TCP connection discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of TCP connection discovery

    TCP connection discovery in ServiceNow identifies and classifies TCP connection details using ADM and ADME probes. It collects data about processes and their TCP connections or listening ports, storing this information in theTCP Connections [cmdbtcp]table and relatedRunning Process [cmdbrunningprocess]table. This enables customers to understand active TCP communications on their devices for application dependency mapping and network visibility.

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    Key Features

    • Data Collection: Discovery captures key TCP connection attributes such as device, IP address, port, process ID, process name, connection type (listening or connected), and connection counts.
    • Process Tracking: Tracks running processes with details including parent process, listening and connected ports, command with parameters, and absence detection when a process stops running.
    • Standard ADM Probes: Supports multiple platforms (AIX, HP-UX, Solaris, UNIX, Windows) with probes that gather active processes and connections necessary for dependency mapping. Some require utilities like lsof or activation of specific sub-probes.
    • Enhanced ADM Probes: Activated with enhanced ADM, these probes provide continuous TCP-based discovery with additional parameters and support for both WinRM and non-WinRM MID Servers. Configuration of MID Server parameters (e.g., mid.windows.managementprotocol) controls probe behavior.
    • Configurable Parameters: Parameters such as mid.adme.maxresultsize and max.admeresultpayloadsize allow tuning of TCP tracking file size and result payload size to optimize discovery performance and avoid configuration errors.

    Key Outcomes

    • Enables detailed visibility into TCP connections and associated running processes across diverse operating systems.
    • Supports accurate application dependency mapping by correlating network connections with process information.
    • Allows continuous, real-time TCP connection discovery when using enhanced ADM probes for up-to-date network and process data.
    • Provides a foundation for troubleshooting and managing networked applications by tracking process states and TCP connectivity changes over time.

    Discovery identifies and classifies information about TCP connections using the ADM and ADME probes.

    Discovery populates this data in the TCP Connections [cmdb_tcp] table.

    Label Table Name Field Name Description
    Absent cmdb_tcp absent If the process is no longer running on this device. The first time the process is detected, the value is not selected (meaning that it is not absent). If Discovery runs again and does not detect the process, it is selected.
    Computer cmdb_tcp computer The device that is connected to or is listening on the TCP port.
    IP cmdb_tcp ip The IP address that this device or process is listening on or is connected to. If the IP address is 127.0.0.1, it is the host computer itself.
    PID cmdb_tcp pid The ID of the process that is connecting to or listening on this device (IP address).
    Port cmdb_tcp port The port number through which TCP traffic was detected.
    Process cmdb_tcp process The process that is connecting to or listening on the port.
    Type cmdb_tcp type
    • Listening on: the process is listening to the device via TCP.
    • Connecting to: if the process is connected to this device via TCP.
    count cmdb_tcp count The number of times that Discovery detects a specific TCP connection. This field is used by ADM enhanced probes.

    Discovery populates this data in the Running Process [cmdb_running_process] table.

    Label Field Name Description
    Name name The name of the running process.
    Computer computer The device that the process is running on.
    Parent parent The parent process of this process, if any.
    Listening on listening_on The ports that the processes is listening on.
    Connected to connected_to The ports that the processes is connected to.
    Command command The command for this process, including the path.
    PID pid The ID for the process.
    PPID ppid The ID for the parent process.
    Absent absent If the process is no longer running on this device. The first time the process is detected, the value is not selected (meaning that it is not absent). If Discovery runs again and does not detect the process, it is selected.
    Classify classify If the running process should be classified.
    Key parameters key_parameters The key parameters for the command.
    Parameters parameters The parameters for the command.
    Count count The number of times that Discovery detects a specific TCP connection. This field is used by ADM enhanced probes.

    Standard ADM probes

    Discovery launches these probes with standard ADM discovery:
    Name Description Includes these sub-probes
    AIX - ADM Queries for information about active (running) AIX processes and active connections - the information required to perform application dependency mapping.
    • AIX - Active Connections
    • AIX - Active Processes
    HP-UX - ADM Queries for information about active (running) HP-UX processes and active connections - the information required to perform application dependency mapping.

    This probe requires that lsof be installed and the UNIX - Active Connections probe be activated, which is inactive by default.
    • UNIX - Active Connections
    • HP-UX - Active Processes
    Solaris - ADM Queries for information about active (running) Solaris processes and active connections - the information required to perform application dependency mapping. This probe is triggered by the Solaris Zones probe. The system triggers an ADM probe for each local zone contained in a global zone.

    This probe requires that lsof be installed on the global zone.
    • Solaris - Active Processes
    • Solaris - Active Connections
    UNIX - ADM Queries for information about active (running) UNIX processes and active connections - the information required to perform application dependency mapping.
    • UNIX - Active Connections
    • UNIX - Active Processes
    Windows - ADM Queries for information about active (running) Windows processes and active connections - the information required to perform application dependency mapping.
    • Windows - Active Connections
    • Windows - Active Processes
    UNIX - ADM netstat Performs the same functions as the UNIX ADM probe relying on netstat to support continuous TCP-based discovery. Service Mapping uses this probe for traffic-based discovery.
    • UNIX - Active Connections with Netstat. This probe retrieves TCP connections to populate the cmdb_tcp and cmdb_tcp_connection tables.
    • UNIX - Active Processes. This probe retrieves TCP processes and populates the cmdb_running_process table.

    Enhanced ADM probes

    Discovery launches these probes when enhanced ADM is activated:
    Probe Description
    Windows - ADM Enhanced Performs the same functions as the Windows ADM probe with additional parameters to control continuous TCP-based discovery. This probe is compatible with WinRM and non-WinRM supported MID Servers. Configure your MID Server using the mid.windows.management_protocol parameter. See MID Server parameters for the values you can use for this parameter.
    UNIX - ADM Enhanced Performs the same functions as the UNIX ADM probe with additional parameters to control continuous TCP-based discovery.
    Use these probe parameters with the enhanced ADM probes:
    Parameter Description
    mid.adme.max_result_size Control the size of the TCP tracking file.
    max.adme_result_payload_size Controls the size of the result, including the payload.
    Note:
    If this is greater than the MID Server properties mid.discovery.max_payload_size, a configuration error can occur.