AWS OS image pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of AWS OS image pattern-based discovery

    The AWS OS image pattern-based discovery in ServiceNow’s Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns identifies AWS OS images within your cloud environment, including both owned (custom) and executable (public/shared) images. This process helps populate your Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with accurate OS image data from your AWS account, enhancing cloud infrastructure visibility and management.

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    Key Features

    • Pattern Usage: Uses Amazon AWS - Owned Template (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Template (LP) patterns for discovering OS images.
    • Data Storage Options: OS images can be stored in either the Image [cmdbciostemplate] table or the Cloud Image [cmdbcicloudosimage] table. The latter helps reduce record volume for better manageability.
    • Cloud OS Image Discovery Enablement: Enables Discovery to run enhanced patterns (Amazon AWS - Owned Cloud OS Image (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Cloud OS Image (LP)) that populate the Cloud Image table.
    • Tag Discovery: Starting with version 1.30.2 of Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns, tags related to OS images are discovered separately, improving metadata capture.
    • Relationship Mapping: Automatically creates relationships linking OS images to AWS Datacenters and key values, supporting comprehensive CMDB structure.

    Data Collected

    When discovery runs AWS OS image patterns, it collects essential fields such as:

    • Name of the image (e.g., CentOS 7.0-64 Minimal for VSI)
    • Unique AWS object ID
    • Image type and root device type
    • Image source and guest operating system details
    • Cloud provider (AWS), especially in the Cloud Image table

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure you have the latest Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store to access updated AWS OS image patterns.
    • Verify AWS discovery prerequisites to enable seamless pattern execution.
    • Choose to store OS images in the Cloud Image table if dealing with a large volume of OS templates to optimize CMDB performance.
    • Use tag discovery capabilities to enrich OS image records with AWS tag metadata, supporting better filtering and reporting.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds AWS OS images (both owned and executable) 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.

    Discovery uses the Amazon AWS - Owned Template (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Template (LP) patterns to discover AWS OS images from your AWS account. Owned images are custom images created by your AWS account, while executable images include public and shared images your account has permission to use.

    When using the Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] table to store Cloud OS images, you may notice an unusually large number of records. To avoid this issue, you can store the discovered OS images in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table. When enabled, Discovery launches the Amazon AWS - Owned Cloud OS Image (LP) and Amazon AWS - Executable Cloud OS Image (LP) patterns, which populate the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table. For more information, see Enable Cloud OS Image discovery.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the AWS discovery prerequisites section in AWS discovery using patterns.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the AWS OS image patterns.

    Table 1. Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the image.

    For example: CentOS 7.0-64 Minimal for VSI.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier, allocated by Amazon AWS Cloud for this resource.
    Image Type [image_type] Type of the OS image.
    Root Device Type [root_device_type] The device name of the root device volume.

    For example: /dev/sda1.
    Image Source [image_source] Source of the OS image.
    Guest OS [guest_os] Operating system that is secondary to the OS.
    Provider [provider] The cloud provider, which is AWS.

    This field is only populated in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.

    CI relationships

    The AWS OS image patterns create these relationships to support AWS OS image discovery.

    CI Relationship CI
    Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    Key value [cmdb_key_value] References Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]

    AWS Tag discovery

    Starting with Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns version 1.30.2, the pattern extension section discovers tags only. License discovery has moved to the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern.

    Table 2. Key value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.