---
sourceDocument: Yokohama IT Operations Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/it-operations-management

 Release :

    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama IT Operations Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itom

bundleId :

    - itom

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Enable service maps using service meshes

# Enable service maps using service meshes {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated July 31, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Enable application service maps based on the traffic between the workloads in Kubernetes by using Istio or Linkerd or service meshes as part of Kubernetes Visibility Agent (KVA) installation.

## Before you begin

You must have a Prometheus server and provide the Prometheus URL.

Role required: discovery_admin.

## About this task

If you use a service mesh, a pod running on every node (Informer) communicates with a Prometheus server to get the traffic information. For more information, see [Install Kubernetes Visibility Agent (KVA) Informer](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/skfDBD8ABVoxV9UUc3EX3Q "You can install Kubernetes Visibility Agent Informer using either a Helm chart or the Kubernetes YAML file.")

## Procedure

Set parameters either during Helm chart archive installation or by modifying the Kubernetes YAML file provided by ServiceNow.

| Method | Actions |
| During Helm installation | In the `Helm install` command, add the following parameter: --set connectionsDiscovery.method=<METHOD> where \<METHOD\> is the URL for either Istio (http://prometheus.istio-system:9090) or Linkerd (http://prometheus.linkerd-viz:9090). Note: If your Prometheus server URL is not the default one, use the following parameter: --set connectionsDiscovery.prometheusUrl |
| Modify the k8s_informer.yaml script | 1. Access the k8s_informer.yaml script. 2. Set the environment variable <var class="keyword varname">k8s_informer.yaml</var> by entering either Istio or Linkerd in quotation marks: -- name: GET_CONNECTIONS_METHOD value: "" 3. Run the following command: kubectl apply -f k8s_informer.yaml {#create-service-maps-using-service-mesh__ol_oqq_3vk_bgc} |
|-|-|

{#create-service-maps-using-service-mesh__choicetable_cc2_2vk_bgc}

## What to do next

[Create application service maps](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eK~KGuIlJG1OmWEeQzo6RA "Create a service map that maps application services based on traffic between the workloads in Kubernetes using Istio or Linkerd service meshes or a ServiceNow DaemonSet.")