Oracle database discovery
Summarize
Summary of Oracle database discovery
Oracle database discovery in ServiceNow enables automated identification of Oracle database instances running on UNIX or Windows operating systems, including Oracle clusterware for Real Application Clusters (RAC). This discovery uses patterns, which replace multiple traditional probes for new instances. Customers can opt to deactivate the Horizontal discovery probe to continue using probes instead of patterns.
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Oracle DB discovery does not support RAC single-node discovery on UNIX or Windows. It also discovers Oracle catalog objects through a specific pattern extension. Customers should refer to Oracle Catalog discovery for more details on catalog data.
Credentials and Permissions
Discovery requires several credential types with appropriate permissions:
- Applicative credentials: Mandatory for executing SQL queries and creating database link connections. The database user must have access to the
tnsnames.orafile and permissions to run SQLPlus and SELECT queries on key Oracle tables. - Oracle Wallet authentication: Supported on UNIX as an alternative to applicative credentials.
- Windows credentials: Required for Windows targets, with read access to
tnsnames.oraand elevated rights for certain discovery commands. - SSH credentials: Required for UNIX targets, with read permissions to Oracle configuration files and elevated rights for discovery commands.
Discovery Process and Requirements
- Oracle instances on UNIX are identified by the running process starting with
orapmon. - Oracle instances on Windows are detected via the
oracle.exeprocess. - Oracle clusterware discovery requires permissions to read the
/etc/hosts/file and to execute various Oracle Grid Infrastructure commands, often needing sudo privileges.
Classifiers, Patterns, and Probes
Discovery uses classifiers, probes, and patterns specifically designed for Oracle instances and clusterware:
- The Horizontal discovery probe launches the Oracle DB patterns for Windows and UNIX.
- Application patterns include Oracle DB on Windows, Oracle DB on UNIX, and UNIX Cluster - ORACLE Clusterware (triggered by the
crsd.binprocess). - Oracle Listener discovery uses a dedicated SSH command probe without a pattern.
To use patterns effectively, customers must ensure the Horizontal Pattern probe is properly configured on the classifier.
Data Collected
Discovery collects comprehensive details on Oracle instances, including SID, installation directory, version, parameter files, Oracle home, edition, host name, and TCP port information. The specific file locations explored for parameter files differ between UNIX and Windows.
For Oracle clusterware, discovery gathers cluster name, status, type, IP addresses, node states, resource statuses, and VIP configurations, mapping cluster relationships within the CMDB.
Oracle Options and Extensions
Using the Oracle option extension (requiring the Software Asset Management Professional for Oracle plugin), discovery can identify enabled Oracle options and usage statistics. This requires appropriate table privileges and the ability to execute Oracle scripts for version 11.2 or later.
The Extend Oracle instance extension collects additional attributes such as container database status, unique names, replication status, and database name. This extension is included in the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application version 1.0.72 or higher.
Oracle Instances on Virtual Machines and Cloud
When Oracle instances run on virtual machines, discovery creates relationships between the Oracle instance CI and the hosting computer or server CI, marking them as virtual. For instances hosted on AWS or Azure, discovery also maps relationships involving virtual machine instances and cloud datacenters.
Clusterware CI Relationships
Discovery maps detailed relationships for Oracle clusterware components, such as Unix Clusters, Cluster Nodes, Cluster Resources, and Cluster Virtual IPs. These relationships provide a clear view of cluster compositions and hosting infrastructure.
Practical Guidance for ServiceNow Customers
- Ensure discovery credentials are correctly configured with necessary permissions to read Oracle configuration files and execute SQL queries.
- Confirm the Oracle processes (
orapmonon UNIX,oracle.exeon Windows) are running within the discovery IP ranges. - Use the Horizontal discovery probe with Oracle DB patterns for efficient and modern discovery; deactivate probes only if necessary.
- For Oracle clusterware discovery, verify sudo permissions and access to key Oracle Grid Infrastructure commands.
- Install required plugins such as Software Asset Management Professional for Oracle and the Extend Oracle instance extension to enrich discovered data.
- Understand how discovery models Oracle instances on virtual machines and cloud infrastructure to maintain accurate CI relationships.
Discovery can identify an Oracle database instance that is running on UNIX or Windows operating systems. It can also find Oracle clusterware, which runs Real Application Clusters (RAC).
Credentials
| Credential type | Additional information |
|---|---|
Applicative credentials are mandatory for two use cases: You must add the database user you configured during Oracle database installation. Specify Oracle instance [cmdb_ci_db_ora_instance] as the CI type.
The user must also have access to the tnsnames.ora parameters file. Make sure that the tnsnames.ora is configured correctly and exists in the Oracle path on the target Windows host. Also, verify that the utilized Discovery Credentials can read tnsnames.ora file. The user needs permissions for the SQL*Plus command line tool and
permissions to execute SELECT queries against the following tables:
|
|
| Oracle Wallet authentication | You can use Oracle Wallet instead of applicative credentials (for UNIX only). |
| Windows credentials | Required for Windows targets. The user must have read permissions to the tnsnames.ora 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. |
| SSH credentials | Required for UNIX targets. The user must have read permission to the oratab file and read permission to the System Parameter 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. |
Additional requirements
Discovery identifies a running instance of an Oracle database on UNIX from the process that starts with ora_pmon_. Ensure this process is running in the IP range you designate for Discovery. Discovery identifies a running instance of an Oracle database on Windows from the oracle.exe process. Ensure this process is running in the IP range you designate.
For Oracle clusterware, you also need permissions to read the /etc/hosts/ file, which associates host names with IP addresses.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
|
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Verifies if Oracle CRS process is running. |
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Gets Oracle home from the listener process path. Used when the ORACLE_HOME environment variable is unavailable. |
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Gets Oracle Grid home from the CRS daemon process path. |
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Gets Oracle CRS cluster name. |
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Gets Oracle CRS cluster ID. |
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Gets Oracle CRS version. |
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Gets Oracle CRS nodes. |
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Gets Oracle CRS node status. |
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Gets Oracle CRS resources. |
/u01/app/12.1.0.2/grid/bin/crsctl stat res -p | grep -v CHECK_R |grep -v error |grep -v failed |
Gets Oracle CRS VIP resources. |
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Gets Oracle RAC SCAN VIP configurations. |
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Gets Oracle CRS VIPs name. |
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Get Oracle CRS VIPs ip_address. |
sudo /u01/app/12.1.0.2/grid/bin/ocrcheck | egrep -v 'error|return code'.Classifiers, patterns, and probes
| Classifier | Trigger probes | Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Oracle Instance |
|
Application patterns:
This shared library pattern used by the Linux Server pattern: UNIX Cluster - ORACLE Clusterware
Note: This shared library pattern is triggered if the crsd.bin process is running on the Oracle database server. |
| Oracle Listener | SSHCommand-Oracle - Listener Details | none |
To use patterns, verify that the correct pattern is specified in the horizontal pattern probe on the classifier. See Add the Horizontal Pattern probe to a classifier for instructions.
Data collected
| Label | Field name | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| SID | sid | Obtained from the name of the process that starts with ora_pmon_ |
| Install directory | install_directory | Obtained from the path of ORA_HOME |
| Version | version | Obtained in this order:
|
| Parameter file | pfile | The following locations are explored for the location of the System Parameter File. If this file does not exist in one of the explored locations, Discovery does not find the file and reports an error.
|
| Oracle Home | oracle_home | Obtained from the ORATAB file. |
| Edition | edition | Obtained from the context.xml file. |
| Name | name | Combination of SID name Host name in the format SID@HOST_NAME. |
| TCP port(s) | tcp_port | Obtained from the tnsnames.ora file, or lsnrctl status command. If no valid information is retrieved, the default port 1521 is assigned. |
| Label | Field name | Additional information |
|---|---|---|
| SID | sid | Obtained from the process parameter that is passed to the oracle.exe process. |
| Install directory | install_directory | |
| Version | version | Obtained from the output of the ORA_HOME/bin/sqlplus.exe -V command. |
| Parameter file | pfile | The following locations are explored for the location of the System Parameter File.
If this file does not exist in one of the explored locations, Discovery does not find the
file and reports an error.
|
| Oracle Home | oracle_home | Parsed from the path of oracle.exe |
| Edition | edition |
Oracle options
For general information on Oracle options, see https://docs.oracle.com/en/.
Discovery can also find the Oracle options that you enable on the instance using the legacy pattern extension, Oracle option extension for Windows/Unix. Note that to discover Oracle options, the Software Asset Management Professional for Oracle (com.snc.samp.oracle) plugin is required.
| Label | Field name |
|---|---|
| Instance | instance |
| Option | option |
| Licensable | licensable |
| Currently used | currently_used |
| First usage date | first_usage |
| Last usage date | last_usage |
| Last sample date | last_sample |
| Detected usage | detected_usage |
| Sample interval | sample_interval |
| Table privileges needed | Additional information |
|---|---|
The following tables are accessed as part of the Oracle option extension for UNIX and Windows:
|
The following pattern extensions use the Oracle script: options_packs_usage_statistics.sql. This sql script is for DB Server version 11.2 and later. You need the Select any dictionary privilege to execute the
script. See the support document ID13172651.1 on https://support.oracle.com/portal/ for more information about usage scripts.
|
| Table | Labels and field names |
|---|---|
| Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] | Name [name] Cluster status [cluster_status] Cluster type [cluster_type] IP address [ip_address] Short description [short_description] Cluster ID [cluster_id] Cluster version [cluster_version] |
| cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node | Name [name] Node state [node_state] IP address [ip_address] Node status [node_status] |
| cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_resource | Name [name] Resource type [resource_type] Resource status [resource_status] Properties [properties] |
| cmdb_ci_cluster_vip | Name [name] IP address [ip_address] Cluster name [cluster_name] Cluster ID [cluster_id] |
On the dependency view, a +1 on an Oracle database server signifies that it is part of a cluster.
Extend Oracle instance extension
| Label | Field name |
|---|---|
| Instance | instance |
| Host Name | host_name |
| IS_CDB | cdb_yn |
| DB Unique Name | db_unique_name |
| DB Name | database_name |
| Replication Enabled | replication_enabled |
| Table privileges needed | Additional information |
|---|---|
The following tables are accessed as part of the Extend Oracle Instance extension for
UNIX and Windows:
|
The Extend Oracle Instance extension needs to be installed. This extension is included in the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application, version 1.0.72 or higher, which can be downloaded from the ServiceNow Store. |
Oracle instances on virtual machines
| CI | Relationship | CI |
|---|---|---|
| Oracle instance | Hosted on | Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] or Server [cmdb_ci_server] Note:
This is a virtual machine. The Is virtual field is true. |
| Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] or Server [cmdb_ci_server] Note:
This is a virtual machine. The Is virtual field is true. |
Virtualized by | Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] or Server [cmdb_ci_server] Note:
This is not a virtual machine. |
Oracle instances on virtual machines that are hosted on AWS or Azure clouds
| Base class | Relationship | Dependent class |
|---|---|---|
| Oracle instance | Hosted on | Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] Note: This is a virtual machine. The Is virtual field is
true. |
| Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] Note: This is a virtual machine. The Is virtual field is
true. |
Virtualized by | Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] Note: This is not a virtual machine. |
| Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] Note: This is a virtual machine. The Is virtual field is
true. |
Virtualized by | Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Note: The vCPU count is populated in
this table. |
| Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] | Hosted on | AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter] or Azure Datacenter [cmdb_ci_azure_datacenter] |
Relationships for clusterware
| CI | Relationship | CI |
|---|---|---|
| Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] | Virtualizes::Virtualized by | Cluster Virtual IP [cmdb_ci_cluster_vip] |
| Unix Cluster Resource [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_resource] | Defines resources for::Gets resources from | Unix Cluster Node [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node] |
| Cluster Virtual IP [cmdb_ci_cluster_vip] | Uses::Used by | Unix Cluster Node [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node] |
| Unix Cluster Node [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node] | Cluster of::Cluster | Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] |
| Unix Cluster Node [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node] | Hosted on:Hosts | Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] |
| Unix Cluster Resource [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_resource] | Defines resources for::Gets resources from | Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] |
Unix Cluster [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster] |
Hosts::Hosted on | Linux Server [cmdb_ci_linux_server] |
| Unix Cluster Node [cmdb_ci_unix_cluster_node] | Hosted on::Hosts | Linux Server [cmdb_ci_linux_server] |