Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery

    The Database Administrator (DBA) report discovery feature in ServiceNow's Discovery and Service Mapping leverages Patterns extension sections to gather detailed database metrics for Apache Cassandra, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, MongoDB, and Oracle databases. This capability populates specific CI-related tables with database health, performance, and configuration data to enhance your CMDB accuracy and support database management.

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    Prerequisites

    • Ensure required plugins and applications are installed and updated: CMDB CI Class Models 1.49.0 and Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns 1.8.0 (both as of September 2023).
    • Enable the system properties that control DBA report collection per database type. By default, these properties are disabled (false) and must be set to true for each supported database pattern (e.g., cassandradbareportenabled, mongodbareportenabled).
    • Verify that appropriate credentials are configured with read access to the necessary database tables and commands for each database type. These credentials should allow queries such as "nodetool" for Cassandra, "getSiblingDB" for MongoDB, and various system views and tables for Microsoft SQL and Oracle databases.
    • Confirm a Discovery schedule is set up to run these patterns regularly.

    Data Collection and Tables Populated

    When the DBA report feature is enabled and Discovery patterns run, the following data is collected and stored in dedicated tables for each database type:

    • Apache Cassandra: Captures health metrics like latency, snapshot space, and keyspace details in the cassandrahealthreport table.
    • MongoDB: Collects statistics including database size, index info, and object counts in the mongodbstatistics table.
    • Microsoft SQL Server: Gathers extensive information such as blocking info, CPU utilization, backup status, running jobs, disk and file space, fragmentation, memory usage, and transaction details across multiple tables like mssqldbblockinginfo, mssqldbcpuutil, and others.
    • MySQL: Reports on table schemas and data index size in the mysqltableschemas table.
    • Oracle Database: Provides a broad set of metrics covering active and inactive sessions, ASM disk info, CPU usage, instance info, tablespaces, and top queries across multiple tables such as oracleactivesession, oracleasminfo, oraclecpuusage, and more.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enables comprehensive database health and performance visibility directly within ServiceNow, assisting DBAs and IT teams in proactive monitoring and troubleshooting.
    • Improves CMDB accuracy by enriching CI records with detailed database-specific metrics and status information.
    • Supports automated, scheduled data collection to maintain up-to-date database insights without manual intervention.
    • Facilitates better decision-making and service impact analysis through enriched configuration data.

    Next Steps

    • Review and enable the relevant system properties for the database patterns you intend to monitor.
    • Configure and validate credentials with appropriate permissions for each database type.
    • Schedule Discovery runs to activate periodic data collection and update your CMDB accordingly.
    • Consider updating Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns from the ServiceNow Store to access the latest enhancements and new database pattern versions.

    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