---
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


---

# Standalone ESXi

# Standalone ESXi discovery {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated December 2, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 6 minutes to read

Summarize  
![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) 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 Standalone ESXi Discovery

Standalone ESXi discovery allows the identification of individual ESXi servers hosting virtual machines (VMs) without utilizing a vCenter.
This process discovers various configuration items (CIs) and their relationships based on a defined discovery schedule.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **User Roles:** Access to ESXi CI records requires itil and asset roles; discoveryadmin role is necessary for running standalone discovery.
* **VMware Credentials:** VMware credentials with read-only access are essential. Credentials must be created in the Discovery \> Credentials \> VMware Credentials section.
* **Requirements:** The Discovery plugin must be installed and activated, with an upgrade to Yokohama or later. The ESXi trigger probe must also be activated.
* **Discovery Process:** Discovery identifies ESXi servers using correlation IDs, Managed Object Reference IDs (MORID), and Serial Numbers based on certified hardware manufacturers.
* **Probes:** Various probes, including VMWare - Standalone ESXi Server, collect data from ESXi servers and save it in specific tables.

## Key Outcomes

After running the standalone ESXi discovery, customers can expect to have comprehensive records of their ESXi servers and associated VMs, including details on resource pools, datastores, and network configurations. If an ESXi server is later integrated into a vCenter, previous standalone discovery records can be marked as retired to prevent duplicates. Triggering a standalone discovery on an ESXi server that is now part of a vCenter will result in an error, signaling the need to manage discovery schedules accordingly.  
Standalone ESXi discovery supports discovery of individual ESXi servers that host
virtual machines (VMs) and related components without a vCenter. Various CIs and relationships
are discovered as part of a
discovery
schedule.

## Required roles {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_jmg_fkg_knb}

Users with the itil and asset roles can
access ESXi configuration item (CI) records. To run a standalone ESXi discovery, users must
have the discovery_admin role.

## VMware credentials {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_bcz_tkg_knb}

To run a standalone ESXi discovery, you need VMware credentials. Create the credentials by
navigating to Discovery \> Credentials \> VMware Credentials.

If you use a domain account to access the ESXi host, specify the domain with the user name
in the credential record in one of the supported formats, such as
Domain\\UserName.  
Note:  
The VMware credentials must have read-only role in the ESXi host.

## Requirements {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_sdr_1lg_knb}

* Make sure the Discovery (com.snc.discovery) plugin is installed and activated and that you have upgraded to Yokohama or later.
* Activate the ESXi trigger probe. Navigate to the Trigger Probe \[trigger_probe_m2m\] table. The esxi record is inactive by default. Mark Active as true to enable Standalone ESXi discovery.
* Create a new Discovery schedule for the host with the appropriate IP address of the ESXi host.

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__ul_rs1_cmg_knb}  
Note:  
If both SSH and ESXi are triggered, SSH is launched first and may cause Discovery to complete with the message "ESX Discovery is only supported through the vCenter." In this case, open the Unix - Classify probe and set ESX - OS inactive.

## ESXi server Discovery components {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_trx_m4g_knb}

Discovery identifies ESXi servers based on the correlation ID (BIOS UUID), when the
hardware manufacturer is on a certified inclusion list. If the manufacturer is on the list,
the correlation ID must be unique. If the manufacturer is not on the certified inclusion
list, the Managed Object Reference ID (MORID) and Serial Number are checked as well.

After Shazzam runs, it checks for the port probe esxi. Discovery then launches the VMWare -
Standalone ESXi Server probe, which then launches the probes that explore the ESXi server.
Other existing Discovery probes are also launched. For the complete list of probes, see
[List of Discovery probes](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/F4fPHL_pRcSyOUcSLoqUPA "A wide variety of probes exist for the Discovery application to detect elements on your network.").
{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_jmv_4df_4nb__entry__3}

| Component | Name | Description |
|-|-|-|
| IP Service | ESXi | IP Service ESXi - VMWare VM console is defined for the Port 902. |
| Port Probe | esxi | ESXi Server Appliance web user interface. It is triggered by the IP Service ESXi and it triggers the probe VMWare - Standalone ESXi Server. |
| Probe | VMWare - Standalone ESXi Server | Probe to get information about an ESXi server. |
| Probe | VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts | Creates records for ESXi servers and host mounts. Triggers other probes. * VMware - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage * VMware - vCenter Datastores * VMware - vCenter Networks * VMware -vCenter VMs {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__ul_egh_22f_4nb} |
| Probe | VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage | Creates records for ESXi host hardware: network adapters, disks, HBAs, FC ports, iSCSI and FC disks. Creates relationships between DAS/iSCSI/FC disks and datastore disks. |
[Table 1. ESXi server Discovery components]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_jmv_4df_4nb}

Basic server data from ESXi hosts is collected by the VMware - vCenter ESX Hosts probe.

## ESXi Standalone server data {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_jqb_n2f_4nb}

Discovery uses multiple existing probes to collect this data from ESXi. The data is saved
in various tables. Some of the CIs which have the "server" field have a reference to ESXi
Host (for example, cmdb_ci_esx_server).
{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_h2h_2ff_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Memory (MB) | memory |
| CPUs | cpus |
| Disks | disks |
| Network adapters | nics |
| Object ID | object_id |
| Server | server |
| State | state |
| Correlation ID | correlation_id |
| VM Instance UUID | vm_instance_uuid |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 2. VMware Virtual Machine Instance \[cmdb_ci_vmware_instance\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_h2h_2ff_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_glg_xgf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Capacity (GB) | capacity |
| Free space (GB) | freespace |
| Accessible | accessible |
| Type | type |
| Object ID | object_id |
| Server | server |
| URL | url |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 3. VMware vCenter Datastore \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_glg_xgf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_sy4_zmf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Object ID | object_id |
| Server | server |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 4. VMware vCenter Network \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_network\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_sy4_zmf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zyq_jnf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| MAC Address | mac_address |
| IP Address | ip_address |
| Netmask | netmask |
| Configuration Item | cmdb_ci |
| Object ID | object_id |
| Mac manufacturer | mac_manufacturer |
| DHCP Enabled | dhcp_enabled |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 5. VMware Network Adapter \[cmdb_ci_vmware_nic\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zyq_jnf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_lvb_znf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| VMware vCenter Datastore | datastore |
| ESX Server | esx_server |
| Accessible | accessible |
| Access Mode | access_mode |
[Table 6. VMware Datastore HostMount \[vcenter_datastore_hostmount\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_lvb_znf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_ywh_k4f_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Manufacturer | manufacturer |
| Location | location |
| Description | short_description |
| Class | sys_class_name |
| Updated | sys_updated_on |
| Maintenance schedule | maintenance_schedule |
| Correlation ID | correlation_id |
| Datastore | datastore |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 7. Datastore Disk \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore_disk\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_ywh_k4f_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_t4x_cpf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| CPU reserved (MHz) | cpu_reserved_mhz |
| CPU limit (MHz) | cpu_limit_mhz |
| CPU shares | cpu_shares |
| Memory reserved (MB) | mem_reserved_mb |
| Memory limit (MB) | mem_limit_mb |
| Memory shares | mem_shares |
| Object ID | object_id |
| Server | server |
| Managed object reference ID | morid |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 8. ESX Resource Pool \[cmdb_ci_esx_resource_pool\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_t4x_cpf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zqk_tpf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Manufacturer | manufacturer |
| Model ID | model_id |
| Operating System | os |
| OS Version | os_version |
| Description | short_description |
| Class | sys_class_name |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 9. ESX Server \[cmdb_ci_esx_server\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zqk_tpf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_vpn_hqf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Mac Address | mac_address |
| Netmask | netmask |
| Configuration Item | cmdb_ci |
| Mac manufacturer | mac_manufacturer |
| DHCP Enabled | dhcp_enabled |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 10. Network Adapter \[cmdb_ci_network_adapter\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_vpn_hqf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_fjp_tqf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Computer | computer |
| Size | size |
| Manufacturer | manufacturer |
| Model ID | model_id |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 11. Disk \[cmdb_ci_disk\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_fjp_tqf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_wpb_2rf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Model ID | model_id |
| Computer | computer |
| WWNN | wwnn |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 12. Storage HBA \[cmdb_ci_storage_hba\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_wpb_2rf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zh5_lrf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| WWNN | wwnn |
| WWPN | wwpn |
| Speed | speed |
| Controller | controller |
| Computer | computer |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 13. Fibre Channel Port \[cmdb_ci_fc_port\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_zh5_lrf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_yyh_wrf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Computer | computer |
| Size | size |
| Provided by | provided_by |
| IQN | iqn |
| Device LUN | device_lun |
| Storage type | storage_type |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 14. iSCSI Disk \[cmdb_ci_iscsi_disk\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_yyh_wrf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_grd_3sf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| Name | name |
| Computer | computer |
| Size | size |
| Provided by | provided_by |
| Device LUN | device_lun |
| WWN | wwn |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 15. Fibre Channel Disk \[cmdb_ci_fc_disk\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_grd_3sf_4nb} {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_kvd_ssf_4nb__entry__2}

| Field label | Column name |
|-|-|
| IP Address | ip_address |
| IP version | ip_version |
| Netmask | netmask |
| Nic | nic |
| Status | install_status |
[Table 16. IP Address \[cmdb_ci_ip_address\]]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__table_kvd_ssf_4nb}

## Relationships {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_bxc_zkg_knb}

Figure 1. Standalone ESXi discovery relationships

## Resource pools {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_ydq_hgw_nnb}

Standalone ESXi discovery also fetches the resource pools on the host including the root
resource pool. This root resource pool is always hidden for every ESXi host. The root
resource pool may not be visible in the VSphere web client for the ESXi host, but you can
view it using the mob browser.

Navigate to this URL: \<domain name/or ip_address\>/mob/?moid=ha-root-pool

The root resource pool groups the resources of that host. Other child resource pools can
also be created from the root resource pool. The root is identified in the ESXi host with
the Managed Object ID: ha-root-pool.

## Forward migration {#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__section_fvh_b3p_nnb}

If you were using standalone ESXi discovery and now the same ESXi is part of vCenter, you
can use vCenter discovery instead. Create a vCenter discovery schedule and trigger it.
Triggering a vCenter discovery creates duplicate CIs in the following tables as the
identifiers for the CIs are different when ESXi is standalone or part of vCenter:  
* VMware VCenter Network \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_network\]
* ESX Resource Pool \[cmdb_ci_esx_resource_pool\]
* VMware VCenter Datastore \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore\]
* Datastore Disk \[cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore_disk\]

{#StandaloneESXiDiscovery__ul_gvh_b3p_nnb}To avoid duplicates, you must mark the CIs created by standalone ESXi discovery in the above four tables as retired. When vCenter discovery is triggered, the vCenterESXHostsSensor script include checks for all the ESXi servers whether they were previously discovered as standalone ESXi server. If yes, it automatically triggers the ESXMigrationUtil script to mark all the previously discovered duplicate CIs as retired.  
Note:  
If you want to trigger migration manually, you can do so by executing the following script from the background script: // @params esx_sys_ids -- array of sys ids of all the ESXi servers which need to be migrated.

    ESXMigrationUtil. retireCIsForESXForwardMigration(esx_sys_ids)

Once an ESXi server is migrated to vCenter, triggering a standalone ESXi discovery schedule
on the same ESXi host will result in an error. Discovery will be aborted with an error
message that "This ESXi is part of vCenter \<IP_address of Vcenter\> discovery schedule.
Aborting discovery".
**Related concepts**   

* [Discovery for VMware vCenter](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/S4sT9mXn~Jvl1GsT0myOfA "Discovery can explore the VMware vCenter process running on a Windows or Linux host. IPv6 is supported for discovery in VMware vCenter.")
* [Discovery for VMware virtual machines](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EzspSMqJ6LoEIJ4S_TWVUg "Discovery gathers information about virtual machines managed by VMware vCenter.")
* [Datastore Discovery](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/qZQPEZ7tqukOEwKBi2XMQw "A datastore is a storage object for virtual machines that are hosted on an ESXi server.")  
**Related reference**   

* [ESXi server discovery](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/69HIi_wE1an9UMq2Y8I74Q "Discovery identifies and classifies information about ESXi servers and ESXi resource pools through the discovery of vCenter and not from the direct discovery of any ESXi servers.")
* [VM instance state and status fields](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/U0dPtfhL_EEGPhbGQgTPJQ "These tables represent the state and status of the cmdb_ci_vm_instance in various flows such as vCenter Discovery and vCenter Events and the Business Rules which are triggered.")