CIs attestation

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of CIs attestation

    CIs attestation enables ServiceNow customers to verify the actual existence of IT infrastructure and applications represented as Configuration Items (CIs) in the CMDB. Since CIs are continuously ingested from multiple data sources, attestation ensures CMDB integrity by identifying and removing stale or obsolete CIs related to infrastructure or applications that no longer exist.

    Show full answer Show less

    Using the CMDB Data Manager in CMDB Workspace, customers can create attestation policies that specify which CIs require attestation and how frequently. Tasks are assigned to users familiar with the CIs, who can then attest or reject them. Rejected CIs can be retired, archived, or deleted, maintaining an accurate and trustworthy CMDB.

    Key Features

    • Attestation Policies: Define criteria and frequency for attesting CIs to systematically verify their validity in bulk.
    • Task Assignment: Assign attestation tasks to knowledgeable users responsible for reviewing and validating CIs.
    • My Work View: Allows users to conveniently access and process their assigned attestation tasks within CMDB Workspace.
    • Smart Detection and Auto-Attestation: Automatically identify and attest CIs discovered recently by discovery programs, reducing manual effort.
    • Configurable System Properties: Manage smart detection behavior using system properties such as enabling/disabling smart detection, excluding unreliable discovery sources, and setting the discovery time window for candidate CIs.

    Practical Application

    ServiceNow customers should enable attestation to maintain CMDB accuracy, reducing risks associated with outdated or incorrect CI data. By leveraging attestation policies and smart detection, organizations can automate parts of the validation process, saving time and increasing confidence in their IT asset records.

    Configuring system properties allows tailoring auto-attestation criteria to align with organizational discovery tools and reliability requirements.

    Key Outcomes

    • Improved CMDB integrity by systematically verifying and removing obsolete CIs.
    • Increased operational efficiency through automated smart detection and auto-attestation of recently discovered CIs.
    • Clear accountability by assigning attestation tasks to users familiar with the relevant CIs.
    • Enhanced visibility and management of attestation tasks via the My Work view in CMDB Workspace.

    Verify the existence of actual IT infrastructure and applications that you own, systematically and in bulk. As CIs are continuously ingested into the CMDB from various data sources, ensure the integrity of the CMDB. Remove any stale CIs that are associated with IT infrastructure or applications that no longer exists.

    Use the CMDB Data Manager in CMDB Workspace to create an Attestation policy, specifying CIs that need to be attested and the attestation frequency. Assign Attestation tasks to users that are familiar with or that manage the CIs, and who can attest or reject the IT infrastructure or applications that those CIs represent. Rejected CIs that are no longer needed can then be retired, archived, or deleted from the CMDB.

    Users can go to the My Work view in CMDB Workspace to see their assigned attestation tasks, and then review and process the tasks.

    Smart detection and auto-attestation

    Smart detection streamlines and simplifies CI attestation. With smart detection you can auto-attest CIs that are automatically detected by discovery programs, based only on recent discovery results.

    The following conditions must be met to enable smart detection:
    In addition, smart detection uses the following system properties as filters when creating a list of CIs that are candidates for auto-attestation. To be included as candidates for auto-attestation, CIs must be discovered:
    • Within the discovery time window specified by the sn_cmdb_ws.attestation.smart_detection.discovery_window system property (for example, within the last 30 days)
    • By any discovery source that isn't excluded by the sn_cmdb_ws.attestation.smart_detection.discovery_source.exclusion system property
    Then, when you review those candidate CIs, you can choose to auto-attest them.

    Properties associated with Attestation

    Property Description

    sn_cmdb_ws.attestation.smart_detection.disabled

    Disables smart detection.
    sn_cmdb_ws.attestation.smart_detection.discovery_source.exclusion

    Comma-separated list of discovery sources that are excluded in smart detection processing. For example, a data source that is unreliable in detecting CIs.

    CIs discovered by discovery sources in the list, can't be candidates for auto-attestation.
    sn_cmdb_ws.attestation.smart_detection.discovery_window

    Number of days (discovery window) that smart detection uses to determine whether a CI is a candidate for auto-attestation. Only CIs that were discovered within this discovery window can be candidates for auto-attestation.