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Discovering an Application Running on a Server

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • How applications are found on servers
  • What an application CI is
  • Why this isn’t a service map

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Discovering One Network Device. You learned how snwr-core-sw-01 was discovered over SNMPv3.

1 The Problem: The Server Is Found, but Not What Runs on It

Discovery found snwr-db-01. But Hana needs to know it runs PostgreSQL 15, because:

  • The Service Desk routes database incidents differently.
  • Mei needs to see what a server change affects.

🎯 The problem: The server is found, but not what runs on it.

👉 The fix: Let Discovery find the application and create an application CI linked to its server.

Compare application CI and service map.
Figure 1. Application discovery is not a service map.

2 How it works

  1. Discovery sees running processes on the server.
  2. A process classifier recognises PostgreSQL.
  3. An application pattern collects details, like the version.
  4. An application CI is created with a Runs on link to the server.

3 Not a service map

⚠️ Remember: An application CI says what runs on a server. It doesn’t say which business service uses it. That’s Service Mapping, or manual links.

4 Project Clear View: How We Implemented It

📍 Situation: Hana wanted PostgreSQL recorded against snwr-db-01.

🧭 Decision: Discover snwr-db-01 and check the application CI.

🛠️ Steps we took:

  1. Ran Quick Discovery on 10.10.10.30.
  2. Checked PostgreSQL was classified.
  3. Checked the version and the Runs on link.
  4. Explained to Arjun that this isn’t the SNWR Email map.

✅ What we verified:

  • A PostgreSQL CI exists, version 15, linked to snwr-db-01.
  • Arjun understood the difference.

📁 Evidence: The application first-device check, saved for gate 4.

5 Quick recap

  • Discovery finds apps from running processes.
  • It creates an application CI linked with Runs on.
  • An application CI isn’t a service map.
  • Service Mapping is a separate product.

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 How does Discovery spot PostgreSQL? Show answer

From running processes, using a process classifier.

2 What links PostgreSQL to snwr-db-01? Show answer

A Runs on relationship.

3 Is an application CI a service map? Show answer

No. It says what runs on a server, not which service uses it.

Nice work! Discovery finds SNWR’s applications. 🎉
Next up: Discovering VMware vCenter

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