IBM WebSphere server discovery using probes

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of IBM WebSphere server discovery using probes

    This content describes how ServiceNow Discovery identifies and catalogs IBM WebSphere Application Server instances running on Windows and Linux systems using probes. Discovery populates Configuration Management Database (CMDB) records for WebSphere servers, their cells, web applications, and web services. Note that starting with Visibility Content version 6.1.0, pattern-based discovery is the default, and probe-based discovery is disabled by default.

    Show full answer Show less

    Requirements for Discovery

    • Windows: Enable PowerShell on the MID Server to allow probes to run.
    • Linux: Enable SSH and set execute and read permissions on key WebSphere configuration files—serverindex.xml, cell.xml, and server.xml—for probes to access.

    Probes and Sensors

    Discovery detects running WebSphere server processes by matching the com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer process on both Linux and Windows. It extracts parameters such as servername, nodename, cellname, and configpath from the process command line to locate configuration files.

    When a WebSphere server process is detected, a record is created in the cmdbciappserverwebsphere table. The following probes then run:

    • Cell probe: Searches for cell.xml in the configured directory to populate WebSphere Cell records (cmdbciwebspherecell).
    • Web Applications probe: Reads serverindex.xml to create Web Application records (cmdbciwebapplication).
    • Web Services probe: Reads server.xml to create Web Service records (cmdbciwebservice).

    File paths for configuration files differ slightly between Windows and Linux but are derived from the process parameters.

    Data Collected

    The discovery collects key data fields from configuration files and running processes to populate CMDB tables:

    • cmdbciappserverwebsphere: Server name from running process.
    • cmdbciwebspherecell: Cell name, ID, type, and discovery protocol from cell.xml.
    • cmdbciwebapplication: Application names from serverindex.xml.
    • cmdbciwebservice: Service names and IDs from server.xml.

    Relationships Created

    Discovery establishes relationships between CIs to represent deployment and containment:

    • WebSphere application servers run on Linux or Windows servers.
    • WebSphere servers contain web applications.
    • Web services run on WebSphere application servers.
    • WebSphere cells contain application servers.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    By enabling probe-based discovery with the proper permissions and configuration, customers can automatically detect IBM WebSphere Application Server instances and their components in their environments. This enriches the CMDB with accurate and detailed WebSphere infrastructure data, supporting better service mapping, impact analysis, and operational efficiency. Customers should ensure their MID Servers have the necessary access and consider using pattern-based discovery as the default method unless probe-based discovery is specifically required.

    The IBM WebSphere application server is a software framework with middleware that hosts Java-based web applications. Discovery creates or updates a CMDB record when it detects an instance of a WebSphere application server running on a Windows or Linux system.

    Note:
    Starting with Visibility Content version 6.1.0, pattern-based discovery is the default method for discovering IBM WebSphere Application Servers. The WebSphere probes are disabled by default. For more information, see IBM WebSphere Application Server discovery using patterns.

    Websphere discovery on Windows

    Requirements for discovery:

    For WebSphere application servers running on Windows systems, enable PowerShell on the MID Server.

    Websphere discovery on Linux

    Requirements for discovery:
    • Enable SSH on the WebSphere Application Server.
    • Set execute privileges to enable the following probes to run commands:
      • WebSphere - Get serverindex.xml: cat/read permissions on the serverindex.xml file
      • WebSphere - Get cell.xml: cat/read permissions on the cell.xml file
      • WebSphere - Get server.xml: cat/read permissions on the server.xml file

    For a list of privileged commands that you need for Discovery and Service Mapping, see Service Mapping commands requiring a privileged user. This list includes commands that require elevated rights to discover and map Unix-based hosts in your organization.

    Probes and sensors

    Discovery uses this process to identify Linux WebSphere application servers:

    1. The Unix - Active Processes probe detects a running process that matches the com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer. For example, the ...com.ibm.ws.bootstrap.WSLauncher com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer process output has a parameter of /opt/IBM/WPS/profiles/ccmdb/config localhostNode01Cell ccmdb01 server1. The values are:
      • last parameter = server_name = server1
      • last parameter - 1 = node_name = ccmdb01
      • last parameter - 2 = cell_name = localhostNode01Cell
      • last parameter - 3 = config_path = ‘/opt/IBM/WPS/profiles/ccmdb/config’
    2. If there is a match, a record is created in the IBM Websphere [cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere] table. The following probes are triggered:
      • WebSphere - Cell
      • WebSphere - Web Applications
      • WebSphere –Web Services
    3. The WebSphere - Cell probe searches for the cell.xml file for the instance by using the parameters in the running process, and then searching in the related <config_path>\cells\<cell_name>\ directory.
    4. If the probe successfully finds the cell.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Websphere Cell [cmdb_ci_websphere_cell] table records as necessary.
    5. If the probe successfully finds the serverindex.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Web Application [cmdb_ci_web_application] table records as necessary.
    6. If the probe successfully finds the server.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Web Service [cmdb_ci_web_service] table records as necessary.

    Discovery uses this process to identify Windows WebSphere application servers:

    1. The Windows - Active Processes probe detects a running process that matches the com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer. For example, the ...com.ibm.ws.bootstrap.WSLauncher com.ibm.ws.runtime.WsServer process output has a parameter of /opt/IBM/WPS/profiles/ccmdb/config localhostNode01Cell ccmdb01 server1. The values are:
      • last parameter = server_name = server1
      • last parameter - 1 = node_name = ccmdb01
      • last parameter - 2 = cell_name = localhostNode01Cell
      • last parameter - 3 = config_path = ‘/opt/IBM/WPS/profiles/ccmdb/config’
    2. If there is a match, a record is created in the IBM Websphere [cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere] table. The following probes are triggered:
      • Windows - WebSphere - Cell
      • Windows - WebSphere - Web Applications
      • Windows - WebSphere –Web Services
    3. The Windows - WebSphere - Cell probe searches for the cell.xml file for the instance by using the parameters in the running process, and then searching in the related <config_path>\cells\<cell_name>\ directory.
    4. If the probe successfully finds the cell.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Websphere Cell [cmdb_ci_websphere_cell] table records as necessary.
    5. The Windows - WebSphere - Web Applications probe searches the serverindex.xml file for the instance by using the parameters in the running process, and then searching in the related <config_path>\cells\<cell_name>\nodes\<node_name> directory.
    6. If the probe successfully finds the serverindex.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Web Application [cmdb_ci_web_application] table records as necessary.
    7. The Windows WebSphere - Web Services probe searches for the server.xml file for the instance by using the parameters in the running process, and then searching in the related <config_path>\cells\<cell_name>\nodes\<node_name>\servers\<server_name> directory.
    8. If the probe successfully finds the server.xml file, the sensor reads its contents and populates additional Web Service [cmdb_ci_web_service] table records as necessary.

    Data collected

    Table 1. Data collected on Windows Websphere servers
    Table Field Source
    cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere Name (name) Running process
    cmdb_ci_websphere_cell Name (name) cell.xml
    cmdb_ci_websphere_cell Cell ID (cell_id) cell.xml
    cmdb_ci_websphere_cell Cell type (cell_type) cell.xml
    cmdb_ci_websphere_cell Cell discovery protocol (cell_discovery_protocol) cell.xml
    cmdb_ci_web_service Name (name) server.xml
    cmdb_ci_web_service Service ID (service_id) server.xml
    cmdb_ci_web_application Name (name) serverindex.xml
    Table 2. Data collected on Linux Websphere servers
    Label Table Name Field Name Source
    Name cmdb_ci_websphere_cell name server.xml
    App server cmdb_ci_web_service app_server Internal reference
    Name cmdb_ci_web_service name server.xml
    Name cmdb_ci_web_application name serverindex.xml
    App server cmdb_ci_web_application app_server serverindex.xml

    Relationships

    These relationships are created in the CI Relationship [cmdb_rel_ci] table.
    Parent class Relationship type Child class
    cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere Runs on::Runs cmdb_ci_linux_server
    cmdb_ci_win_server Runs on::Runs cmdb_ci_win_server
    cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere Contains::Contained by cmdb_ci_web_application
    cmdb_ci_web_service Runs on::Runs cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere
    cmdb_ci_websphere_cell Contains::Contained by cmdb_ci_app_server_websphere