---
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
---
# Discover CIs identified as generic applications
# Discover CIs identified as generic applications {#ariaid-title1}
* Release version: Yokohama
*
* Updated January 30, 2025
*
*  4 minutes to read
Service Mapping identifies application configuration items (CIs) that
it failed to properly discover as generic applications. Correctly identify generic
applications by creating a simplified discovery pattern from an application service map,
rather than creating a fully functional pattern from scratch using the Pattern
Designer.
## Before you begin
You can edit discovered and manually created service instances.
Important:
You cannot fine-tune or edit tag-based and dynamic services from the map.
Make sure that you understand what [discovery process classification](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/MvqMhodbwicG8cVoU5Q_CQ "A classifier tells Discovery which probes to trigger for the identification and exploration phases of discovery. Classifiers can also trigger the Horizontal Pattern probe, which launches a pattern, rather than additional probes, for identification and exploration.") is.
Request information about the CI discovered as generic application from the
application service owner.
Role required: pd_admin
## About this task
ServiceNow applications refer to devices and applications that comprise a service instance as configuration items (CIs).
As part of creating a simplified pattern for complete and proper application CI discovery, you create these necessary articles:
CI type
: All applications and hosts in your organization must have a corresponding configuration item (CI) type, which is necessary for discovering and processing applications and hosts correctly. A CI type (or class) contains several important definitions that
apply to all CIs belonging to it. Preconfigured CI types form a
hierarchy where child CI types derive attributes from their parents.
Define the CI type name and label for Service Mapping
to create a child CI type for the application \[cmdb_ci_appl\] CI
type. For more information about CI types, see [Create CI types for Service Mapping and Discovery](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/e4PiqLRzZadXLjV7QE7X5Q "Create CI types (or CI classes) for applications and devices, which Service Mapping and Discovery do not support by default.").
Process classification
: Service Mapping relies on process information collected and classified by Discovery to run relevant patterns to discover an application CI. During the horizontal discovery process, Discovery checks if the attributes of the processes running by the application match classification criteria you define. When a match is found, Discovery uses the existing Application Rule identifier to check if the application CI is new or if it already exists in the CMDB. Then Discovery either updates an existing record or creates a new record for this application CI in the CMDB. {#create-pattern-from-generic-application__ph_short-desc}
Prior to starting the top-down discovery of an application CI, Service Mapping checks its process classification in the CMDB. It then runs only those patterns that are relevant for this application CI.
Create process classification by defining the classification criteria
based on preconfigured process attributes. The new process
classification is added to the Process Classification
\[discovery_classy_proc\] table. To learn about process
classification, refer to [Discovery classifiers](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/MvqMhodbwicG8cVoU5Q_CQ "A classifier tells Discovery which probes to trigger for the identification and exploration phases of discovery. Classifiers can also trigger the Horizontal Pattern probe, which launches a pattern, rather than additional probes, for identification and exploration.").
Pattern
: A pattern is a sequence of commands whose purpose it is to detect attributes of a CI and its outbound connections. When you create a simplified pattern for a generic application, Service Mapping
assigns the new simplified pattern to the CI type you define as part of
this process. The default name for the pattern starts with "ga_".
Association of an icon with this CI type
: Each CI type is associated with an icon. When a CI is discovered and
classified as belonging to a CI type, the map displays the associated
icon to visualize this CI.
You cannot create simplified patterns from generic applications that are based on
multiple processes. In this case, you have to either [create a fully functional pattern using the Pattern Designer](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZaWnPMmnvybQ8YI3j0l7LA "Create or modify a discovery pattern and define its basic attributes.") or [create a new CI type](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/e4PiqLRzZadXLjV7QE7X5Q "Create CI types (or CI classes) for applications and devices, which Service Mapping and Discovery do not support by default.").
## Procedure
1. Open the service instance map.
1. Navigate to AllCSDMManage Technology Management ServicesService Instance. {#create-pattern-from-generic-application__NavigateCSDMManageTechServiceAppService}
2. Select the needed service instance.
3. On the service instance page, select View Map.
{#create-pattern-from-generic-application__substeps_xxr_jpz_dmb} {#create-pattern-from-generic-application__Cmd_NavigateToAppServicesSM}
2. **Optional:** Click Edit to be in Edit mode.
3. On the map, right-click the relevant generic application CI.
The CI Type attribute in the
Application pane is Generic Application.
In the base system, the map displays generic application CIs with the gear
icon.
4. Select Create pattern for this generic application.
5. Define the CI type for the application.
{#create-pattern-from-generic-application__table_t3c_lqk_gbb__entry__2}
| Field | Description |
|-|-|
| Label | CI type name. For example, Citrix Licensing Server. |
| Name | The table name containing data for this CI type. For example, cmdb_ci_app_license_server. Use a name that is consistent with existing CI type names. Typically, application CI type names start from "cmdb_ci_app". |
| Icon | Select the name of the existing icon to represent this application on maps. |
[ ]
{#create-pattern-from-generic-application__table_t3c_lqk_gbb}
6. Create the process classification for this CI by defining classification criteria for identifying the process that the generic application is running.
In the base system, there are two conditions based on the running process name and the running process command. The values are filled in by the latest process discovery.
1. Select the CI attribute from the list.
The attributes in the list are from the Running Process \[cmdb_running_process\] table.
2. Select an operator from the list.
If you select Is Empty, the second field is rendered irrelevant and disappears.
3. Specify the value to match.
The value field displays a dynamically generated suggestion from the latest process discovery.
4. To add a dependent condition, click OR or AND.
Note:
If the value in the first condition is not unique like Java.exe, use additional conditions to narrow down the results.
For example, to discover a Citrix Licensing server, use the following
classification criteria: the process name
Imadmin.exe with the command
`C:\Program Files
(x86)\Citrix\Licensing\LS\lmadmin.exe`.
5. To add a top-level condition, click New Criteria.
{#create-pattern-from-generic-application__substeps_ifk_ktk_3bb}
7. Click Create.
Once Service Mapping finished creating the CI type, the pattern, and the process classification, it resumes discovery of the CI initially identified as a generic application.
8. Verify that Service Mapping discovered the CI as you expected.
Notice that Service Mapping uses the name of the process for
the CI label on the map.
## What to do next
If Service Mapping still has not
discovered the CI as you expected, [fine-tune the
match and classification criteria for the process classifier](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Y0kJlJBBOBgJb1_WpeIZlg "A process classification allows Discovery to create a particular CI type from information gathered during the identification and exploration phases.") and [configure advanced classification parameters](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/MUt~FEg8Q5OS2Uhy_tjoIg "These parameters are available for Discovery classifiers.").
If you are familiar with modifying patterns in the Pattern Designer, you can also enrich the simplified pattern by defining operations that discover more attributes for the CI.
You
may configure Discovery to use
a different identifier. For more information, see [Discovery identifiers](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/0wWWMC00zL4~MX8eHLAMvg "After Discovery classifies a configuration item (CI), it uses identifiers to determine if the device already exists in the CMDB.").
**Related concepts**
* [Pattern-based discovery in Service Mapping](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/AjS6GFhdFDhZBZSR07NwRw "Pattern-based discovery is the main method of Service Mapping collecting data about devices and applications used in application services. After Service Mapping collects data, it then creates a map of application services and stores the collected data in the CMDB.")
*[\>]: and then