z/OS discovery

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of z/OS discovery

    z/OS discovery enables ServiceNow customers to identify and collect infrastructure details from computers running the IBM z/OS operating system using the IBM zOS Server pattern. This discovery populates the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) with critical system information for z/OS servers, supporting comprehensive IT asset management.

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    To discover applications running on z/OS, such as DB2, IBM MQ, or WebSphere, customers should use specific application patterns separate from the server pattern.

    Prerequisites

    • UNIX System Services (USS) running on port 22: Ensure USS is active and accessible via SSH.
    • Host commands availability: Verify ability to execute essential commands like uname, hostname, sysvar, netstat, df, ls, cat, grep, ps, and cut on the z/OS host.
    • Required permissions: Must have write access to /tmp, read access to all user processes, and capability to run REXX scripts on the host.
    • SSH credentials: Create appropriate SSH credentials within ServiceNow for discovery authentication.

    Key Features and Data Collected

    The IBM zOS Server pattern performs horizontal discovery to collect and populate key attributes in the CMDB, including:

    • IBM zOS Server [cmdbciibmzosserver]: Hostname, OS version, OS type (IBMZOS), manufacturer (IBM), serial number, model ID (e.g., z14, z15), and management IP address.
    • IP Address [cmdbciipaddress]: IPv4/IPv6 address, netmask, MAC address, and associated network interface.
    • Network Adapter [cmdbcinetworkadapter]: Network interface name, IP address, netmask, MAC address, and linked configuration item.
    • File System [cmdbcifilesystem]: USS-mounted file systems information such as name, volume ID, mount point, file system dataset name, size, free space, and related computer reference.

    Configuration Item Relationships

    The discovery establishes relationships between configuration items (CIs) to reflect real-world connections:

    • IBM zOS server owns network adapters and IP addresses.
    • IBM zOS server contains file systems.
    • IP addresses reference network adapters, which in turn reference the IBM zOS server.
    • Serial numbers and file systems also reference the IBM zOS server.

    Additional Information

    • For updated or enhanced discovery patterns, customers should check and install the latest Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.
    • Refer to the knowledge base articles for detailed requirements, Probe to Pattern migration, and instructions on creating SSH credentials.
    • Use separate application discovery patterns for identifying applications running on z/OS, such as IBM Db2, IBM MQ, and IBM WebSphere.

    Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns finds computers running the z/OS operating system using the IBM zOS Server pattern. Discovering some of these resources may require updating to the latest version of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.

    Request new or enhanced Patterns on the ServiceNow® Store

    Visit the ServiceNow Store to view all the available updates and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Note:
    For information on Probe to Pattern migration see the knowledge article KB0694477.

    The IBM zOS Server pattern performs infrastructure-level discovery for z/OS servers. To discover applications on z/OS, use application patterns, such as DB2 on Linux, WMQ On Unix, or Websphere On Unix. For more information, see IBM z/OS Discovery requirements and expectations [KB0623031] article in the Now Support Knowledge Base.

    Prerequisites

    Verify that the UNIX System Services (USS) is running on port 22
    Verify that the USS service is running on port 22 on z/OS.
    Verify the required commands on the host machine
    Verify that you can run the following commands on the host machine:
    • uname
    • hostname
    • sysvar SYSNAME
    • netstat
    • df
    • ls
    • cat
    • grep
    • ps
    • cut
    Verify required permissions
    Verify that you have the following permissions:
    • Write permission to /tmp
    • Read access to all user processes
    • Ability to run REXX scripts
    Create SSH credentials
    For more information, see SSH credentials.

    Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

    Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running the IBM zOS Server pattern. The pattern discovers USS-mounted file systems.

    Table 1. IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Hostname of the z/OS system.
    OS Version [os_version] z/OS operating system version. For example: V2R5 or 3.1.
    Operating System [os] Operating system type. The value is set to IBM_ZOS.
    Manufacturer [manufacturer] Hardware manufacturer. The value is set to IBM.
    Serial number [serial_number] Hardware chassis serial number.
    Model ID [model_id] Hardware model display name based on model code lookup. For example: z14, z15, or zEnterprise 196.

    If the model code isn’t in the lookup table, this field remains empty.
    IP Address [ip_address] Management IP address used for discovery connection.
    Table 2. IP Address [cmdb_ci_ip_address]
    Field Description
    IP Address [ip_address] IPv4 or IPv6 address.
    Netmask [netmask] Network mask for the IP address. The value is set to 0.0.0.0.
    MAC Address [mac_address] Hardware MAC address. If unavailable, the value is set to NOT_FOUND.
    Nic [nic] References the Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] table.
    Table 3. Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Network interface name. If unavailable, the value is set to VIP.
    IP Address [ip_address] IPv4 or IPv6 address assigned to this network adapter.
    Netmask [netmask] Network mask for the adapter. The value is set to 0.0.0.0.
    MAC Address [mac_address] Hardware MAC address for the network adapter. If unavailable, the value is set to NOT_FOUND.
    Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] References the IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server] table.
    Table 4. File System [cmdb_ci_file_system]
    Field Description
    Name [name] Name of the USS file system set to the mount point path. For example: /, /tmp, or /u.
    Volume ID [volume_id] Volume identifier, set to the mount point path.
    Mount point [mount_point] Directory path where the file system is mounted in the USS hierarchy.
    File system [file_system] USS dataset name of the zFS file system. For example: OMVS.ROOT.ZFS or OMVS.TMP.ZFS.
    Size bytes [size_bytes] Total capacity of the file system in kilobytes (KB), as retrieved by the df -Pkv command.
    Free space bytes [free_space_bytes] Available free space in the file system in KB, as retrieved by the df -Pkv command.
    Computer [computer] References the IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server] table.

    CI relationships

    CI Relationship CI
    IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server] Owns::Owned by Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter]
    IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server] Owns::Owned by IP Address [cmdb_ci_ip_address]
    IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server] Contains::Contained by File System [cmdb_ci_file_system]
    IP Address [cmdb_ci_ip_address] References Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter]
    Network Adapter [cmdb_ci_network_adapter] References IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server]
    Serial Number [cmdb_serial_number] References IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server]
    File System [cmdb_ci_file_system] References IBM zOS server [cmdb_ci_ibm_zos_server]