Connection Suggestions list

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Connection Suggestions list

    The Connection Suggestions list in Service Mapping helps you review and manage potential connections between configuration items (CIs) relevant to your application services. This feature supports informed decision-making about which connections to add or exclude, enhancing the accuracy of your service maps.

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    Key Features

    • From and To Columns: Identify the source and target CIs or processes involved in a connection, with the 'From' field visible when accessed via Administration.
    • Target Host and VIP Indicator: Displays the host of the target CI and flags if it is part of a load balancer. Selecting a VIP target includes the load balancer and all its members in the service.
    • IP and Port: Show the IP address and port of the connection target CI.
    • Confidence Level: Indicates the likelihood that the connection belongs to the service instance, ranging from High to Very Low. This relies on fingerprint-based discovery and training completion.
    • Decision Status: Reflects the current action taken on the suggestion, such as manually added, excluded, undecided, or added by rule.
    • Rule Application: Shows which Service Mapping rule was used to add a connection automatically.
    • Decision Changed By: Records the user or MID Server user who last modified the connection decision, supporting auditability.
    • Updated Timestamp: Indicates the last time the connection suggestion was changed.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging the Connection Suggestions list, you can efficiently validate and control the connections that form your application services. This helps ensure your service maps accurately represent real dependencies, improving operational visibility and troubleshooting.

    Enabling fingerprint-based discovery and monitoring the application fingerprint training status allows you to benefit from reliable confidence scores that guide your connection decisions.

    Utilizing these suggestions in bulk or individually streamlines updates to your application services, making it easier to maintain up-to-date and precise service models.

    Review details of connection suggestions to decide which connections are relevant for application services.

    Table 1. Connection Suggestions list columns
    Column Description
    From The CI class or fingerprint process of the CI that is the connection source. This field appears only when you access connection suggestions by navigating to Service Mapping > Administration > Connection Suggestions.
    To The CI class, or fingerprint, or process of the CI that is the connection target.
    Target Host The host of the CI that is the connection target.

    If the VIP column shows true, the target host is a load balancer member. When you select such a target host, the system adds the load balancer and all its members as CIs in the application service.
    IP The IP of the CI that is the connection target.
    Port The port of the CI that is the connection target.
    Confidence
    The confidence level indicates the likelihood of this connection being part of the service instances.
    • High - This connection is likely to an internal component that is only used by this specific component or application.
    • Medium - This connection is likely to a middleware component used by multiple services, such as IBM MQ or Oracle WebLogic Server.
    • Low - This connection is likely to an application deployed on numerous servers in the organization, typically for monitoring purposes, such as Tivoli Enterprise Monitoring Agents or MID Server.
    • Very low - This connection is likely to a central application used by the entire organization, for example, Microsoft Active Directory or Okta.
    If the confidence level appears as N/A, wait until the application fingerprints training is complete. See the Application fingerprint training status report.

    Confidence level is available only if fingerprint based discovery is enabled. See Discover applications based on fingerprints for more information.
    Decision This value indicates the outcome of the previous action taken on this connection suggestion:
    • Added manually - You added a connection based on this suggestion.
    • Excluded manually - You removed a connection based on this suggestion.
    • Undecided - You reset the previous decision to add or remove a connection based on this suggestion.
    • Added by rule - Service Mapping added a connection based on a connection rule.
    Rule The rule that Service Mapping applied to add a connection.
    VIP The target host is a load balancer member. The system shows this information only for load balancers that you previously discovered using horizontal discovery.

    This field appears only when you access connection suggestions by navigating to Service Mapping > Administration > Connection Suggestions.
    Decision changed by The user who changed the decision last time.

    If the decision was changed by a rule, this field shows the MID Server user. For more information about setting up MID Server user role, see Create the MID Server user and grant the role.

    This field appears only when you access connection suggestions by navigating to Service Mapping > Administration > Connection Suggestions.
    Updated The timestamp of when this connection last changed.