Asset and Configuration Item (CI) synchronization for Operational Technology (OT) assets
Summarize
Summary of Asset and Configuration Item (CI) synchronization for Operational Technology (OT) assets
This feature enables synchronization between assets and Configuration Items (CIs) for Operational Technology (OT) assets in ServiceNow, specifically using MAC addresses alongside serial numbers. OT assets often lack serial numbers but have MAC addresses, so synchronization is extended to utilize MAC addresses stored in the Network Adapter CI table, maintaining accurate relationships between assets and CIs.
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Key Features
- Synchronization from Asset to CI: When an asset with a MAC address is created or updated, a corresponding CI and network adapter records are created or added, with new network adapter records created for updated MAC addresses rather than modifying existing ones.
- Synchronization from CI to Asset: When a CI with a MAC address is created or updated, an associated asset is created or updated, copying the MAC address if missing.
- CI Naming Rules: CI names are generated based on available data:
- If an asset has a serial number, CI name is "Serial number - Model name".
- If an asset lacks a serial number but has a MAC address, CI name is "MAC address - Model name".
- If neither is available, the CI name defaults to the model name.
- CI Name Synchronization Conditions: CI names update only if they are not manually modified, are created from assets (discovery source "SNassetmanagement"), and have not been changed by CMDB processes.
- Configuration Property: The snitamcommon.macaddresssync system property controls synchronization via MAC address; it is off by default and can be enabled through the Enterprise Asset Workspace Admin center.
- OT Entity Synchronization: Both CI and asset records include fields indicating OT entity status. Creating or updating one sets the corresponding field in the other, ensuring consistent OT entity recognition. Once marked as an OT entity, a CI cannot be reverted.
Key Outcomes
- Ensures accurate and automated alignment between OT assets and their CIs, even when serial numbers are absent.
- Supports asset lifecycle management for OT environments by leveraging MAC addresses for synchronization.
- Enables consistent CI naming conventions, improving identification and traceability of OT assets.
- Maintains OT entity status integrity across asset and CMDB records, critical for managing OT-specific assets.
- Provides an administrative toggle to enable or disable MAC address-based synchronization according to organizational needs.
Maintain synchronization between asset and CI for OT assets through MAC address on the asset and the Network Adapter CI.
Synchronization between asset and CI is achieved using the Serial number field. However, an OT asset need not necessarily have a serial number, but it’s associated with a MAC address. Therefore, the asset-CI synchronization for OT assets includes the MAC address (mac_addr) field in the Asset [alm_asset] table in addition to the serial number.
A CI can have multiple MAC addresses. The Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] table stores all the MAC addresses and also has a reference field to the CI [cmdb_ci] table. Therefore, the relationship between MAC address and CI is maintained.
Synchronization from asset to CI
- A CI is created.
- A record for the corresponding MAC address is created in the Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] table with a reference to the CI.
When the MAC address of an asset is updated, the existing record in the Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] table isn't updated. Instead, a new record is created in the Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] table.
Synchronization from CI to asset
- An asset is created.
- The MAC address of the CI is copied to the asset.
If there's an existing CI, then the associated asset is updated with the MAC address only if the asset doesn't have it already.
Rules for generating CI names
A CI name follows a format that's based on the following conditions:
| Condition | CI name format |
|---|---|
| Asset has a Serial number | Concatenation of Serial number and Model name separated by hyphen. For example, SN123 - DemoModel. |
| Asset has a Serial number and a MAC address | Concatenation of Serial number and Model name separated by hyphen. For example, SN123 - DemoModel. |
| Asset has no Serial number but has a MAC address | Concatenation of MAC address and Model name separated by hyphen. For example, 88-22-33-66-888-AB - DemoModel. |
| Asset has no Serial number and MAC address | Model name |
- CI name isn't updated manually.
- The Discovery source is SNassetmanagement, which means that the CI is created from an asset.
- CI name hasn't been modified by CMDB.
OT entity synchronization between asset and CI
The CI [cmdb_ci] table has the OT entity [cmdb_ot_entity] field. Also, the Asset [alm_asset] has a corresponding OT entity [ot_entity] field. Synchronization of the OT entity happens as follows:
- When a CI is created with the OT entity reference set on the CI, the OT entity [ot_entity] field in the Asset [alm_asset] table is set to true.
- When an asset with the OT entity set to true is created, a corresponding CI and an OT entity are created on the CMDB side. The OT entity reference is then set on the CI.