Discovery data collected for storage via a host

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
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    Summary of Discovery Data Collected for Storage via a Host

    This documentation describes how ServiceNow Discovery collects detailed storage-related data from hosts running Linux, Solaris, and Windows operating systems, including VMware ESX environments. The discovery process gathers information about storage units connected to hosts through local I/O ports or Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), enabling comprehensive visibility into physical and virtual storage components.

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    Key Features

    • Multi-Platform Support: Discovery supports storage data collection on Linux, Solaris, Windows 2008/2012, and VMware vCenter environments.
    • Storage Probes: Various probes collect data on disks, disk partitions, Fibre Channel (FC) disks, FC ports, file systems, iSCSI disks, NAS file systems, storage HBAs, storage pools, pool members, and VMware datastores.
    • Storage Relationships: The system maps relationships between storage devices, hosts, HBAs, FC ports, storage pools, and volumes, establishing accurate configuration item (CI) dependencies in the CMDB.
    • HBA Data Collection: Discovery gathers detailed HBA data, including model IDs, WWNN (World Wide Node Name), WWPN (World Wide Port Name), port types, speeds, controllers, and operational status for HBAs on Linux, Solaris (Emulex and QLogic), and Windows hosts.
    • Fibre Channel Targets: Information about FC targets, including creation metadata and WWNN/WWPN identifiers, is collected and stored for Windows, Linux, and Solaris hosts.

    Data Collected by Operating System

    • Linux and ESX Hosts: Probes collect HBA attributes such as name, WWNN, model ID, and computer association. FC port details include WWPN, WWNN, port type, speed, controller, and computer. FC target information includes disk associations, creation/modification metadata, and WWPN/WWNN identifiers.
    • Solaris Hosts: Discovery supports HBAs from Emulex and QLogic. It populates the Storage HBA table with device details (name, device ID, manufacturer, model ID, serial number). FC port data collected includes port attributes and operational status. FC disk and target data include storage type, device interface, LUN, WWPN, and WWNN.
    • Windows Hosts: Discovery supports HBAs across Windows operating systems, collecting similar HBA and FC port data as in Linux and Solaris environments, including WWPN, WWNN, model ID, port type, speed, and controller information.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enable accurate and automated discovery of complex storage infrastructures connected to hosts, ensuring up-to-date configuration data.
    • Improve CMDB integrity by mapping detailed storage device relationships and dependencies, facilitating impact analysis and troubleshooting.
    • Support multi-platform environments by collecting consistent storage data across Linux, Solaris, Windows, and VMware hosts.
    • Assist in managing storage assets by capturing comprehensive HBA and Fibre Channel port details, critical for storage connectivity and performance monitoring.

    Discovery gathers information about storage units that connect to Linux, Solaris, and Windows hosts via a local I/O port or Host Bus Adapter (HBA).

    Probes used to discover storage from a host

    Table Probes
    Disk [cmdb_ci_disk]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Disk Partition [cmdb_ci_disk_partition]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Fibre Channel Disk [cmdb_ci_fc_disk]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    File System [cmdb_ci_file_system]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    iSCSI Disk [cmdb_ci_iscsi_disk]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    NAS File System [cmdb_ci_nas_file_system]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    Storage Pool [cmdb_ci_storage_pool] Linux - Storage
    Storage Pool Member [cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member] Linux - Storage
    VMware vCenter Datastore [cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore] VMware - vCenter Datastores

    Storage references discovered

    Discovery maps these references for storage units that connect to a host via a local I/O port or Host Bus Adapter (HBA).
    Table and column Reference Target data element
    cmdb_ci_storage_device.computer refers to the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_device.provided_by refers to the cmdb_ci_fc_port (for FC only)
    cmdb_ci_disk_partition.disk is a partition of cmdb_ci_disk
    cmdb_ci_storage_hba.computer is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_fc_port.controller contains the cmdb_ci_storage_hba
    cmdb_ci_fc_port.computer is the same cmdb_ci_computer as cmdb_ci_storage_hba.computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_volume.computer is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_volume.provided_by is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_device (providing storage)
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool.hosted_by is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_computer the pool is on cmdb_ci_storage_pool.container
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool.container is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member containing the pool (if the pool is present)
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member.pool is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool
    cmdb_ci_storge_pool_member.storage is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool, cmdb_ci_disk_partition or cmdb_ci_storage_device providing storage

    Data collected for HBAs on Linux and ESX servers

    Discovery collects information on host bus adapters (HBA) for fiber channel enabled devices connected to Linux and ESX servers.
    Table 1. HBA tables and fields
    Label Table Field name Source
    Name Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] name
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    WWNN Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Model ID Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] model_id
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Computer Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Table 2. Fibre Channel ports
    Label Table Field name Source
    WWPN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwpn VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage
    • probe
    • Linux - Storage
    WWNN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Port type Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] port_type
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Speed Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] speed
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Controller Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] controller
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Computer Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Table 3. Fibre Channel targets
    Label Table Field name Source
    FC Disk Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] fc_disk
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Created by Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_created_by
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Created Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_created_on
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    SysID Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_id
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updates Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_mod_count
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updated by Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_updated_by
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updated Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_updated_on
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] wwnn
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWPN Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] wwpn
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012

    Data collected for HBAs on Solaris servers

    Discovery on Solaris supports HBAs manufactured by:
    • Emulex
    • QLogic
    Discovery populates these fields in the Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] table, using the Solaris - Storage probe and sensor.
    Label Field name
    Name name
    Computer computer
    Device ID device_id
    Manufacturer manufacturer
    Model ID model_id
    Serial number serial_number
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] table.
    Label Field name
    Name name
    Computer computer
    Controller controller
    WWPN wwpn
    WWNN wwnn
    Port type port_type
    Speed speed
    Operational status operational_status
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Disk [cmdb_ci_fc_disk] table.
    Label Name
    Name name
    Storage type storage_type
    Device interface device_interface
    Device LUN device_lun
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] table.
    Label Name
    FC Disk fc_disk
    WWNN wwnn
    WWPN wwpn

    Data collected for HBAs on Windows servers

    Discovery on Windows supports HBAs on any operating system.
    Table 4. HBA tables and fields
    Label Table Field Name Source
    Name Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] name
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Model ID Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] model_id
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Computer Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Table 5. Fibre Channel ports
    Label Table Field Name Source
    WWPN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwpn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Port type Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] port_type
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Speed Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] speed
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Controller Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] controller
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Computer Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012