ServiceNow Integration with FlexNet Manager Suite

Note: The documentation provided here includes updates for Flexera Integration application v5.1.0. If you are on older versions of the Flexera Integration app, visit the Flexera Integration page of the ServiceNow Store where you can not only upgrade to the latest version but also obtain the most current documentation (found within the Supporting Links and Docs section of the page).

Using the integration application for ServiceNow, you can exchange a limited set of data between FlexNet Manager Suite and ServiceNow to provide a consistent view of your hardware and software estate, and related contracts. The Flexera Integration app is a scoped application and is now shared between FlexNet Manager Suite, Flexera Data Platform, and IT Visibility, and is available in the ServiceNow store.

The Flexera Integration app:

  • Requires the Software Asset Management (SAM) Foundation plugin. This plugin needs to be requested from ServiceNow but does not have a licensing cost associated with it. For information, refer to: Setting up Software Asset Management Foundation plugin.
    Important: If you have software installation records that were previously discovered before the installation of the SAM Foundation plugin, you must run a migration script after installing the SAM Foundation plugin; otherwise these records will be missing in ServiceNow. This is because installing the SAM Foundation plugin disables the [cmdb_software_instance] and [cmdb_ci_spkg] tables. The migration script can copy the data from these legacy tables to the new SAM tables. For details about the migration script, refer to Migrate Software Asset Management Foundation plugin software installations.
  • Currently has only been confirmed and tested to support a ServiceNow cloud instance.
  • Does not support ServiceNow on-premises instances on an Oracle database.
  • May or may not work with a ServiceNow on-premises instance on a MySQL database. This position may change in the future when Flexera has tested it further.

Note: For any single instance of ServiceNow, only one source of Flexera data should be exporting data for consumption by ServiceNow. The Flexera Integration app does not support resolving overlapping data. With a view to the long-term, where you have a choice of all of the above, IT Visibility would be the common recommendation. However, notice that this restriction applies to Flexera tools that are exporting data. The (quite separate) ServiceNow inventory connector (see next section of this manual) does not export data to ServiceNow, being strictly an importer of inventory discovered by ServiceNow. Therefore it is perfectly acceptable to use the same Flexera Integration app on the one instance of ServiceNow to combine integration with (say) IT Visibility (or either of the other data exporters) with the ServiceNow inventory connector.

ServiceNow provides cloud-based IT Service Management, while FlexNet Manager Suite is focused on Software Asset Management. To help provide a unified view of your management data, there are two parts to the integration of these systems, each of which is available independently:

  • Data on hardware assets, application installations, and contracts can be exported from FlexNet Manager Suite and imported into ServiceNow
  • Data on assets and contracts can be exported from ServiceNow and imported into FlexNet Manager Suite.
ServiceNow Version Compatibility: For the latest ServiceNow version compatibility information, refer to the Flexera Integration app listing within the ServiceNow Store. In the ServiceNow Store, search for the Flexera Integration app listing and select it. Here you will see the versions of ServiceNow that are supported for the current release of the Flexera Integration app. To see earlier versions of the Flexera Integration app, click Other App Versions in the Version section. A matrix appears that includes a list of the ServiceNow versions supported for each version of the Flexera Integration app.

This ServiceNow documentation is divided into the following chapters:

  • Key Concepts — key concepts to help you understand how and what type of data is merged with the integration application, where to view merged data, insight into how source of truth settings structure data into an optimized view with no duplicate or missing records
  • Architecture, Components, and Prerequisites — background information including requirements you need to know to get started with the integration application, as well as contextual information to help you understand the configuration and operation of the integration
  • Installation and Configuration — common tasks to be completed for all implementations, procedures for setting up data flows from FlexNet Manager Suite to ServiceNow or from ServiceNow to FlexNet Manager Suite
  • Operational Details — steps showing how the export of data from FlexNet Manager Suite works (to export hardware inventory, installed applications, and contract data), and steps showing how the export of data from ServiceNow works (to export asset and contract data)
  • Appendices — integration property descriptions, a performance improvement tip to create additional indexes on your ServiceNow instance, procedure to remove a previously-installed legacy integration application, and more.