Discovery data collected for storage via a host

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Discovery data collected for storage via a host

    This documentation details how ServiceNow Discovery collects and maps information about storage units connected to Linux, Solaris, and Windows hosts via local I/O ports or Host Bus Adapters (HBAs). It covers the probes used, the types of storage components discovered, and the relationships between storage CIs (Configuration Items) in the CMDB.

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    Storage Discovery Probes and Supported Platforms

    • Discovery uses specialized probes to identify various storage components such as disks, disk partitions, Fibre Channel (FC) disks, FC ports, file systems, iSCSI disks, NAS file systems, storage HBAs, storage pools, and VMware vCenter datastores.
    • Probes support multiple operating systems including Linux, Solaris, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, KVM environments, and VMware vCenter.

    Mapping Storage References

    Discovery maps relationships between storage components to reflect how storage connects to hosts, including:

    • Associating storage devices to computers (hosts).
    • Linking disks to their partitions and HBAs to their corresponding FC ports.
    • Connecting storage volumes to their providers such as storage pools or storage devices.
    • Defining membership and containment hierarchies within storage pools.

    HBA Data Collection Across Platforms

    Discovery collects detailed HBA information specific to each server OS:

    • Linux and VMware ESX: Captures HBA attributes like name, WWNN (World Wide Node Name), model ID, and associated computer. For Fibre Channel ports, it collects WWPN (World Wide Port Name), WWNN, port type, speed, controller, and computer associations.
    • Solaris: Supports HBAs from Emulex and QLogic vendors, collecting fields such as device ID, manufacturer, model ID, serial number, and operational status for HBAs, FC ports, FC disks, and FC targets.
    • Windows: Supports HBAs on any Windows operating system version, gathering similar HBA and Fibre Channel port details as Linux and Solaris platforms.

    Practical Value for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging these discovery capabilities, customers can achieve accurate and comprehensive visibility into the storage infrastructure connected to their hosts. This enables:

    • Enhanced CMDB accuracy with detailed storage and HBA configuration items.
    • Clear understanding of storage relationships and dependencies between hosts and storage devices.
    • Improved asset management and operational decision-making based on complete storage topology.
    • Support for multiple operating systems and virtualization platforms ensures broad discovery coverage.

    Discovery gathers information about storage units that connect to Linux, Solaris, and Windows hosts via a local I/O port or Host Bus Adapter (HBA).

    Probes used to discover storage from a host

    Table Probes
    Disk [cmdb_ci_disk]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Disk Partition [cmdb_ci_disk_partition]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Fibre Channel Disk [cmdb_ci_fc_disk]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    File System [cmdb_ci_file_system]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    iSCSI Disk [cmdb_ci_iscsi_disk]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    NAS File System [cmdb_ci_nas_file_system]
    • KVM
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba]
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    Storage Pool [cmdb_ci_storage_pool] Linux - Storage
    Storage Pool Member [cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member] Linux - Storage
    VMware vCenter Datastore [cmdb_ci_vcenter_datastore] VMware - vCenter Datastores

    Storage references discovered

    Discovery maps these references for storage units that connect to a host via a local I/O port or Host Bus Adapter (HBA).
    Table and column Reference Target data element
    cmdb_ci_storage_device.computer refers to the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_device.provided_by refers to the cmdb_ci_fc_port (for FC only)
    cmdb_ci_disk_partition.disk is a partition of cmdb_ci_disk
    cmdb_ci_storage_hba.computer is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_fc_port.controller contains the cmdb_ci_storage_hba
    cmdb_ci_fc_port.computer is the same cmdb_ci_computer as cmdb_ci_storage_hba.computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_volume.computer is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_storage_volume.provided_by is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_device (providing storage)
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool.hosted_by is the cmdb_ci_computer
    cmdb_ci_computer the pool is on cmdb_ci_storage_pool.container
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool.container is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool or cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member containing the pool (if the pool is present)
    cmdb_ci_storage_pool_member.pool is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool
    cmdb_ci_storge_pool_member.storage is the cmdb_ci_storage_pool, cmdb_ci_disk_partition or cmdb_ci_storage_device providing storage

    Data collected for HBAs on Linux and ESX servers

    Discovery collects information on host bus adapters (HBA) for fiber channel enabled devices connected to Linux and ESX servers.
    Table 1. HBA tables and fields
    Label Table Field name Source
    Name Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] name
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    WWNN Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Model ID Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] model_id
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Computer Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Table 2. Fibre Channel ports
    Label Table Field name Source
    WWPN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwpn VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage
    • probe
    • Linux - Storage
    WWNN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Port type Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] port_type
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Speed Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] speed
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Controller Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] controller
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Computer Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Linux - Storage
    Table 3. Fibre Channel targets
    Label Table Field name Source
    FC Disk Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] fc_disk
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Created by Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_created_by
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Created Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_created_on
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    SysID Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_id
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updates Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_mod_count
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updated by Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_updated_by
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Updated Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] sys_updated_on
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] wwnn
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWPN Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] wwpn
    • Linux - Storage
    • Solaris - Storage
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012

    Data collected for HBAs on Solaris servers

    Discovery on Solaris supports HBAs manufactured by:
    • Emulex
    • QLogic
    Discovery populates these fields in the Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] table, using the Solaris - Storage probe and sensor.
    Label Field name
    Name name
    Computer computer
    Device ID device_id
    Manufacturer manufacturer
    Model ID model_id
    Serial number serial_number
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] table.
    Label Field name
    Name name
    Computer computer
    Controller controller
    WWPN wwpn
    WWNN wwnn
    Port type port_type
    Speed speed
    Operational status operational_status
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Disk [cmdb_ci_fc_disk] table.
    Label Name
    Name name
    Storage type storage_type
    Device interface device_interface
    Device LUN device_lun
    Discovery populates these fields in the Fibre Channel Targets [cmdb_fc_target] table.
    Label Name
    FC Disk fc_disk
    WWNN wwnn
    WWPN wwpn

    Data collected for HBAs on Windows servers

    Discovery on Windows supports HBAs on any operating system.
    Table 4. HBA tables and fields
    Label Table Field Name Source
    Name Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] name
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Model ID Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] model_id
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Computer Storage HBA [cmdb_ci_storage_hba] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Table 5. Fibre Channel ports
    Label Table Field Name Source
    WWPN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwpn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    WWNN Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] wwnn
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Port type Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] port_type
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Speed Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] speed
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Controller Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] controller
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012
    Computer Fibre Channel Port [cmdb_ci_fc_port] computer
    • VMWare - vCenter ESX Hosts Storage probe
    • Windows - Storage 2008
    • Windows - Storage 2012