Configuring Update Sets, Catalog Files, & System Properties in ServiceNow™

This task provides step-by-step instructions for configuring update sets, catalog files, and system properties in ServiceNow™. Administrators will learn how to set up the Update Sets property, import update sets from XML, and configure REST message properties to ensure effective communication with managed endpoints.

Before you begin

Perform the steps mentioned in the Stage ServiceNow Update Set for Admin Handoff task before attempting this task.

About this task

Learn how to configure update sets, catalog files, and system properties in ServiceNow™.

As an administrator, you will need to configure the Update Sets, catalog files, and system properties on the customer's instance of ServiceNow™ portal. This configuration is necessary so that the exceptions raised on Application Control managed endpoints are created in customer's instance of ServiceNow™.

Procedure

  1. Browse to the customer's ServiceNow™ instance portal where the exception requests raised by the end-users will reflect.
  2. From All tab, search for Update Sets properties.
    Figure 1. Search Update Set Properties in ServiceNow

    Search Update Set Properties in ServiceNow
  3. Click Retrieved Update Sets. This property updates the Update Sets property that are pulled form another ServiceNow™ instance.
  4. From Retrieved Update Sets screen, click the Import Update Set from XML link at the bottom-left of the screen.

    The link Import Update Set from XML imports an update set from an XML file exported from another ServiceNow™ instance, in this case it will be the customers instance.
    Note: Perform the steps mentioned in the Stage ServiceNow Update Set for Admin Handoff task to get the Update Set file that you need to import.
  5. From the Import XML screen, click Choose file to select the XML file from the customer's instance that you need to import. After the file is selected, click Upload.

    Once successfully uploaded, you will see the uploaded file on the Retrieved Update Set screen.
  6. On the Retrieved Update Set screen, click to open the newly uploaded update set.
  7. On the Retrieved Update Set <file-name> screen, click the Preview Update Set button. Click Close once the preview processing is complete.
  8. Browse to Select All > Actions on selected rows... > Accept remote update.
  9. Once the Accept remote update action is complete, click the Commit Update Set button.

    Click Close once the Commit Update Set action is complete.
  10. Next, configure the REST Message property. To do so, browse back to the All tab and search for REST Message property.
  11. On the REST Message screen, there will be two Application Control catalog files.

    These files will be used for communicating with BigFix Application Control REST APIs by ServiceNow™.
  12. Note: Before executing this step, ensure that you have BigFix REST API credentials available with you.
    Click the Application_Catalog_BigFix file, and select the Authentication type as Basic. In the Basic auth profile field, enter BigFix REST API credentials. These fields set the authentication type for communicating with BigFix REST APIs.
    1. You can search for the BigFix REST API credentials by clicking the Lookup using list option.
    2. On the Basic Auth Configuration | ServiceNow screen, either search and select the credentials from the list or click New to create new record in ServiceNow™.
    3. On the New Record | Basic Auth Configuration | ServiceNow screen, enter the Name, Username, and Password of the record.

      Click Submit.
  13. Now, update the endpoints for the REST POST and PUT methods.

    This endpoint is the BigFix REST API server with which ServiceNow™ will communicate.
  14. Next, browse to the REST Message screen and select the BAC_Application_Exception_Catalog file file.
  15. On the REST Message BAC_Application_Exception_Catalog screen, update the Endpoint field with the URL of the customers ServiceNow™ instance.

    This endpoint URL is ServiceNow™ instance where you wish to generate the exception requests raised by the desktop users of Application Control.
  16. Scroll down on the same screen and update the Endpoint column for the post and put methods in the HTTP Methods section.
  17. Next, configure the sys_properties.list property. To do so, browse back to the All tab and search for sys_properties.list property.
  18. Note: The ServiceNow™ user (with exception manager role or persona), must have ITIL and REST Service roles assigned to it before you proceed to update the properties in this step.
    On the System Properties screen, search using the BigFix keyword in the Name column.

    This search will result in two BigFix® properties: BigFix_User_Key & BigFix_User_Name.
    1. BigFix_User_Key is the password of the ServiceNow™ user (user with the exception manager role or persona).
    2. BigFix_User_Name is the user name of the ServiceNow™ user (user with the exception manager role or persona).