ThousandEyes supports routing alert notifications directly into ServiceNowIncident Management Services - a solution for streamlining the logging, classification, assignment, escalation, and reporting of incidents. The following guide describes the process of configuring ServiceNow and ThousandEyes alert rules to send alert notifications directly into the ServiceNow platform.
Overview
The ThousandEyes platform can notify users whenever their test results trigger an alert rule. Alert Rules allow configuring various methods of alert notification delivery. One of the supported methods is direct notification delivery into a ServiceNow account. Once the notification is delivered, ServiceNow processes it and allocates tasks based upon pre-defined workflows.
To route alert notifications directly into ServiceNow, the following needs to be properly configured:
A ServiceNow Integration created
Alert Rules associated with ServiceNow Integration
ThousandEyes Tests associated with Alert Rules
The content below will guide you through the process of configuring both, ServiceNow and ThousandEyes. In the end, an alert triggered in ThousandEyes will cause a new incident to be generated within your ServiceNow account instantly. This process should streamline the handling of ThousandEyes-reported events, aligning it with your existing (ServiceNow-based) workflow.
Supported ServiceNow Releases
ThousandEyes support for a ServiceNow release family stops on the same date when ServiceNow declares a release EOL (end of life). However, despite the ServiceNow release reaching EOL, ThousandEyes alert integrations should continue to work. If you have support questions, contact the ThousandEyes Customer Engineering Team.
ServiceNow Release
Supported by ThousandEyes
Istanbul
supported (EOL)
Jakarta
supported (EOL)
Kingston
supported (EOL)
London
supported
Madrid
supported (EOL)
New York
supported
Orlando
supported
ServiceNow Configuration
To be able to receive ThousandEyes alert notifications directly, ServiceNow must first be configured to allow it. Here is a summary of the ServiceNow configuration with links to the relevant ServiceNow product documentation:
Pre-requisite (London, Madrid, New York, and Orlando only): disable the global system property state parameter
1.
Type sys_properties.list into the filter navigator field, then hit Return. In the main window, the System Properties table appears.
2.
Using the table search feature field, select the Name filter, and in the Search field type glide.oauth.state.parameter.required and hit Return (see the figure below).
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3.
Click glide.oauth.state.parameter.required to open the parameter's configuration, change the Value text field to false, then click Update (see the figure below).
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1) Incident form design configuration
1.
Log in to your ServiceNow workspace, under the Application Navigator expand the Self Service application and click the edit Incident module icon
2.
Click the Additional actions menu icon > Configure > Form Design
3.
Check and if required, add the following fields to the incident form:
Access and Refresh tokens will require manual re-configuration once their lifespans have been exceeded. Token lifespan should be configured, in seconds, for a time deemed reasonable by your ServiceNow administrator (eg: 1 year).
NOTE: ThousandEyes recommends creating a dedicated ServiceNow user for integration management. This user should be assigned the web_service_admin role.
ServiceNow Configuration
Creating a ServiceNow Integration Within ThousandEyes
A ServiceNow integration must be created before being assigned to Alert Rules.
1) Navigate to the Alerts > Alert Rule page
Start by selecting Alerts > Alert Rules within the menu pane. Then either expand any of the existing Alert Rules or click the Add New Alert Rule button:
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Click the Notification tab to display the Integrations section:
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Click Configure Integrations or Edit Configurations link depending on which is displayed. This will open a new dialog box.
add-new-integration
Click Add New Integration.
2) Configure ServiceNow integration settings
The following figure depicts the dialog box for creating a new ServiceNow integration:
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Within the dialog box, these fields can be configured:
Type: Make sure "ServiceNow" is selected
Name: Select a name for your ServiceNow integration
ServiceNow URL: The ServiceNow endpoint to which ThousandEyes will send notifications
Client ID: The identifier which ThousandEyes will use when authenticating to ServiceNow
3) Obtain a ServiceNow Authentication Token
Once the fields in the previous step are configured, retrieval of an authentication token is required. ThousandEyes will retrieve and store the authentication token to be used when notifying ServiceNow of alerts. This step will need to be repeated whenever the token expires.
Click the Get Token button. You should be redirected to the ServiceNow login page.
Log into ServiceNow, using an account that has been assigned a role of web_service_admin. Once in, enable permissions for ThousandEyes to access this endpoint.
4) Test your integration
The Test button is provided to verify the correctness of your integration setup. Click it to send a test notification using your new integration. A new incident should be generated in your ServiceNow account.
Assigning ServiceNow Integrations to Alert Rules
Once created, ServiceNow integration can be assigned to any Alert Rule by opening the rule's Notifications settings and selecting your new integration from the drop-down list:
Navigate to the Integrations section of the desired Alert Rule's Notifications configuration tab
Select the desired ServiceNow integration from the drop-down
Click Save Changes
Configure-integration
Here are some additional details to be aware of:
Integrations are available on an Account Group basis. An integration can be used by multiple Alert Rules in an Account Group.
Notification preferences are configured per Alert Rule. Assign your new ServiceNow integration to all Alert Rules that require it.
Integrations cannot shared between Account Group so must be created per Account Group.
Multiple integrations may use the same ServiceNow endpoint and authentication token.
ServiceNow Alert Management
Upon receiving a new notification from the ThousandEyes platform, ServiceNow will create a corresponding incident:
Example: ServiceNow Incident
The following fields will be mapped upon creation of a new incident:
State: Set to New when an alert is triggered and Resolved when the alert is cleared.
Urgency: Set to Medium
Category: Set to Network
Short Description: "ThousandEyes Alert triggered for Test: <Test Name>"
Description: This field will contain alert details including Alert Rule name, number of agents affected, and a URL leading to a view with further details on the ThousandEyes platform.
Related Information
The following resources provide additional information:
​This ThousandEyes blog post provides a general introduction to ThousandEyes ServiceNow integration support.
The How Alerts Work article provides detailed information regarding Alert Rules and Alert Notifications.