AWS IAM Role pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated May 13, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of AWS IAM Role pattern-based discovery

    The AWS IAM Role pattern-based discovery in ServiceNow enables customers to identify and map AWS IAM Roles within their cloud environments. This functionality is part of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application and requires updating to the latest version available from the ServiceNow Store. It supports comprehensive data collection about IAM roles, enhancing visibility and asset management in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and related tables.

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    Key Features

    • Pattern Activation: The AWS IAM Role discovery pattern is disabled by default and must be enabled manually. Starting with Visibility Content version 6.28.0, enabling or disabling patterns no longer counts as customization and patterns automatically reset to the latest version after upgrades while retaining their active status.
    • Discovery Prerequisites: Customers must verify AWS discovery prerequisites and ensure relevant resources are not listed in the Resource Inclusion List [sacloudinventoryresourcewhitelist] table to prevent duplicate discovery.
    • Data Storage: The discovery application populates data across both CMDB and non-CMDB tables when running the Amazon AWS - IAM Role - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern.
    • Non-CMDB Data: Non-CMDB AWS tables can be reviewed under All > Configuration > AWS or by searching the pattern name directly.
    • CMDB Tables and Fields: Key CMDB tables involved include:
      • AWS IAM Role [cmdbawsiamrole]: Stores IAM role name, ARN (object ID), role ID, and references to Cloud Resource records.
      • Cloud Resource [cmdbcicmpresource]: Stores IAM role name, ARN, resource type (set to AWS::IAM::Role), install status (default Installed), and operational status (default Operational).
    • CI Relationships and References: The pattern creates relationships such as Hosted on::Hosts (linking to Cloud Service Account records) and references between AWS IAM Role and Cloud Resource records. These references support comprehensive relationship mapping but do not appear in the CI Relationship [cmdbrelci] table.
    • AWS Tag Discovery: Tags associated with IAM roles are collected and stored in the Key Value [cmdbkeyvalue] table, including tag names, values, and references to the related Cloud Resource.

    What Customers Can Expect

    By enabling this pattern, ServiceNow customers gain automated discovery and detailed inventory of AWS IAM Roles within their cloud infrastructure, improving asset visibility and governance. The integration with CMDB and tag collection supports enriched configuration management and better relationship mapping, facilitating effective cloud resource management and compliance.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds AWS IAM Roles on your cloud environment. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the AWS discovery prerequisites
    For more information, see the prerequisites section in AWS discovery using patterns.
    Remove resources from the Resource Inclusion List table
    Verify that the relevant resource isn't listed in the Resource Inclusion List [sa_cloud_inventory_resource_whitelist] table to avoid duplicate discovery. For more information on removing resources from the Resource Inclusion List, see AWS Resource Inventory discovery with Patterns.
    Enable the relevant pattern
    The pattern for this service is disabled by default. Starting with Visibility Content version 6.28.0, activating or deactivating a pattern won't be considered a customization, and it will continue to receive updates. Patterns that were previously activated or deactivated will reset to the latest predefined version after upgrading while retaining the last active field value. For more information on enabling patterns, see Activate a disabled pattern.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in both CMDB and non-CMDB tables.

    Data stored in non-CMDB tables

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in the non-CMDB table when running the Amazon AWS - IAM Role - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern.

    You can review the non-CMDB AWS tables by navigating to All > Configuration > AWS. You can also search the navigation filter for the specific pattern name.

    Table 1. AWS IAM Role [cmdb_aws_iam_role]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the IAM role.
    Object ID [object_id] The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the IAM role.
    Role ID [role_id] The stable and unique string identifying the role.
    Configuration Item [configuration_item] References the Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] table.

    Data stored in CMDB tables

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application populates data in the CMDB when running the Amazon AWS - IAM Role - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern.

    Table 2. Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the IAM role.
    Object ID [object_id] The ARN of the IAM role.
    Resource type [resource_type] Type of resource. The value is set to AWS::IAM::Role.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the resource. Default value is Installed.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the resource. Default value is Operational.

    CI relationships

    The Amazon AWS - IAM Role - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern creates the following relationships and references to support AWS IAM Role discovery. References link to records in other tables and don't appear in the CI Relationship [cmdb_rel_ci] table.

    Table 3. CI relationships
    CI Relationship CI
    Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] Hosted on::Hosts Cloud Service Account [cmdb_ci_cloud_service_account]
    Table 4. CI references
    CI Field Referenced CI
    AWS IAM Role [cmdb_aws_iam_role] Configuration Item [configuration_item] Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]
    Key Value [cmdb_key_value] Configuration item [configuration_item] Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource]

    AWS Tag discovery

    The Amazon AWS - IAM Role - Extended Inventory (LP) pattern collects tags and populates them in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.

    Table 5. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Cloud Resource [cmdb_ci_cmp_resource] table.