Build a Service Mapping query using the CMDB Query Builder

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 5 minutes to read

    • The Service Mapping query type is a pattern consisting of classes and relationships between those classes. After you build the pattern and run the query, the query returns all the Service Mapping services that contain that pattern.

    Before you begin

    Role required: cmdb_query_builder_read to only view and run saved queries, and cmdb_query_builder to create and save queries, modify saved queries, and run queries.

    Authorized users can update and delete a query created by another user.

    About this task

    Build the query by dragging the CI classes that you want to include in the query, dropping them as nodes on the canvas, and then defining relationship properties between them. For every class node in the query, you can filter on its attributes to narrow down the results to a specific set of CIs of that class or to a single specific CI. You can also select which property columns appear in the query results.

    As you step through building a query, list options and other user interface elements of the CMDB Query Builder, are dynamically filtered as appropriate to your selections.

    See Example queries for a step-by-step walk through of building a Service Mapping query in the CMDB Query Builder.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > Configuration > CMDB Query Builder.
    2. On the CMDB Query Builder page do either of the following:
      1. Select Create new.
      2. Enter a Name.
      3. Select Service Mapping Query as the Query type.
      4. Select Create.
      5. Select a widget of a saved query to continue building an existing query. Search for a saved query first if needed.
      6. Point to the upper right corner of a saved query widget.
      7. Select the Duplicate Query icon to edit a copy of a saved query.
        The new query's default name contains the string 'copy'.
    3. On the canvas, you can do any of the following:
      • Add CI classes to the query: Select classes from the CMDB Classes hierarchy list and drag them to the canvas.
      • Add connections (relationships) between two nodes on the canvas:
        1. On the first node in the relationship, select the small square at the center of the right side.
        2. On the second node in the relationship, select the small square at the center of the left side to create the connection.
        3. In Connection Properties on the right-side bar, configure the following (select the connection line if necessary):
          • In the Relationship Direction section, select the Parent node (the Child node automatically adjusts).
          • In the Service Query Properties section, select Find Related CIs or Find Unrelated CIs to query for a pattern in which the two classes have or do not have relationships with each other, respectively.

            For example, All Tomcat WAR CIs which are not connected to a Windows Server.

        Table 1. Relationship UI Notations
        Notation Description
        Dashed line A relationship in a Service Mapping query.
      • Add filters to a class node: Apply filters to narrow down a class to a specific set of CIs or to a single specific CI.
        1. Point to the node to add a filter to, and then select the Apply filters icon that pops up above the node.
        2. In the Filters section, add attribute and related list conditions.
        3. Close the Filters section.
        For example: Add a filter for business criticality to query for businesses that are 'most critical'.

        Select Applied Filters in the right-side bar to view all filters for each node on the canvas.

      • Add And/Or operators to the query:
        1. Connect one node to two other nodes.
        2. Select the And box that appears on the connection line, to toggle between the And and the Or operators.

        For example C1 is Tomcat WAR, C2 is Linux Server, and C3 is Windows Server. Query for all Tomcat WAR CIs which are connected either to Linux Server Or to a Windows Server.

      • Add property columns for a node, to display in the query results:
        Note:
        For a relationship, the query results display the parent, child, and type columns. You cannot add any other columns from the [cmdb_rel_ci] table.
        1. Select Properties in the right-side pane.
        2. Select a node once or twice, so that the node's Report Columns section appears in the right-side bar, and then select Add Columns.
        3. Select properties and then select outside the properties list to close it.
      • Select columns and add filters that will be applied to the resulting set of services:
        1. Select Properties in the right-side bar, and then select an empty space on the canvas to ensure that nothing is selected.
        2. Select Add Columns at the bottom of the right-side bar and select columns to add. Select outside the columns list to close it.
        3. Select the Apply Service Mapping Query Filters icon at the top of the canvas and add filters.
      • Inverse the entire query and search for all Service Mapping services that do not include the query pattern: Select a node once or twice so that Query Properties appear in the right-side bar. In the Metadata section, toggle Services Including This Pattern to enable or disable the option.
      • Add a search tag that can then be used as a search criteria for saved queries:
        1. Select the Add Tags icon at the top of the canvas.
        2. Select Add Tag and in the Query Tags dialog box enter one or more tag strings.
        3. Select the Add Tags icon again to close the Query Tags dialog box.
    4. Select Save.

      On the Saved Queries tab, point to a saved query widget and select Query Information to view query details such as the query type, last update date, and the query schedules.

    What to do next

    • Select Run.

      The query results pane displays only the first 100 results of the query.
      • Select Load More Results to display the next set of 100 results.
      • Select Load All Results to display the rest of the query results, up to the number specified by the glide.cmdb.query.max_results_limit system property (10,000 by default).

      Select a CI to open its CI form, and on the CI form select Open in Workspace to view CI health in CMDB Workspace or in Service Graph Workspace. This operation requires the sn_cmdb_user (CMDB user) role.

      Note:
      When a query is running, wait for it to complete or to time out before opening or running another query.
    • Modify Query Builder settings: Select the Settings icon to open the Query Builder Settings dialog box.
    • Copy and share the URL of a saved query with users that have access to the CMDB Query Builder. Pasting the shared URL in a new internet browser window, directly opens the saved query in the CMDB Query Builder.
    • Create a report in CMDB Query Builder.
    • Create a schedule to run the query at a future time, and to email the results to interested parties.
    • Export query results:

      Export query results that are visible: Select the Query Results context menu and select Export. Even if the Load More Results button is visible, indicating that there are additional query results, only the results that are visible are exported.

    • Export and import a CMDB query to port a query definition between instances.
    • Populate a CMDB group using the saved query.
    • Delete a CMDB query.