AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery

    The AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery utilizes the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern within ServiceNow Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns to identify and collect detailed information about AWS EC2 virtual machine instances in your cloud environment. This discovery process populates the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with critical configuration item (CI) data to help you manage AWS resources effectively.

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    To ensure accurate discovery, verify that AWS discovery prerequisites are met and consider updating to the latest Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Key Features

    • VM Instance Data Collection: The discovery collects comprehensive VM instance details such as name, unique identifiers, power state, memory, CPUs, network interfaces, disks, IP addresses, FQDN, install status, and operational status.
    • Storage and Network Details: Storage mappings, subnet endpoints, cloud subnets, and DNS names related to the VM instances are discovered and stored in corresponding CMDB tables.
    • Image Information: Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) are identified and stored either in the OS Template or Cloud OS Image tables, with a recommendation to use the Cloud OS Image table for better management of discovered images.
    • CI Relationships: The pattern establishes important relationships among AWS availability zones, datacenters, VM instances, storage mappings, DNS names, subnets, networks, compute templates, hardware types, and images to provide a complete topology of your AWS environment.
    • AWS Tag Discovery: Tags assigned to EC2 instances are collected and stored in the Key Value table, enabling effective tagging and categorization of resources.
    • BYOL License Discovery: Starting with version 1.30.2, the pattern detects Bring Your Own License (BYOL) and license-included models for Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux VMs, storing license type and model information in the Key Value table for license management.
    • Operational Status Accuracy: By enabling the snitompattern.discoverawsinstancestatuses MID Server property, you can reflect the correct operational and install statuses of reactivated VMs, though this may impact performance for large VM counts.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Automates discovery of AWS EC2 instances and related resources, reducing manual data entry and errors.
    • Provides a consolidated, up-to-date CMDB with detailed AWS virtual server data to support IT operations, asset management, and compliance.
    • Enables visualization of AWS infrastructure relationships, improving impact analysis and change management.
    • Supports license compliance tracking by identifying BYOL and license-included virtual servers.
    • Captures and stores AWS tags, enhancing resource organization and reporting capabilities within ServiceNow.

    Next Steps

    • Ensure AWS discovery prerequisites are configured as per AWS discovery using patterns guidelines.
    • Update the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application to the latest version for optimal pattern functionality.
    • Consider enabling the instance status discovery MID Server property if VM status accuracy is critical for your operations.
    • Review CMDB data regularly to maintain accuracy of discovered AWS virtual servers and associated CIs.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds AWS EC2 virtual machine instances 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 section in AWS discovery using patterns.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern.

    Table 1. Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the instance.

    Possible values are the tag name, if available, or the instance ID.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier for the instance.
    State [state] Power state of the instance.
    Possible values:
    • On: Instance is running
    • Off: Instance is stopped
    VM Instance ID [vm_inst_id] Instance identifier from AWS.
    Memory (MB) [memory] Amount of memory allocated to the instance in megabytes (MB).
    Network adapters [nics] Number of network interface cards (NICs) attached to the instance.
    Disks [disks] Number of volumes attached to the instance.
    CPUs [cpus] Total number of virtual CPUs (vCPUs).
    IP Address [ip_address] Private IP address assigned to the instance.
    Fully qualified domain name [fqdn] Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) assigned to the instance.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the resource.

    For example: Installed or Retired.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the resource.

    For example: Operational, Non-Operational, or Retired.
    Note:

    If you have reactivated a retired virtual machine (VM) and want its active state to be accurately reflected in the Operational status and Install Status fields in the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table, set the sn_itom_pattern.discover_aws_instance_statuses MID Server property to true. Note that this setting involves additional API calls—one for each page of the pattern execution—which may impact performance if you're managing a large number of VMs.

    Table 2. Storage Mapping [cmdb_ci_storage_mapping]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Unique identifier for the storage mapping.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier for the storage mapping.
    Mapping Type [mapping_type] The root device type used by the Amazon Machine Image (AMI).

    The AMI can use an EBS volume or an instance store volume.
    Mount Point [mount_point] Device name where the volume is mounted.

    For example: /dev/sda1.
    Host [host] Public IP address of the instance, if available.
    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.
    Table 3. Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] Subnet identifier.
    Name [name] Subnet identifier.
    IP Address [ip_address] IP address associated with the subnet endpoint.
    Region [region] AWS region where the subnet is located.
    Table 4. Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] Subnet identifier.
    Table 5. DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Domain Name System (DNS) name assigned to the instance.
    Table 6. Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] AMI identifier.
    Provider [provider] Cloud provider, which is AWS.

    This field is only populated in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.
    Note:
    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. For more information, see Enable Cloud OS Image discovery.

    CI relationships

    The Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern creates these relationships to support AWS virtual server discovery.

    CI Relationship CI
    Availability Zone [cmdb_ci_availability_zone] Contains::Contained by Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Contains::Contained by Storage Mapping [cmdb_ci_storage_mapping]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Compute Template [cmdb_ci_compute_template] or Cloud Hardware Type [cmdb_ci_cloud_hardware_type]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Contains::Contained by DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Use End Point To::Use End Point From Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet] Implement End Point To::Implement End Point From Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Network [cmdb_ci_network] Contains::Contained by Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet]
    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 Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]

    AWS Tag discovery

    The Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern collects tags and populates them in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.

    Table 7. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table.

    AWS BYOL discovery

    Starting with Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns version 1.30.2, the pattern extension section discovers the following license types for Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) VMs:
    • Bring Your Own License (BYOL)
    • License included
    The pattern stores the license type and model in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.
    Table 8. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] The license type key, which is one of the following:
    • Windows_OS_License_Type_automatic
    • RHEL_OS_License_Type_automatic
    Value [value] The license model, which is one of the following:
    • BYOL
    • License Included
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table.