Traversal Rules for Application Services form completion

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated October 22, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Traversal Rules for Application Services form completion

    The Traversal Rules for Application Services form is essential for editing or adding CI relationships during the tag-based discovery process. This form allows ServiceNow customers to define relationships between Configuration Items (CIs) efficiently, ensuring accurate data representation in the CMDB.

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    Key Features

    • Create New CI Relationships: Use the form to select or define new CI relationships and submit them to the CI Relationship Type Rule Definitions table.
    • Edit Existing Relationships: Modify preconfigured CI relationships by selecting them, making necessary changes, and updating the record.
    • Reverse Traversal: Enable reverse traversal to find parent CIs starting from child CIs, enhancing discovery capabilities.
    • Active Status: Mark traversal rules as active or inactive for use in tag-based discovery, with a maximum of five active rules by default.
    • Order of Execution: Assign order numbers to ensure proper sequence during discovery, crucial for handling dependencies between rules.

    Key Outcomes

    By effectively using the Traversal Rules form, ServiceNow customers can ensure accurate CI relationships, streamline the discovery process, and avoid errors associated with incorrect rule configurations. This functionality supports better management of IT assets and enhances the overall integrity of the CMDB.

    To edit an existing CI relationship or add a new CI relationship during the tag-based discovery process, complete the Traversal Rules for Application Services form.

    Field Description
    Rule Definition
    To create a new CI relationship:
    1. Select New.
    2. Select the Lookup using list icon and to view the available CI Relationship Type Rule Definitions.

      Continue as follows, depending on your situation:

      • If you see a CI relationship that you want to use:
        1. Select that relationship.
        2. Select Submit. The new CI relationship is added to the CI Relationship Type Rule Definitions [cmdb_rel_type_rule_definitions_list] table.
      • If you don’t see the desired CI relationship:
        1. Select New in the CI Relationship Type Rule Definitions window.
        2. Select the CI Class from the Parent Type list.
        3. Begin entering the relationship in the Relationship Type field and select the appropriate relationship type from the list.
        4. Select the CI Class from the Child Type list.
        5. Select Submit.
        6. Select Submit on the Traversal Rules for Application Services - New Record form. The new CI relationship is added to the CI Relationship Type Rule Definitions [cmdb_rel_type_rule_definitions_list] table.
    To edit a preconfigured CI relationship:
    1. Select the preconfigured CI relationship in the Parent Type column.
    2. Select the Preview this record icon , then select Open Record.
    3. Modify the Parent Type, Relationship Type, or Child Type as needed.
    4. Select Update.
    For example, to discover Linux servers hosting storage devices, select the following values:
    • Parent Type: Linux Server [cmdb_ci_linux_server]
    • Relationship Type: Contains::Contained by
    • Child Type: Storage Device [cmdb_ci_storage_device]
    Is reverse Select this check box to traverse a CI relationship starting from the child CI instead of the parent CI.

    Using the previous example, select this check box to begin with the storage devices and find the Linux servers that host these specific storage devices.
    Used By Select only Service by Tags.
    Note:
    Don’t select Service Recomputation. This selection helps prevent editing any existing traversal rules or adding new ones and produces an error message.
    Active Select this check box to use this traversal rule in the tag-based discovery.

    Alternatively, clear this check box to exclude this traversal rule from the tag-based discovery.

    Note:
    By default, you can have only five traversal rules participating in tag-based discovery. To change the maximum number of traversal rules, edit the value for the svc_by_tags.max.traversal.rules.active property in the System Property [sys_properties] table.
    Order Enter a number for the order. The system uses traversal rules for discovery in sequence from low order to high.
    Note:
    When configuring traversal rules with dependencies, verify that prerequisite rules are executed before dependent ones by assigning them a lower-order number.