencies:

    • Storage Server owns Network Adapters and IP Addresses
    • Storage Server contains Disks and File Systems
    • Storage Server virtualizes VM Instances
    • Disks provide File Systems

    What This Enables ServiceNow Customers to Do

    By implementing Cloudian Storage Discovery, customers can automatically and accurately discover, classify, and map Cloudian storage infrastructure components within their CMDB. This enhances visibility into storage assets, their configurations, and interdependencies. It supports more effective IT operations, configuration management, and service mapping for environments utilizing Cloudian Hyperstore systems.

    ServiceNow Discovery uses the Cloudian Storage discovery pattern to find Cloudian servers and related disks. Discovering these resources requires installing the Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Discovery uses Cloudian Storage System patterns to find Cloudian Storage system data. Discovering these resources requires installing the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns and the CMDB CI Class Models applications from the ServiceNow Store, as each application is dependent on the other. You can use the patterns for discovering the Cloudian Storage components on the ServiceNow AI Platform using the Paris release or later.

    Cloudian is a software-defined data storage company. Cloudian provides turnkey distributed software-defined S3-compatible object storage solutions.

    Cloudian Hyperstore Software : Deploy the CentOS operating system, related packages, and Hyperstore software binary files on the Hyperstore Node.

    Cloudian Hyperstore Node: This is an independent hardware server in which Cloudian Hyperstore software is deployed on an industry standard server, on a VM, or it is pre-installed on a Cloudian Hyperstore appliance.

    Request apps on the Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Prerequisites

    To discover a device as a Cloudian server, the /bin/systemctl status cloudian-s3 command must return valid responses and contain the Cloudian HyperStore Storage System. If this is not the case, then the device is discovered as a Linux server.

    • Make sure the client is using Discovery patterns.
    • Set SSH credentials for the Cloudian Storage Server.
    • Make sure the MID server has access to the target device.
    • Ensure that the Discovery user has the correct privileges to run commands.
    • Install the following plugins:
      • CMDB CI Class Models plugin (Version 1.31.0 or later)
      • Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns plugin (Version 1.0.84 or later)
      • Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns: (sn_itom_pattern) version 1.0.84 and dependent plugin CMDB CI Class Models (sn_cmdb_ci_class) version 1.31.0 (October content release)

    Credentials

    Make sure the Cloudian Hyperstore Software is deployed on either CentOS or RHEL Servers. The credentials configurations are the same as for a Linux server.

    Configure the SSH credentials for the Cloudian Storage Server.

    Running Discovery

    To discover the Cloudian Storage System, create a Discovery schedule that targets the IP address of the Cloudian Storage Server. Make sure that the SSH credentials that you configured can access the Cloudian Server.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Table 1. Storage Server [cmdb_ci_storage_server]
    Field Description

    name

    serial_number
    ip_address

    manufacturer

    model_id
    short_description
    os_version
    os
    ram
    cpu_manufacturer
    cpu_name
    cpu_core_count
    cpu_type
    Table 2. Disk [cmdb_ci_disk]
    Field Description

    name

    device_id
    storage_type
    size_bytes
    manufacturer
    model_id
    computer [Reference cmdb_ci_storage_server]

    File System [cmdb_ci_file_system]

    Field Description

    name

    size_bytes
    free_space_bytes
    file_system
    mount_point
    computer [Reference cmdb_ci_storage_server]
    provided_by [Reference cmdb_ci_disk]

    Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter]

    Field Description

    name

    ip_address
    netmask
    mac_address
    cmdb_ci [Reference cmdb_ci_storage_server]

    IP Address [cmdb_ci_ip_address]

    Field Description

    ip_address

    netmask
    nic [Reference cmdb_ci_network_adapter]

    The Cloudianprobe is created in the Unix-Classify Multiprobe. The Cloudian probe runs the /bin/systemctl status cloudian-s3 command and checks that the output contains Cloudian HyperStore Storage System.

    Figure 1. Cloudian Probe
    Cloudian Probe.

    In Unix classification, the Cloudian Server classifier runs before the Linux Classifier. The Cloudian classifier creates records in the [cmdb_ci_storage_server] table. This classifier invokes the Cloudian Storage System Pattern.

    Classification Criteria
    Figure 2. Classification Criteria
    Classification Criteria.

    CMDB Data Model

    Figure 3. CMDB Data Model
    CMDB Data Model.
    Storage Server to Network Adapter
    Figure 4. Storage Server to Network Adapter
    Storage Server to Network Adapter.
    Storage Server to Disks
    Figure 5. Storage Server to Disks
    Storage Server to Disks.
    Storage Server to Disks and File Systems
    Figure 6. Storage Server to Disks and File Systems
    Storage Server to Disks and File Systems.

    CI Relationships

    Relationships created by the Cloudian Storage pattern

    Parent Relationship Child
    cmdb_ci_storage_server Owns::Owned by cmdb_ci_network_adapter
    cmdb_ci_storage_server Owns::Owned by cmdb_ci_ip_address
    cmdb_ci_storage_server Contains::Contained by cmdb_ci_disk
    cmdb_ci_storage_server Contains::Contained by cmdb_ci_file_system
    cmdb_ci_storage_server Virtualized by::Virtualizes cmdb_ci_vm_instance
    cmdb_ci_disk Provides::Provided by cmdb_ci_file_system