Probes used by Orchestration

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
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    Summary of Probes used by Orchestration

    Orchestration probes in ServiceNow, controlled by MID Servers, perform automated tasks on remote machines such as restarting servers or creating virtual machines. When an Orchestration workflow activity runs, it launches a probe that interacts with the remote target via the ECC Queue. The MID Server executes the probe and returns task results back to the workflow, enabling seamless automation of IT processes.

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    How Orchestration Probes Work

    Each Orchestration activity triggers a corresponding probe, which writes an output record to the ECC Queue. The MID Server monitors the ECC Queue for assignments and runs the appropriate probe on the target machine. The probe sends back results as input records to the ECC Queue, which are then passed to a workflow sensor to update and proceed with the next activity. Probe parameters are defined by the launching workflow activity.

    Key Probes Provided

    The base ServiceNow system includes several built-in orchestration probes accessible under Orchestration > Definition > Probes. These include:

    • Command: Runs a local command on the MID Server.
    • DNS Name Resolver: Resolves fully qualified domain names (FQDN) to IP addresses using the MID Server’s OS DNS cache and hosts file.
    • SCPCommand: Securely copies files between machines via the MID Server acting as a tunnel.
    • Shazzam: Identifies active devices on the network.
    • SNMPProbe: Executes generic SNMP queries.
    • SOAPProbe: Sends SOAP requests to target machines.
    • SSHCommand: Runs shell scripts on target machines via SSH login.
    • SSHCommandLong: Runs long-running shell scripts on target machines via SSH.
    • VMWare: Executes MID Server scripts for VMware-related orchestration activities.
    • Windows - PowerShell: Runs PowerShell scripts on the MID Server with access to the target computer and credentials, enabling Windows-specific automation.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    Understanding and utilizing these probes allows customers to automate and orchestrate complex IT operations across diverse environments securely and efficiently. By leveraging MID Servers and these probes, workflows can remotely execute commands, transfer files, query devices, and manage virtual environments, resulting in streamlined IT processes and reduced manual intervention.

    Certain probes, controlled by MID Servers, perform Orchestration tasks on remote computers, such as restarting a server or creating virtual machines from templates.

    How Orchestration probes work

    When a Workflow executes an Orchestration activity, that activity launches a probe, which writes an output record to the ECC Queue. The MID Server selected for the activity checks the ECC Queue for assignments, and then executes the appropriate probe to do the work on the target machine. The information about the activity (machine restarted, files copied, etc.) that is returned from the target machine by the probe is written to the ECC Queue as an input record. This information is then sent from the ECC Queue to a sensor that is built into the Workflow activity. The Workflow is updated, and the next activity is executed.
    Note:
    The probe parameters are set by the activities that launch the probe.
    Figure 1. How Orchestration uses probes
    How Orchestration uses probes

    Probe List

    The base system includes the following Orchestration probes (Orchestration > Definition > Probes).
    Table 1. Probe List
    Probe Name ECC Queue Topic ECC Queue Name Description
    Command Command A probe that runs a local command on the MID server.
    DNS Name Resolver DNSNameResolver A probe that resolves a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) into an IP address. The probe executes MID Server queries in parallel. It utilizes DNS lookup by the MID Server host OS to make use of the OS maintained DNS cache. It also leverages the hosts file on the OS.
    SCPCommand SCPCommand A probe that copies files securely from one machine to another. The copy function is performed using the MID Server as a tunnel.
    Shazzam Shazzam A probe that identifies active devices.
    SNMPProbe SNMP SNMP Query This is a generic SNMP probe.
    SOAPProbe SOAPProbe A probe that sends a SOAP request to target machine.
    SSHCommand SSHCommand A probe that executes shell scripts from a command line after logging in to a target machine via SSH.
    SSHCommandLong SSHCommandLong A probe that executes long running shell scripts from a command line after logging in to a target machine via SSH.
    VMWare VMWareProbe A generic VMware probe that executes the MID Server script include in the ECC queue name that is set by a VMware Orchestration activity. This probe can run any MID Server script include.
    Windows - PowerShell PowerShell Windows - PowerShell A probe that runs a Windows PowerShell script on the MID Server. The PowerShell script is provided as the value of a parameter with name ending in .ps1. Two variables are available to the script:
    • $computer: The computer pointed to as the source for this probe
    • $cred: A PowerShell credential, using a user name and password from the Credentials table, that logs into $computer successfully.