ServiceNow inventory connector to import ServiceNow Discovery data into FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R2
The ServiceNow inventory connector allows you to import into FlexNet Manager Suite inventory data discovered by ServiceNow (ServiceNow refers to this process as "discovery", whereas in FlexNet Manager Suite, "discovery" refers to just finding devices on the network, and "inventory" refers to gathering information about the software and hardware of the discovered device). With ServiceNow as an inventory source, the imported information includes both hardware information and raw evidence of installed applications. Once imported, the information is shown in FlexNet Manager Suite with a source type ServiceNow.
Tip: This inventory connector is quite separate from the existing integration between ServiceNow and FlexNet Manager Suite that allows two-way exchange of information about contracts and assets. You can continue to use that kind of data exchange alongside the import of raw inventory information with the new inventory connector.
Prerequisites
To import from the ServiceNow inventory connector, you need the following:
- ServiceNow inventory connector is part of FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R2
- Flexera Integration (5.3.316 or later) for ServiceNow (Available in ServiceNow app store)
- Must have PowerShell 5.1 or later running on Windows Server 2012 or later, or on Windows 7 SP1 or later
- ServiceNow releases
- Madrid
- New York
- Orlando
- Paris
- ServiceNow discovery plugin (Inventory connector only import inventory data discovered by ServiceNow)
ServiceNow inventory connector configuration mode
ServiceNow inventory connector supports both modes
- Direct connection: To import ServiceNow discovery data directly by FNMS Server.
- Indirect connection: To import ServiceNow discovery data by configuring ServiceNow inventory connection through the remote beacon.
What data is imported from ServiceNow Discovery
ServiceNow inventory connector imports
- Hardware inventory data
- Installer evidence
What do I need to enable to import ServiceNow discovery data
Assuming you have already enabled ServiceNow discovery capability to discover data from target devices by ServiceNow
- Deploy Flexera Integration scope application
- Scheduled Data Exports to export to MID Server
- flexera_computer_export.csv
- flexera_software_export.csv (when discovery plugin is activated)
- flexera_software_install_export_set.csv (when SAM plugin is enabled)
- Configure ServiceNow inventory connection to import data from exported CSV files available on a MID Server configured in the scheduled data export
Full details are available in the online help, and in even greater depth in a new section within the FlexNet Manager Suite Inventory Adapters and Connectors Reference, available in either HTML or PDF through the title page of online help.
Known limitation
One limitation of inventory "discovery" by ServiceNow concerns partitioning technologies that provide virtualization on several UNIX-like platforms. If you are supporting these platforms, the best practice is to install the FlexNet inventory agent locally on them, reporting directly to your inventory beacon(s). This allows the collection of all details needed for your license consumption calculations. This additional information integrates smoothly with the information collected from ServiceNow.
Note: Flexera recommends keeping the FNMS inventory source as a primary inventory source to make sure hardware inventory data from the Flexera inventory source takes precedence.
