Dependency Views map
Summarize
Summary of Dependency Views map
Dependency Views maps in ServiceNow graphically display Configuration Items (CIs) that support application or business services, illustrating the relationships between these CIs. These maps help visualize upstream and downstream dependencies starting from a root CI, which is clearly highlighted on the map. The feature is designed to provide insight into the IT infrastructure that supports specific services, such as email delivery, by showing all related components and their connections.
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ServiceNow also offers the Unified Map feature through the CMDB Workspace store app, combining the capabilities of Dependency Views and Service Mapping into a single, integrated mapping experience.
Key Features
- Root CI Focus: The map centers on a root CI, visually emphasized with a pulsing frame for easy identification.
- Dependency Levels: By default, three levels of both upstream and downstream dependencies are displayed, with configurable depth for administrators.
- Cluster Management: Clusters of related CIs are collapsed by default to improve map readability and can be expanded or collapsed as needed.
- Issue Indicators: Map indicators show if a CI has active or pending issues, allowing users to investigate connected tasks for more details.
- Persistent Map State: When returning to the map, the system restores the last viewed map with default filters and layout settings.
- Interactive Access: Clicking the map icon on CI or task records opens the map, facilitating easy navigation to related CIs and records.
- Relationship Management: Relationships between CIs, often created through discovery, can be created, defined, or deleted directly within the map.
- Automatic Refresh: The map updates automatically to reflect any changes made in the CMDB, ensuring current and accurate information.
- Role-Based Access: Users with itil and ecmdbadmin roles can view and interact with maps, including access to map views and saved filters.
Important Considerations
- CIs not extended from the Configuration Item [cmdbci] table are not displayed in Dependency Views maps or CI relation formatters.
- The Dependency Views module is active in all ServiceNow instances and includes demo data for initial exploration.
Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
Dependency Views maps enable customers to visually understand and manage the dependencies that support their business and application services. This helps in impact analysis, troubleshooting, and change management by providing a clear view of how CIs are interconnected and where issues may propagate. The ability to interact with the map, modify CI relationships, and receive real-time updates ensures that customers have an accurate and actionable representation of their IT infrastructure. Role-based access controls ensure that appropriate users can manage and utilize these maps effectively.
ServiceNow® Dependency Views maps graphically display CIs that support application or business services and the relationships between the CIs.
The CMDB Workspace store app provides the Unified Map feature as an alternative to using Dependency Views. Unified Map combines the capabilities of Dependency Views and Service Mapping into a single map experience.
A ServiceNow service (application service or business service) is work or goods that are supported by an IT infrastructure. For example, delivering email service to an employee can require services such as email servers, web servers, and the work to configure the user's account.
A Dependency Views map has one starting point, called the root CI or root node of the map. The root CI is surrounded by a darker frame that repaints itself with a pulsing effect drawing the attention to the root CI. The maps can show both upstream and downstream dependencies for the root CI. By default the Dependency Views map displays 3 levels, both upstream and downstream relationships. Administrators can configure the number of levels displayed. The map collapses and expands clusters to make them easier to view. By default, clusters are collapsed.
In a Dependency Views map, map indicators indicate if a CI has any active, pending issues. You can investigate the tasks that are connected to a CI to get more details. When you return to the map from another form, the system
restores the last map viewed, using the default filter and layout settings. When you click the icon (
) on a CI record or on a task record that identifies a CI, the map opens.
Many of the relationships in map are created through the discovery process. You can also create, define, and delete CI relationships in the map. You can display the map from different perspectives and open specific records that relate to configuration items. The system refreshes the map automatically to reflect changes to the CMDB.
The Dependency Views module is active in all instances, and includes demo data.
When you click the map icon [] on a CI record or on a task record that identify a CI, a map opens.
Roles
Users with the itil and ecmdb_admin roles can view maps and perform all actions in the map. Actions include access to the map views and saved filters, both from the lists in the map and from the Saved Filters module.