Agent Client Collector release notes

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Agent Client Collector release notes

    The ServiceNow® Agent Client Collector (ACC) application enables monitoring of service availability, performance, and infrastructure within your system. The Yokohama release introduces enhancements that improve visibility, resource efficiency, discovery capabilities, and ease of management without relying on a MID Server.

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    Key Features

    • Agent Client Collector for Visibility Updates: ACC for Visibility has been renamed to Agent Client Collector for Visibility - Content. The CNO for Visibility component is now a separate application called Kubernetes Visibility Agent.
    • MID-less Configuration: Starting in version 3.6.5, ACC can be configured and installed without a MID Server, conserving MID Server resources and simplifying architecture.
    • Resource Directory Scanning: Version 3.13.0 introduces the ability to scan directories to check file integrity, size, space, response time, and age.
    • Error Task Creation: From version 4.3.0, users can create and assign tasks to address ACC-related errors, improving issue resolution workflows.
    • Proxy Server Support: Proxy server usage is now supported with MID-less ACC installations (version 4.3.0), aiding network configurations behind proxies.
    • MSSQL and Java Discovery: Discovery of MSSQL server components (v1.3.0) and Java files through file-based discovery (v1.3.0) enable better asset and license management.
    • High Volume Agent Upgrades: Version 4.3.0 supports bulk upgrades of ACC agents, enhancing operational efficiency at scale.
    • Event Creation Controls: Starting 3.13.0, events and alerts are blocked if monitored processes or log files do not exist, reducing noise from invalid data.
    • Check Result Configuration and Notifications: From version 3.6.5, you can configure when check results are sent and receive notifications for expiring agent registration keys.
    • Network Host Availability Monitoring: A new check introduced in version 4.1.0 allows monitoring of network host availability.
    • Software Identification on Linux and Windows: File-based discovery in version 4.1.0 helps identify installed software for license management and threat evaluation.
    • Google Cloud Secret Manager Integration: For organizations using Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), ACC can store and access ServiceNow instance credentials securely via Google Cloud Secret Manager.
    • Custom Certificate Authority Support: ACC supports mounting a custom root CA in Kubernetes pods to enable secure communication when a custom CA is used.
    • Metric Explorer Independence: From version 4.1.0, metric data can be explored and monitored via Metric Explorer without requiring ACC Monitoring installation.

    Activation Information

    Agent Client Collector requires activation of the Agent Client Collector Framework plugin (snagent) and the Agent Client Collector Monitoring plugin (snitmon) in an instance where Event Management is installed. The application is available through the ServiceNow Store.

    The ServiceNow® Agent Client Collector application enables you to monitor the service availability, performance, and infrastructure of your system. Agent Client Collector was enhanced and updated in the Yokohama release.

    Agent Client Collector highlights for the Yokohama release

    • Agent Client Collector for Visibility: Starting in version 1.1.0, ACC for Visibility has been renamed Agent Client Collector for Visibility - Content. CNO for Visibility has been extracted from Agent Client Collector for Visibility - Content and is now a separate application.
    • Store instance credentials in the Google Cloud Secret Manager when the Kubernetes Visibility Agent Informer uses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE).
    • Use a custom CA to enable Kubernetes Visibility Agent Informer to communicate with the instance when using a custom root Certificate Authority (CA).
    • Configure Agent Client Collector without a MID Server by ßusing MID-less configuration.

    See Agent Client Collector for more information.

    Important:
    Agent Client Collector is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes.

    New in the Yokohama release

    Scan your resource directories for file attributes
    Starting in version 3.13.0, run a check to receive information on the directory file's integrity, size, space, response time, and age.
    Conserve MID Server resources by using MID-less installation for Agent Client Collector
    Starting in version 3.6.5, conserve MID Server resources for more persistent features by using the MID-less installation when installing Agent Client Collector. With this installation, you don't need a MID Server in your system architecture.
    Create tasks to address Agent Client Collector errors
    Starting in version 4.3.0, create tasks to resolve errors relating to the Agent Client Collector. Tasks are assigned to personnel who investigate the underlying issues and work to resolve the errors.
    Use a proxy server with MID-less installation
    Starting in version 4.3.0, enable using a proxy server when installing Agent Client Collector without a MID Server.
    Discovery MSSQL server components
    Starting in version 1.3.0, enable discovery of MSSQL components by running Discovery as a local system user.
    Java certification Discovery through file-based discovery
    Starting in version 1.3.0, discover java file information using Agent Client Collector for Visibility - Content (ACC-VC) file based discovery. File based discovery locates java files that are installed on the system but not running, enabling retrieval of data used for licensing and auditing.
    Enable high volume upgrade of agents
    Starting in version 4.3.0, enhance efficiency by performing high-volume upgrade of large numbers of Agent Client Collector installations at once.
    Block event creation for non-existent entities
    Starting in version 3.13.0, block the creation of events and alerts if the process monitoring and log files don't exist in their indicated location.
    Control how check results are sent
    Starting in version 3.6.5, configure the circumstances when check results are sent.
    Configure and receive notifications of agent key expiration
    Starting in version 3.6.5, receive notifications that indicate when an agent registration key is expiring.
    Monitor network host availability
    Starting in version 4.1.0, use a new check to verify network host availability.
    Identify software running on Linux and Windows devices
    Starting in version 4.1.0, identify the software that is running on your Linux and Windows servers and devices by using file-based Discovery. File-based Discovery enables you to maintain the records of your software licenses and helps you to evaluate any threats from unwanted files.
    Store ServiceNow instance credentials in the Google Cloud Secret Manager when the Informer uses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE)
    If your organization uses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) you can store the secret in Google Cloud Secret Manager. The Kubernetes Visibility Agent Informer can then pull the ServiceNow credentials for accessing your instance from the Google Cloud Secret Manager.
    Use a custom CA to enable the Informer to communicate with the ServiceNow instance when using a custom root CA
    Mount a custom certificate authority into the Kubernetes Visibility Agent Informer pod to enable the Informer to communicate with the instance when a custom root CA is used.

    Changed in this release

    Explore metrics with Metric Explorer independent of Agent Client Collector Monitoring
    Starting in version 4.1.0, view and monitor metric data with Metric Explorer, even if you have not installed Agent Client Collector Monitoring.
    Starting in version 1.1.0, ACC for Visibility has been renamed as Kubernetes Visibility Agent and consists only of what is currently CNO for Visibility. The term CNO for Visibility has been deprecated and replaced with Kubernetes Visibility Agent. All other ACC for Visibility functions are now part of Agent Client Collector for Visibility - Content.

    Activation information

    Agent Client Collector is available with activation of the Agent Client Collector Framework plugin (sn_agent) and the Agent Client Collector Monitoring plugin (sn_itmon) in an instance on which Event Management is installed.