Centralized monitoring and incident management using IoT devices integrated with ServiceNow

Implementing centralized monitoring and incident management using IoT devices integrated with ServiceNow involves several components, including setting up the IoT device data transmission, configuring ServiceNow to receive and process this data, and automating the incident creation and management process. Below is an outline of the steps and some example code snippets that could be involved in an end-to-end implementation.

1. IoT Device Data Transmission

This step involves setting up the IoT device to send data to ServiceNow. The device can push data using REST APIs.

Example (Python script for an IoT device):

 

  

  
import requests
  
import json
  
# Example IoT device data
  
iot_data
  = {
  
 
    "device_id": "temp_sensor_01",
  
 
    "temperature": 75,
  
 
    "humidity": 45,
  
 
    "location": "Server Room A",
  
 
    "status": "active"
  
} 
  
# ServiceNow API endpoint
  
servicenow_url
  = "https://<your-instance>.service-now.com/api/now/table/<your_table>" 
  
# Authentication (using Basic Auth for simplicity)
  
auth = ('your_username', 'your_password') 
  
# Headers
  
headers =
  {
  
 
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  
 
    "Accept": "application/json"
  
} 
  
# Sending the data to ServiceNow
  
response
  = requests.post(servicenow_url, auth=auth, headers=headers,
  data=json.dumps(iot_data)) 
  
if response.status_code == 201:
  
 
    print("Data successfully sent to ServiceNow.")
  
else:
  
 
    print("Failed to send data to ServiceNow:", response.status_code,
  response.text)
  
  
  
 

2. ServiceNow Table Configuration

In ServiceNow, create a table to store incoming IoT data. This table can be used to track the status of IoT devices and trigger incidents.

Steps in ServiceNow:

1. Create a Custom Table:

   • Navigate to System Definition > Tables.
   • Click New to create a custom table, e.g., u_iot_device_data.
   • Define columns for the device data, such as u_device_id, u_temperature, u_status, etc.

2. Create a Scripted REST API (Optional):

   • If you want to create a custom endpoint for receiving IoT data, you can create a Scripted REST API.
   • Navigate to System Web Services > Scripted REST APIs and define your API and resource.

3. Business Rules for Incident Creation

Create a business rule in ServiceNow that triggers an incident if specific conditions are met, such as a temperature threshold being exceeded.

Example Business Rule (Server-side Script):

 

  

  
(function executeRule(current, previous
  /*null
  when async*/) {     
  
 
    //
  Threshold temperature
  
 
    var temperatureThreshold = 70;
  
 
  
 
    // Check
  if the temperature exceeds the threshold
  
 
    if (current.u_temperature >
  temperatureThreshold) {         
  
 
        // Create an Incident
  
 
        var incident = new GlideRecord('incident');
  
 
        incident.initialize();
  
 
        incident.short_description = 'Temperature threshold
  exceeded';
  
 
        incident.description = 'Device ID: ' + current.u_device_id + 
  
 
                       
         ' reported a temperature of ' + current.u_temperature + '°F';
  
 
        incident.severity = 2; // Set severity
  
 
        incident.impact = 2;   // Set impact
  
 
        incident.insert();
  
 
    } 
  
})(current,
  previous); 
  
 
  
 

4. Incident Management Workflow

Once the incident is created, it will enter the standard ServiceNow incident management workflow, where it can be assigned, prioritized, and resolved by the appropriate team.

Workflow Automation:

• You can automate additional actions like sending notifications, escalating the incident based on severity, or triggering further workflows using ServiceNow's Flow Designer.

5. Monitoring and Dashboards

Create dashboards in ServiceNow to monitor IoT device data and incidents in real-time.

Steps to Create a Dashboard:

1. Navigate to Performance Analytics > Dashboards.
2. Create a New Dashboard.
3. Add Widgets to display:
   • Real-time data from the IoT devices table (u_iot_device_data).
   • Incident reports generated from the data.
   • Charts or graphs for temperature trends, incident counts, etc.

6. Testing and Deployment

• Test the Integration: Simulate IoT data transmissions and ensure that incidents are created as expected.
• Deploy: Once tested, deploy the solution to your production environment.

Full Implementation Flow:

1. IoT Device Sends Data 
2. ServiceNow Receives Data 
3. Business Rule Evaluates Data 
4. Incident Created if Threshold Exceeded 
5. Incident Management Workflow Initiated 
6. Monitoring via Dashboard.

Final Notes:

• Ensure security by using OAuth for authentication instead of basic auth in production environments.
• Customize the solution to fit your organization's specific requirements, such as handling different types of IoT data or integrating with other ServiceNow modules.

This is a basic example, and real-world implementations might require more customization depending on the complexity and the specific use case.

We can consider whether an out-of-the-box (OOB) table might serve our needs, as ServiceNow provides several pre-built tables and modules designed for various purposes, including event and incident management, which can often be leveraged without creating custom tables.

Relevant Out-of-the-Box Tables in ServiceNow:

1. Event Management (em_event)

   • Purpose: Designed to handle events from various monitoring systems, including IoT devices. It’s part of the IT Operations Management (ITOM) suite.
   • Usage: You can send IoT data as events to this table. Based on predefined rules or thresholds, these events can trigger incidents or alerts.
   • Integration: IoT data can be pushed to the em_event table via REST APIs or other integrations. Business rules or Event Management rules can then process these events and create corresponding incidents.

2. Incident Management (incident)

   • Purpose: Standard table for managing incidents within ServiceNow.
   • Usage: Instead of directly storing IoT data, you can create incidents in this table when an IoT device reports an issue.
   • Integration: Business rules or scripts can create incidents in the incident table based on conditions met by data from the em_event or any other table where IoT data is stored.

3. Configuration Management Database (cmdb_ci)

   • Purpose: The CMDB stores configuration items (CIs) which can include IoT devices.
   • Usage: IoT devices can be tracked as CIs in the CMDB, allowing you to manage them within ServiceNow's ITSM processes, including incidents, changes, and problems.
   • Integration: IoT devices can be integrated as CIs, and their status or any reported issues can be used to trigger incidents or other workflows.

4. Alert Management (em_alert)

   • Purpose: Used for handling alerts generated from events or monitoring systems.
   • Usage: Events related to IoT devices can generate alerts that are stored in this table. These alerts can then be used to trigger incidents or other automated responses.
   • Integration: Similar to events, alerts can be created from IoT data and linked to incident workflows.

End-to-End Implementation Using OOB Tables:

1. IoT Device Sends Data as Events:

• ServiceNow Table: Use the em_event table to receive events from IoT devices.
• Implementation:

  
  
   
  
    
  
    
  import requests
    
  import json 
    
  iot_event
    = {
    
   
      "source": "IoT Device",
    
   
      "node": "temp_sensor_01",
    
   
      "type": "temperature_threshold_exceeded",
    
   
      "severity": "2",
    
   
      "description": "Temperature exceeded
    threshold",
    
   
      "additional_info": "Location: Server Room A,
    Temp: 75°F"
    
  } 
    
  servicenow_url
    = "https://<your-instance>.service-now.com/api/now/table/em_event"
    
  auth = ('your_username', 'your_password')
    
  headers =
    {
    
   
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    
   
      "Accept": "application/json"
    
  } 
    
  response
    = requests.post(servicenow_url, auth=auth, headers=headers,
    data=json.dumps(iot_event)) 
    
   
    
   
  
  

2. Event Management to Incident Creation:

• Use OOB Event Rules: Event Management in ServiceNow allows you to define rules that automatically generate incidents based on incoming events.
• Configure Event Rules:
  • Navigate to Event Management > Rules > Event Rules.
  • Create a rule that matches the incoming IoT event (e.g., temperature_threshold_exceeded) and sets it to automatically create an incident in the incident table.

3. Manage and Monitor Incidents:

• ServiceNow Table: Incidents will be automatically logged in the incident table with the details provided by the event.
• Dashboard: Use the OOB Incident Management dashboards to monitor and track the incidents triggered by IoT events.

4. CMDB for IoT Devices:

• Store IoT devices as Configuration Items (CIs):
  • Navigate to Configuration > CI Class Manager.
  • Use or create a CI class for your IoT devices, and populate them in the cmdb_ci table.
• Link Incidents to CIs: Ensure that incidents related to IoT devices are linked to their corresponding CIs in the CMDB, providing a complete view of the device’s health and history.

Advantages of Using OOB Tables:

• No Need for Custom Tables: Leveraging OOB tables like em_event, incident, and cmdb_ci reduces the need for custom tables and ensures better integration with other ServiceNow modules.
• Built-in Workflows and Dashboards: OOB tables come with pre-built workflows and dashboards, saving development time and providing immediate value.
• Scalability and Maintenance: OOB tables and processes are easier to maintain and scale as they align with ServiceNow's best practices and updates.

By using these out-of-the-box capabilities, you can efficiently integrate IoT devices with ServiceNow and utilize its full potential for centralized monitoring, incident management, and more.