GCP PubSub data input configuration fields

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of GCP PubSub data input configuration fields

    This guide explains the configuration fields for setting up a GCP PubSub data input in ServiceNow's Health Log Analytics, specifically for the Zurich release. It details the required settings to establish a connection between Google Cloud Pub/Sub and a ServiceNow MID Server to stream log data securely and efficiently.

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    Basic Configuration

    • Name: Assign a unique name to the data input; this is mandatory.
    • Port: Select a unique port on the MID Server for communication, ensuring it is open by your security team; this is mandatory.
    • Execute on: Choose whether to run the data input on a specific MID Server or a MID Server cluster.
    • MID Server: If a specific MID Server is chosen, select one that supports basic authentication and log ingestion. The default maximum concurrent data inputs per MID Server is 10 but can be adjusted.
    • MID Server Cluster: If a cluster is selected, it must be a failover cluster with MID Servers supporting basic authentication. Log ingestion is enabled automatically if not already active. The system runs on one MID Server until failure, then fails over to the next available server.
    • Service instance: Bind the log data to a specific service instance, which must be operational. Create one if none exists.

    Read-only Information

    • Transport: Protocol used is PubSub.
    • Sources count: Number of log sources created by this data input.
    • Status: Current operational status of the data input.
    • Disabled since: Timestamp when data input stopped or failed.
    • Last log time: Timestamp of the most recent log received.

    Transport Tab Fields

    • Project ID: Google Cloud project identifier.
    • Topic Name: Pub/Sub topic to subscribe to for log data.
    • GCP Credential Alias: Credential alias used for authentication. You can select an existing alias or create a new one.
    • Subscription Name: Pub/Sub subscription used to receive logs. Defaults to "ServiceNow-Subscription" if left blank.

    Advanced Configuration

    • Subscriber Thread Pool Size: Number of concurrent threads for downloading messages from Pub/Sub, default is 1.
    • Default timezone: Time zone applied when logs lack time zone information, default is GMT.
    • Max length in bytes: Maximum size of individual log messages, default is 32,766 bytes.
    • Character encoding: Encoding used for logs, fixed to UTF-8.
    • Sub sample drop ratio: Ratio of events to drop; default is -1 (no drop).
    • Sub sample receive ratio: Ratio of events to receive; default is -1 (receive all).
    • Rate limit: Maximum events processed per second; default is -1 (no limit).
    • Drop if queue is full: Option to discard logs if the queue to access the MID Server is congested; default is cleared (do not drop).

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    By correctly configuring these fields, ServiceNow customers can seamlessly ingest log data from Google Cloud Pub/Sub into Health Log Analytics. This ensures reliable log streaming via MID Servers or clusters with failover capabilities, supports scaling via thread pools, and safeguards performance with rate limiting and queue management options. Proper setup helps maintain operational visibility and supports proactive monitoring and troubleshooting.

    Description of the fields on the GCP PubSub data input configuration form.

    Basic configuration

    Field Description
    Name Name of the new data input. This field is required.
    Port The port for the MID Server.

    Select a unique port from the array. The placeholder shows the range of ports from which to choose. Make sure that your organization’s security team opens the selected port.

    This field is required.
    Execute on Option to select whether to use a specific MID Server or a MID Server cluster. This field is required.
    MID

    (Only when the Execute on field is set to Specific MID Server)

    The MID Server to which the logs are streamed.
    Note:
    • You can select only MID Servers with log ingestion capability that support basic authentication. MID Servers that support mTLS are not listed.
    • The default maximum number of data inputs streaming logs to a single MID Server is 10. You can modify this number in the MID Server properties.
    • If log ingestion is not enabled for the selected MID Server, Health Log Analytics enables it automatically.
    This field is required.
    MID Server Cluster

    (Only when Execute on is set to Specific MID Server cluster.)

    The MID Server cluster to which the log data is pulled. This field is required.

    The data input runs on a single MID Server in the cluster until that MID Server fails. The system then moves all the data input tasks to the next available MID Server in the cluster according to the configured order.

    Note:
    • Health Log Analytics supports only failover MID Server clusters. In these clusters, multiple MID Servers are grouped together for failover protection. When selecting a cluster from the data input or integration form, the MID Server clusters list displays only failover clusters.
    • The MID Server cluster must include only MID Servers that support basic authentication. mTLS is not supported for log ingestion.
    • Log ingestion must be enabled for each MID Server in the cluster. If log ingestion is not enabled for the active MID Server, Health Log Analytics enables it automatically.
    • The default maximum number of data inputs or integrations streaming logs to a single MID Server is 10. A cluster passes capacity validation if it contains at least one MID Server with fewer than 10 data inputs or integrations running on it, even when that MID Server is down.
    For more information about MID Server clusters, see Configure a MID Server cluster.
    Service instance The service instance to which to bind the log data. This field is required.
    Note:
    If no relevant service instance exists, Create an service instance and add CIs to it. Set the status of the new service instance to Operational.

    The fields in the following table show read-only information.

    Field Description
    Transport Protocol used to send the log data: PubSub.
    Sources count The number of log sources this data input has created.
    Status Status of the data input.
    Disabled since The time when the data input stopped or failed.
    Last log time The time when the last log streamed in the data input.
    Table 1. Transport tab
    Field Description
    Project ID The project ID of the Google Cloud project. For example, my-project-id.
    Topic Name The Google Cloud Pub/Sub topic to which to subscribe Health Log Analytics. For example, my_topic.
    GCP Credential Alias The credential alias to be used.

    Specify one GCP credential alias by selecting the magnifying glass icon and then either selecting an existing credential alias from the Connection & Credential Aliases list, or selecting New to create a new record. The default is sn_occ.HLA_Credential_Alias.

    For information about creating a credential alias, see Credential aliases for Discovery.
    Subscription Name The subscription Health Log Analytics uses to receive log data that is published on the Google Cloud Pub/Sub topic.

    If you leave this field blank, Health Log Analytics uses ServiceNow-Subscription.

    Advanced configuration

    Table 2. Advanced tab
    Field Description Default value
    Subscriber Thread Pool Size The number of concurrent threads that are downloading files from the Google Cloud Pub/Sub topic. 1
    Default timezone The default time zone of events. The system uses this default when the log does not specify a time zone. GMT
    Max length in bytes The maximum length of log messages, in bytes. 32,766
    Character encoding (Read-only) The character encoding for this data input. UTF-8
    Sub sample drop ratio The ratio of events to drop. -1
    Sub sample receive ratio The ratio of events to receive. -1
    Rate limit The maximum number of events per second that this data input processes. -1
    Drop if queue is full Option for selecting to discard logs if many processes are waiting in the queue to access the MID Server. Clear