ServiceNow provides a suite of CMDB management tools designed to effectively ingest, manage, and maintain...

Agent Client Collector

Automated agent-based solution running patterns

Import Sets

Organization-built solution using transform maps

Service Graph Connector

Pre-built store integration solutions that require minimal customization

ServiceNow Discovery

Automated agentless solution running patterns

Agent Client Collector: This is ServiceNow's agent-based approach. It requires a software agent to be installed on the target host to run discovery patterns locally.

Import Sets: This is the traditional, manual way to bring in data. You define the source, and the organization builds the logic (Transform Maps) to move that data into the CMDB.

Service Graph Connector: These are found in the ServiceNow Store. They are "certified" integrations built to work with specific third-party vendors (like SCCM or Jamf) with minimal setup.

ServiceNow Discovery: The classic agentless method. It probes the network and uses patterns to identify and map CIs without needing software installed on every machine.