Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery

    The Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery feature in ServiceNow Discovery and Service Mapping uses Patterns extension sections to collect detailed configuration and performance data from various database systems including Apache Cassandra, Microsoft SQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Oracle databases. This capability enhances visibility into database health and usage, enabling better management and troubleshooting.

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    To utilize these reports, customers may need to update to the latest Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store. System properties controlling report collection are disabled by default and must be enabled for each database pattern.

    Prerequisites

    • Required Plugins: CMDB CI Class Models 1.49.0 and Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns 1.8.0 (September 2023 or later).
    • Enable System Properties: Each database pattern has a specific system property (e.g., cassandradbareportenabled, oracledbareportenabled) which must be set to true to activate DBA report collection.
    • Credentials Configuration: Proper read access credentials must be configured for discovery to execute necessary commands and query database-specific tables. For example, MongoDB applicative credentials require read access to run “getSiblingDB(databaseName)”, Microsoft SQL credentials need access to various system tables, and Oracle credentials require permission to run "lsnrctl services" and "sqlplus" commands along with access to multiple DBA tables.
    • Discovery Schedule: Ensure that a Discovery schedule is configured to run the patterns.

    Data Collection and Tables Populated

    When enabled and run, the extension sections populate various database-specific tables with detailed metrics and configuration data:

    • Apache Cassandra: Cassandra Health Report including latency, snapshot space, and keyspace info.
    • MongoDB: Mongo DB Statistics capturing storage sizes, object counts, indexes, and collection details.
    • Microsoft SQL Server: Extensive data such as blocking info, CPU utilization, backup status, running jobs, disk info, fragmentation, memory usage, long transactions, and more.
    • MySQL: MySql Table Schemas detailing data length and schema information.
    • Oracle DB: Comprehensive data including active/inactive sessions, ASM disk info, CPU usage, instance info, nodes info, table space, top queries, and more.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Provides deeper insights into the operational state and health of major database platforms integrated with your CMDB.
    • Enables proactive monitoring and troubleshooting by capturing performance metrics and configuration details automatically during discovery.
    • Supports compliance and audit requirements by maintaining up-to-date detailed database information.
    • Facilitates informed decision-making for database management by presenting comprehensive data in ServiceNow.

    Discovery and Service Mapping uses the Patterns extension sections to provide a Database Administrator report (DBA report) for the Apache Cassandra, Microsoft SQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Oracle databases. The extension sections for each DB pattern populate the related entries tables. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Request new or enhanced Patterns on the ServiceNow® Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store to view all the available updates 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

    Verify the plugins setup
    • CMDB CI Class Models 1.49.0 (September 2023)
    • Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns 1.8.0 (September 2023)
    Verify the system properties are enabled
    By default, the system properties for DBA reports are set to false. To enable the report collection, verify that the system properties value for each pattern is set to true.
    Pattern System property
    Cassandra cassandra_dba_report_enabled
    MongoDB mongo_dba_report_enabled
    MSSQL DB On Windows mssql_dba_report_enabled
    My SQL server On Windows and Linux mysql_dba_report_enabled
    Oracle DB oracle_dba_report_enabled
    Verify the configuration of the credentials
    For more information, see Applicative credentials.
    MongoDB execute command Applicative credentials should have read access to run “getSiblingDB (databaseName)”
    Apache Cassandra execute command Discovery credentials should have read access to “nodetool”
    MySQL tables and execute commands Discovery credentials should have read access to:
    • “information_schema.tables” table​
    • run “show databases” command
    Microsoft SQL tables Discovery credentials should have read access to the following tables:
    • master.sys.databases
    • sys.sysprocesses
    • sys.dm_os_sys_info
    • sys.dm_os_ring_buffers
    • msdb.dbo.backupset
    • master.dbo.sysdatabases
    • master..sysprocesses
    • msdb..sysjobactivity
    • sys.master_files
    • sys.dm_tran_session_transactions
    • sys.dm_os_sys_memory
    • sys.database_files
    Oracle DB tables and execute commands Discovery credentials should have read access to:
    • Run “lsnrctl services” and “sqlplus” commands
    • dba_data_files table
    • dba_segments table
    • v$database table
    • gv$instance table
    • dba_hist_osstat table
    • dba_hist_snapshot table
    • v$asm_disk table
    • v$asm_diskgroup table
    • dba_audit_session table
    • gv$session_longops table
    • gv$session table
    • gv$sqlarea table
    • gv$process table
    Verify that a Discovery schedule is configured
    For more information, see create a discovery schedule

    Data collected by the extension section of the Apache Cassandra pattern

    Discovery populates the following data when running the Apache Cassandra pattern.
    Note:
    See the Prerequisites section for important information about enabling the system property.
    Table name Table label Fields
    cassandra_health_report Cassandra Health Report
    • database_host
    • local_write_latency
    • read_latency
    • snapshot_used_space
    • space_used
    • table
    • keyspace
    • ci

    Data collected by the extension section of the MongoDB pattern

    Discovery populates the following data when running the MongoDB pattern.
    Note:
    See the Prerequisites section for important information about enabling the system property.
    Table name Table label Fields
    mongo_db_statistics Mongo DB Statistics
    • database_host
    • database_name​
    • fs_total_size
    • fs_used_size
    • scale_factor
    • index_size
    • index_count
    • extents_count
    • storage_size
    • data_size
    • average_object_size
    • objects_count
    • collection_count
    • view_count
    • ci

    Data collected by the extension section of the MSSQL pattern

    Discovery populates the following data when running the MSSQL pattern.
    Note:
    See the Prerequisites section for important information about enabling the system property.
    Table name Table label Fields
    ms_sql_db_blocking_info MSSQL DB Blocking Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • definition
    • object_name
    • blocking_spid
    • spid
    • ci
    ms_sql_db_cpu_util MSSQL DB CPU Util
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • load_date
    • other_process_cpu_util
    • other_process
    • system_idle_process
    • sql_server_cpu_util
    • event_time
    • server_name
    • ci
    ms_sql_db_not_backup MSSQL DB Not BackUp
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • last_backup_date
    • database_name
    • ci
    ms_sql_db_running_job MSSQL DB Running Job
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • login_name
    • nt_domain
    • cmd
    • hostname
    • name
    • status
    • open_tran
    • Spid
    • last_wait_type
    • login_time
    • ci
    ms_sql_disk_info MSSQL DB Disks Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • percentage_free_space
    • volume_free_space
    • volume_capacity
    • volume_label
    • volume_name
    • ci
    ms_sql_files_space MSSQL DB Files Space
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • database_name
    • free_space_mb
    • file_size_mb
    • file_type
    • file_logic_name
    • ci
    ms_sql_fregment_info MSSQL DB Fragmentation Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • index_status
    • page_count
    • avg_frag
    • index_name
    • object_name
    • schema_name
    • ci
    ms_sql_last_restart MSSQL DB Last Restart
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • uptime_in_days
    • current_date
    • last_recycle
    • ci
    ms_sql_long_trans MSSQL DB Long Transactions
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • blocked
    • sql
    • cmd
    • program_name
    • hostname
    • login_name
    • status
    • last_batch
    • duration
    • login_time
    • database_name
    • user_tran
    • trans_id
    • spid
    • ci
    ms_sql_memory_info MSSQL DB Memory Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • system_memory_state_desc
    • percentage_used
    • available_page_file_mb
    • total_page_file_mb
    • available_physical_memory_mb
    • total_physical_memory_mb
    • ci
    ms_sql_temp_files_space MSSQL DB Temp Files Space
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • percent_full
    • available_space_mb
    • file_physical_name
    • file_logic_name
    • database_name
    • ci

    Data collected by the extension section of the MySQL pattern

    Discovery populates the following data when running the MySQL pattern.
    Note:
    See the Prerequisites section for important information about enabling the system property.
    Table name Table label Fields
    mysql_table_schemas MySql Table Schemas
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • data_index_lengh
    • table_schema
    • ci

    Data collected by the extension section of the Oracle DB pattern

    Discovery populates the following data when running the Oracle DB pattern.
    Note:
    See the Prerequisites section for important information about enabling the system property.
    Table name Table label Fields
    oracle_active_session Oracle Active Session
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • Key
    • sql_id
    • program
    • module
    • action
    • status
    • last_call_et_hrs
    • sid
    • spid
    • inst
    • ci
    oracle_asm_info Oracle, ASM Disk Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • used_gb
    • free_gb
    • total_gb
    • state
    • block_size
    • asm
    • ci
    oracle_asm_nodes_info Oracle ASM Nodes Disk Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • redundancy
    • free_gb
    • total_gb
    • state
    • asm_node
    • ci
    oracle_cpu_usage Oracle CPU Usage
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • idle
    • io
    • sys
    • nice
    • user
    • snapid
    • Inst
    • end_time
    • begin_time
    • ci
    oracle_inactive_sessions Oracle Inactive Sessions
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • key
    • status
    • spid
    • sid
    • program
    • Module
    • last_call_et_hrs
    • inst
    • ci
    oracle_instance_info Oracle Instance Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • platform_name
    • current_scn
    • dbid
    • db_unique_name
    • log_mode
    • db_name
    • open_mode
    • ci
    oracle_nodes_info Oracle Nodes Info
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • instance_mode
    • instance_state
    • instance_role
    • instance_status
    • instance_version
    • hostname
    • instance_name
    • ci
    oracle_table_space Oracle Table Space
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • used_mb
    • free_percent
    • free_mb
    • tablespace
    • total_mb
    • ci
    oracle_top_10_queries Oracle Top 10 Queries
    • database_host
    • database_instance
    • unique
    • status
    • sql_id
    • spid
    • sid
    • program
    • Module
    • last_call_et_hrs
    • ci