AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery

    The AWS virtual server pattern-based discovery enables ServiceNow customers to identify and collect detailed information about AWS EC2 virtual machine instances within their cloud environments. This discovery process populates the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with critical data about virtual machines (VMs), storage, network components, and associated AWS resources. Customers may need to update to the latest Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store to ensure compatibility and access to the newest features.

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    Key Features

    • Instance Data Collection: Discovers VM attributes such as name, unique IDs, state (running or stopped), memory, CPU count, network interfaces, disk volumes, private IP, and fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
    • Status Management: Tracks install and operational status of VMs, with a configurable MID Server property to accurately reflect reactivated VM statuses, noting potential performance impact for large environments.
    • Storage Mapping: Captures storage details including device mount points, root device types (EBS or instance store), and status information.
    • Network Components: Discovers subnet endpoints, cloud subnets, and associated IP addresses and AWS regions.
    • Image and OS Discovery: Identifies Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) and associates OS templates or cloud OS images with VMs, recommending storing OS images in the Cloud Image table to avoid excessive records.
    • CI Relationships: Establishes relationships between discovered CIs such as virtual machines, storage, DNS names, availability zones, datacenters, subnets, networks, and compute templates, enhancing CMDB accuracy and service mapping.
    • AWS Tag Collection: Captures AWS tags linked to VMs and stores them in the Key Value table for easy reference and filtering.
    • BYOL License Discovery: Supports discovery of Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) license types, distinguishing between Bring Your Own License (BYOL) and license-included models, with license data stored in the Key Value table.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Gain comprehensive visibility into AWS EC2 instances and related cloud infrastructure directly within the ServiceNow CMDB.
    • Improve accuracy of VM operational and install statuses, crucial for asset management and compliance.
    • Understand relationships and dependencies among AWS resources to support service mapping and impact analysis.
    • Manage licensing information efficiently, supporting compliance and cost optimization for Windows and RHEL VMs.
    • Leverage AWS tagging data for better organization, reporting, and automation within ServiceNow.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds AWS EC2 virtual machine instances on your cloud environment. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Pattern-based discovery and mapping requirements

    Verify the AWS discovery prerequisites section in Amazon AWS Cloud components discovery using patterns.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern.

    Table 1. Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the instance.

    Possible values are the tag name, if available, or the instance ID.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier for the instance.
    State [state] Power state of the instance.
    Possible values:
    • On: Instance is running
    • Off: Instance is stopped
    VM Instance ID [vm_inst_id] Instance identifier from AWS.
    Memory (MB) [memory] Amount of memory allocated to the instance in megabytes (MB).
    Network adapters [nics] Number of network interface cards (NICs) attached to the instance.
    Disks [disks] Number of volumes attached to the instance.
    CPUs [cpus] Total number of virtual CPUs (vCPUs).
    IP Address [ip_address] Private IP address assigned to the instance.
    Fully qualified domain name [fqdn] Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) assigned to the instance.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the resource.

    For example: Installed or Retired.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the resource.

    For example: Operational, Non-Operational, or Retired.
    Note:

    If you have reactivated a retired virtual machine (VM) and want its active state to be accurately reflected in the Operational status and Install Status fields in the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table, set the sn_itom_pattern.discover_aws_instance_statuses MID Server property to true. Note that this setting involves additional API calls—one for each page of the pattern execution—which may impact performance if you're managing a large number of VMs.

    Table 2. Storage Mapping [cmdb_ci_storage_mapping]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Unique identifier for the storage mapping.
    Object ID [object_id] Unique identifier for the storage mapping.
    Mapping Type [mapping_type] The root device type used by the Amazon Machine Image (AMI).

    The AMI can use an EBS volume or an instance store volume.
    Mount Point [mount_point] Device name where the volume is mounted.

    For example: /dev/sda1.
    Host [host] Public IP address of the instance, if available.
    Install Status [install_status] Install status of the resource. Default value is Installed.
    Operational status [operational_status] Operational status of the resource. Default value is Operational.
    Table 3. Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] Subnet identifier.
    Name [name] Subnet identifier.
    IP Address [ip_address] IP address associated with the subnet endpoint.
    Region [region] AWS region where the subnet is located.
    Table 4. Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] Subnet identifier.
    Table 5. DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Domain Name System (DNS) name assigned to the instance.
    Table 6. Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Field Description
    Object ID [object_id] AMI identifier.
    Provider [provider] Cloud provider, which is AWS.

    This field is only populated in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table.
    Note:
    When using the Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] table to store Cloud OS images, you may notice an unusually large number of records. To avoid this issue, you can store the discovered OS images in the Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] table. For more information, see Enable Cloud OS Image discovery.

    CI relationships

    The Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern creates these relationships to support AWS virtual server discovery.

    CI Relationship CI
    Availability Zone [cmdb_ci_availability_zone] Contains::Contained by Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Contains::Contained by Storage Mapping [cmdb_ci_storage_mapping]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Compute Template [cmdb_ci_compute_template] or Cloud Hardware Type [cmdb_ci_cloud_hardware_type]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Provisioned From::Provisioned Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Contains::Contained by DNS Name [cmdb_ci_dns_name]
    Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] Use End Point To::Use End Point From Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet] Implement End Point To::Implement End Point From Subnet Endpoint [cmdb_ci_endpoint_subnet]
    Network [cmdb_ci_network] Contains::Contained by Cloud Subnet [cmdb_ci_cloud_subnet]
    Image [cmdb_ci_os_template] or Cloud Image [cmdb_ci_cloud_os_image] Hosted on::Hosts AWS Datacenter [cmdb_ci_aws_datacenter]
    Key Value [cmdb_key_value] References Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]

    AWS Tag discovery

    The Amazon AWS - Virtual Server (LP) pattern collects tags and populates them in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.

    Table 7. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] Tag name.
    Value [value] Tag value.
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table.

    AWS BYOL discovery

    Starting with Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns version 1.30.2, the pattern extension section discovers the following license types for Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) VMs:
    • Bring Your Own License (BYOL)
    • License included
    The pattern stores the license type and model in the Key Value [cmdb_key_value] table.
    Table 8. Key Value [cmdb_key_value]
    Field Description
    Key [key] The license type key, which is one of the following:
    • Windows_OS_License_Type_automatic
    • RHEL_OS_License_Type_automatic
    Value [value] The license model, which is one of the following:
    • BYOL
    • License Included
    Configuration item [configuration_item] References the Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance] table.