Serial numbers for VMs

Reporting
1

We are encountering a problem importing BigFix data into ServiceNow. The error indicates missing or invalid serial numbers for VMs.

Of course VMs do not have a traditional serial number; however, the hypervisor does assign a unique identifying number to all the guests (VMs). I found the unique number reported for Windows VMs running under VMware but not Unix VMs under VMware or any VMs under Solaris, AIX, or Linux hosted by z/OS (z/Linux).
What field in BigFix Inventory should consistently provide an identifying number for VMs?

2

I would recommend checking this setting in ServiceNow:

Value of x_hclte_sg_bigfix.include_computers_with_no_bios_serial_number ServiceNow Server setting, which can be found at https://%3CSERVICE_NOW_URL%3E/now/nav/ui/classic/params/target/sys_properties_list.do.

It should be set to TRUE to allow import of VMs without a serial number.

The following is the API query used by the ServiceGraph Connector:

https://<BFI_INSTANCE>:<BFI_PORT>/api/sam/v2/computers?columns[]=id&columns[]=bigfix_id&columns[]=computer_group_id&columns[]=name&columns[]=dns_name&columns[]=os&columns[]=os_type&columns[]=first_seen&columns[]=last_seen&columns[]=is_deleted&columns[]=deletion_date&columns[]=is_managed_by_vm_manager&columns[]=detailed_hw_smbios.system_serial_number&columns[]=detailed_hw_ip_addresses.permanent_mac_address&columns[]=detailed_hw_ip_addresses.id&columns[]=detailed_hw_ip_addresses.address&columns[]=detailed_hw_storages.total_size&columns[]=detailed_hw_storages.id&columns[]=detailed_hw_memories.total_physical&columns[]=detailed_hw_memories.id&columns[]=detailed_hw_storages.device&columns[]=detailed_hw_network_adapters.type&columns[]=detailed_hw_network_adapters.permanent_address&columns[]=detailed_hw_network_adapters.current_address&columns[]=detailed_hw_network_adapters.model&columns[]=computer_hardware.status&columns[]=computer_hardware.server_serial_number&columns[]=computer_hardware.computer_type&columns[]=computer_hardware.server_type&columns[]=computer_hardware.server_model&columns[]=computer_hardware.server_vendor&columns[]=detailed_hw_ip_addresses.ipv6_address&criteria={"and":[["is_deleted","=","0"],["computer_hardware.status","=","1"],["os_type","!=","MACOS"],["os_type","!=","AIX"]]}

This is take from BigFix Inventory Service Graph Connector Troubleshooting

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3

Thanks. I passed that along to the analyst working this problem.
We previously opened a ticket with ServiceNow, and they responded with this KB article:

Software Asset Management - Known issues with pulling CI from ILMT (IBM Publisher pack) - Support and Troubleshooting

This KB article didn’t really help so I’m hoping your suggestion works. When I look at our BFI reports, I don’t see the TLM problem related to any VM reported with IBM software. The goal is to import IBM software consumption data from ILMT/BFI because IBM does not accept ServiceNow calculations for sub-capacity licensing.

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