Apache web server discovery

---
title: Apache web server discovery
description: Discovery identifies and classifies information about Apache web servers on both Windows and Linux computers.Discovery uses SSH to find Apache connectors mod\_jk and mod\_proxy.The Unix - Active Processes probe requires sudo privileges on Apache web servers.The Apache mod\_jk module forwards requests from the Apache web server to a Servlet container, such as Tomcat.The Apache mod\_proxy module implements a proxy, gateway, or cache for the Apache web server.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-operations-management/itom-visibility/r\_DataCollDiscoApacheWebServers.html
release: australia
product: ITOM Visibility
classification: itom-visibility
topic_type: reference
last_updated: "2026-10-21"
reading_time_minutes: 12
breadcrumb: [Software discovery, Data collected by ITOM Visibility, ITOM Visibility reference, ITOM Visibility, IT Operations Management]
---

# Apache web server discovery

Discovery identifies and classifies information about Apache web servers on both Windows and Linux computers.

**Note:** For information on Probe to Pattern migration see the knowledge article [KB0694477](https://support.servicenow.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0694477).

## Requirements for discovery

-   **Verify the following applications are up to date**
    -   Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns
    -   Visibility Content
    -   CMDB CI Class Models
-   **Create credentials required for discovery**

    For more information, see:

    -   [Applicative credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-security/applicative-creds.md)
    -   [Windows credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-security/r_WindowsCredentialsForm.md)
    -   [SSH credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-security/r_SSHCredentialsForm.md)
-   **Verify privileged commands required for discovery**

    For a list of privileged commands that you need for Discovery and Service Mapping, see [Service Mapping commands requiring a privileged user](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/service-mapping/r_CommandsnCredentials.md). This list includes commands that require elevated rights to discover and map Unix-based hosts in your organization.

-   **Schedule a horizontal discovery**

    For more information, see [Schedule a horizontal discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_CreateADiscoverySchedule.md).


## Classifier, patterns, and probes

<table id="table_qbq_2qh_lbb"><thead><tr><th>

Classifier

</th><th>

Trigger probes

</th><th>

Patterns

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Apache Server

</td><td>

-   Horizontal discovery probe: Launches patterns
-   Apache - Version\*
-   Apache - Get Configuration\*
-   Apache - Get JK ModuleApache - Get Proxy Module\*

</td><td>

-   Apache On Windows
-   Apache On UNIX based OS

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>\*For new instances, these probes are inactive on the classifier. Discovery uses patterns for discovery.

To use patterns, verify that the correct pattern is specified in the horizontal pattern probe on the classifier. See [Add the Horizontal Pattern probe to a classifier](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/c-UsingPatternsForHorizontalDiscovery.md) for instructions.

## Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

Discovery populates the data in the CMDB when running either Apache pattern.

<table id="table_apache_ci"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Name \[name\]

</td><td>

Name of the Apache web server in the following format: **Apache server@\{hostname\}**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Version \[version\]

</td><td>

Version of the Apache web server.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Description \[short\_description\]

</td><td>

Build and version information for the Apache web server.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Installation directory \[install\_directory\]

</td><td>

Installation directory of the Apache web server.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Configuration file \[config\_file\]

</td><td>

Path to the Apache configuration file.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Type \[type\]

</td><td>

Type of web server. The value is set to **Apache**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Running process command \[running\_process\_command\]

</td><td>

Command used to run the Apache process.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Running process key parameters \[running\_process\_key\_parameters\]

</td><td>

Key parameters of the command used to run the Apache process.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Discovery source \[discovery\_source\]

</td><td>

Source of the discovery. Value is set to **CredentiallessDiscovery**.This field is populated for Windows servers only.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>## CI relationships

The Apache patterns create the following relationship to support Apache Web Server discovery.

|CI|Relationship|CI|
|---|------------|---|
|Apache \[cmdb\_ci\_apache\_web\_server\]|Runs on::Runs|Server \[cmdb\_ci\_server\]|

**Parent Topic:**[Software discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/itom-visibility/c_Software.md)

## Apache mod\_jk and mod\_proxy discovery

Discovery uses SSH to find Apache connectors mod\_jk and mod\_proxy.

Discovery uses the **Unix - Active Processes** probe to identify an Apache web server process by matching one of the following criteria: the **name** of the process is:

-   httpd, or
-   apache, or
-   httpd2, or
-   httpd2-prefork
-   httpd.worker

When one of these criteria matches, Discovery checks whether a record already exists in the Web Server \[cmdb\_ci\_web\_server\] table for that running process. If no record exists, Discovery creates one.

The following probes are triggered after classification:

|Probe|Description|Commands|
|-----|-----------|--------|
|Apache – Version|The sensor of this probe populates the Apache version information in the Web Server record.|httpd|
|Apache – Get Configuration|This probe contains a Bourne shell script and an argument that determines the path of the Apache configuration file. The sensor of this probe populates some additional information in the Web Server record.|echo, sed, httpd, cut, grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|

The sensor processing of the **Apache – Get Configuration** probe identifies whether either the mod\_jk or mod\_proxy modules are present and triggers the appropriate probe.

|Probe|Description|Commands|
|-----|-----------|--------|
|Apache – Get JK Module|When the mod\_jk module runs as a load balancer on the server, the probe sensor populates the following tables: Load Balancer Service \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service\], Load Balancer Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\], and Load Balancer Pool Member \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member\].|echo, sed, httpd, cut, grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|
|Apache – Get Proxy Module|When the mod\_proxy module runs as a load balancer on the server, the probe sensor populates the following tables: Load Balancer Service \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service\], Load Balancer Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\], and Load Balancer Pool Member \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member\].|grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|

In addition to data population, the following relationships are created in the CI Relationship \[cmdb\_rel\_ci\] table:

-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl table run on the cmdb\_ci\_web\_server table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service table use the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table are used by the cmdb\_ci\_service table record.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table are members of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member table.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member table are members of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table.

## Legacy: Add sudo access for the Unix - Active Processes probe

The Unix - Active Processes probe requires sudo privileges on Apache web servers.

### Before you begin

Role required: admin

### About this task

You can configure the Unix - Active Processes probe to elevate privileges.

### Procedure

1.  Navigate to **All** &gt; **Discovery** &gt; **Probes**.

2.  In the **Search** field, search for `Unix - Active Processes`.

3.  Select the **Unix - Active Processes** link from the table.

4.  In the **Probe Parameters** related list, select **New**.

5.  Use the following information to fill out the form:

    |Probe|Commands|
    |-----|--------|
    |Name|must\_sudo|
    |Value|true|

6.  Select **Submit**.


## Data collected by Mod\_jk module

The Apache mod\_jk module forwards requests from the Apache web server to a Servlet container, such as Tomcat.

Additional mod\_jk directives can also manage load balancing. Discovery populates the CMDB when it detects an Apache Server. If the mod\_jk module is running on the web server as a load balancer, Discovery populates the related information to the CMDB.

-   The MID Server user account to explore the target server must have access to the httpd.conf configuration file in the /etc/httpd/conf/ folder.
-   Discovery uses secure shell \(SSH\) commands to identify the following associated elements:
    -   Apache Get Configuration
    -   Apache Version
    -   Apache Get JK Module
-   The following probes require execute privileges to run commands:

    |Probe|Command|
    |-----|-------|
    |Apache – Get Configuration|echo, sed, httpd, cut, grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|
    |Apache – Version|httpd|
    |Apache – Get JK Module|echo, sed, httpd, cut, grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|


### Probes and sensors

Discovery uses the Unix - Active Processes probe to identify an Apache server that contains the mod\_jk module:

1.  The Unix - Active Processes probe detects a running process that matches one of the following criteria:
    -   The name of the process is httpd.
    -   The name of the process is apache.
2.  If there is a match on one of these criteria, a record is created in the Web Server table \[cmdb\_ci\_web\_server\] if one does not already exist for that running process. The following probes are also triggered:
    -   Apache – Version: the sensor of this probe populates the Apache version information in the Web Server record.
    -   Apache – Get Configuration: this probe contains a Bourne shell script and an argument that determines the path of the Apache configuration file. The sensor of this probe populates some additional information in the Web Server record.
3.  The sensor processing of Apache – Get configuration probe results triggers the following probes if the mod\_jk module is running on the web server:

    Apache – JK Module:

    If the mod\_jk module is running as a load balancer on the server, the sensor of this probe populates information in the following tables. The Load Balancer Service \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service\], Load Balancer Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\], and Load Balancer Pool Member \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member\] tables are populated.


### Data Collected

For the mod\_jk module with no load balancer, the following data is collected by default:

|Table Name|Field and Label Name|Probe|
|----------|--------------------|-----|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Name \[name\]|Apache – Get Configuration|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Version \[version\]|Apache – Version|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Description \[short\_description\]|Apache – Version|

If the mod\_jk module is enabled for load balancing, Discovery connects the following data:

|Table Name|Field and Label Name|Probe|
|----------|--------------------|-----|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl|Name \[name\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Name \[name\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Port \[port\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Input URL \[Input\_url\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Name \[name\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Port \[port\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Load balancing Method \[load\_balancing\_method\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Name \[name\]|Apache – Apache - Get JK Module|

### Relationships

In addition to data population, the following relationships are created in the CI Relationship \[cmdb\_rel\_ci\] table:

-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl table run on the cmdb\_ci\_web\_server table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service table use the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table are used by the cmdb\_ci\_service table record.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table are members of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member table.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member table are members of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_ pool table.

## Data collected by Mod\_proxy module

The Apache mod\_proxy module implements a proxy, gateway, or cache for the Apache web server.

An additional mod\_proxy\_balancer can also manage load balancing. Discovery populates the CMDB when it detects an Apache server. When the Apache Web Server process is detected, if the mod\_proxy module is running on the web server as a load balancer the related information populates to the CMDB.

Consider the following requirements for discovering an Apache server that contains the mod\_proxy module:

-   The MID Server user account to explore the target server must have access to the \[httpd.conf\] configuration file in the /etc/httpd/conf/ folder.
-   Discovery uses secure shell \(SSH\) commands to identify the following associated elements:
    -   Apache Get Configuration
    -   Apache Version
    -   Apache Get Proxy Module
-   The following probes require execute privileges to run commands:

    |Probe|Commands|
    |-----|--------|
    |Apache – Get Configuration|echo, sed, httpd, cut, grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|
    |Apache – Get Proxy Module|grep, egrep \(within the Borne shell script\)|
    |Apache – Version|httpd|


### Probes and sensors

Discovery uses the Unix - Active Processes probe to identify an Apache server that contains the mod\_proxy module. The probes and sensors operate in the following manner:

1.  The Unix - Active Processes probe detects a running process that matches one of the following criteria:
    -   The name of the process is httpd.
    -   The name of the process is apache2.
2.  If there is a match on one of these criteria, a record is created in the Web Server table \[cmdb\_ci\_web\_server\] if one does not already exist for that running process. The following probes are also triggered:
    -   Apache – Version: the sensor of this probe populates the Apache version information in the Web server \[cmdb\_ci\_web\_server\] record.
    -   Apache – Get Configuration: this probe contains a Bourne shell script and an argument that determines the path of the Apache configuration file. The sensor of this probe populates some additional information in the Web server \[cmdb\_ci\_web\_server\] record.
3.  The sensor processing of the Apache – Get configuration probe results triggers the following probes if the mod\_proxy module is running on the web server:

    Apache - Get Proxy Module:

    If the mod\_proxy module is running as a load balancer on the server, the sensor of this probe populates information in the following tables. Load Balancer Service \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service\], Load Balancer Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\], and Load Balancer Pool Member \[cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member\].


### Data Collected

For the mod\_proxy module with no load balancer, the following data is collected by default:

|Table Name|Field and Label Name|Probe|
|----------|--------------------|-----|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Name \[name\]|Apache – Get Configuration|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Version \[version\]|Apache – Version|
|cmdb\_ci\_web\_server|Description \[short\_description\]|Apache – Version|

If the mod\_proxy module is enabled for load balancing, Discovery connects the following data:

|Table Name|Field and Label Name|Probe|
|----------|--------------------|-----|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Name \[name\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member|Port \[port\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Input URL \[Input\_url\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|IP Address \[ip\_address\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Name \[name\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service|Port \[port\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Last Discovered \[last\_discovered\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Load balancing Method \[load\_balancing\_method\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Load Balancer \[load\_balancer\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|
|cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool|Name \[name\]|Apache - Get Proxy Module|

### Relationships

In addition to data population, the following relationships are created in the CI Relationship \[cmdb\_rel\_ci\] table:

-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_appl table run on the cmdb\_ci\_web\_server table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_service table use the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table are used by the cmdb\_ci\_service table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool are members of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member table records.
-   The records in the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool\_member is a member of the cmdb\_ci\_lb\_pool table records.