Hyper-V discovery

reference brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 7 min read r_DiscoveryForHyperV.md
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The ServiceNow Discovery application finds Microsoft Hyper-V hypervisors in your environment.

Hyper-V is a hypervisor developed by Microsoft that enables you to create and manage virtual machines (VMs) on a physical server or computer. It enables hardware virtualization, enabling multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine while sharing the underlying hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, storage, and networking.

Note: See the knowledge article KB0687582 for information on model_id and manufacturer.

Hyper-V supports the following functionality:

  • Failover clustering: Failover is managed with Failover Cluster Manager.
  • Live migration: Virtual machines can be moved between failover cluster nodes without bringing down the virtual machine.

Note: For information on Probe to Pattern migration see the knowledge article KB0694477.

Supported versions

Discovery is supported for Hyper-V running on the following Windows Server versions:

  • 2008
  • 2012
  • 2012 R2
  • 2016
  • 2019
  • 2022
  • 2025

Important: Discovery of Hyper-V running on Windows starting from version 2016 supports pattern discovery only. If you upgraded and are still using probes and sensors for discovery, see KB0694773 for instructions on configuring Hyper-V probes.

Hyper-V data models

There are 2 types of Hyper-V:

  • Hyper-V on Windows Server: This model, installed as a server role on Windows Servers, is designed for enterprises needing both virtualization and other server roles (for example: file servers, Active Directory, web servers) on the same machine.
  • Hyper-V Server (Standalone): A free, lightweight version of Windows Server specifically designed for virtualization. It includes only the Hyper-V hypervisor and no graphical user interface (GUI) or additional server roles.

Discovery supports identifying and mapping both types of Hyper-V environments. However, the CMDB data models differ between the two deployment types.

[Omitted image "MMASSET0020901-hyper-v-data-model-horizontal.png"] Alt text: Key differences between Windows Server with Hyper-V role and Hyper-V Server using a VM with Windows OS example

Key aspects

Windows Server with Hyper-V role

Hyper-V Server

Hyper-V Server CI
  • Name of the CI includes the @Hyper-V Server suffix. For example: hyperv1@Hyper-V Server.
  • The Windows Host field references the parent Windows Servers table, which represents the physical host of the Hyper-V Server.

Name of the CI is the Hyper-V Server.

Hyper-V Cluster has Members::Member of relationship with Hyper-V Server

YesThe Hyper-V Server table:

  • Has Is virtual field set to true
  • Doesn't have software installation

YesThe Hyper-V Server table:

  • Has Is virtual field set to false
  • Doesn't have software installation

Hyper-V Server has Runs on::Runs relationship with Windows Server

YesThe Windows Server table:

  • Represents the physical host
  • Has Is virtual field set to false
  • Has Windows Server software installation

No

Operating system (OS) installed on the VM has Virtualized by::Virtualizes relationship with Hyper-V Server

YesThe OS table (for example: Windows Server/Linux Server):

  • Represents the individual virtual machines (VMs)
  • Has Is virtual field set to true
  • Has OS software installation, such as Windows or Linux Server
  • Has other software installations deployed on the VM

YesThe OS table (for example: Windows Server/Linux Server):

  • Has Is virtual field set to true
  • Has OS software installation, such as Windows or Linux Server
  • Has other software installations deployed on the VM

OS installed on the VM has Instantiates::Instantiated by relationship with Hyper-V Virtual Machine Instance

Yes

Yes

CPU cores count

Is identical between the physical Windows Server host and the Hyper-V Server

The parent Windows Servers table reflects the physical cores, while the Hyper-V Server table displays the virtual cores
## Credentials

Configure Windows credentials with Domain administrator rights. You should also Enable PowerShell for the MID Server used to discover Hyper-V servers and instances.

Classifier, probes, and pattern

Classifier

Probes

Pattern

Hyper-V ServerThe classification applies to standalone Hyper-V servers only (servers NOT running on Windows 2008).
  • Horizontal discovery probe: Launches patterns
  • Windows - ADM^
  • Windows - Installed Software^
  • Hyper-V - Cluster*
  • Hyper-V - Resource Pools*
  • Hyper-V - Virtual Machines*
  • Hyper-V - Virtual Networks*
  • Several other Windows probes also run, such as Windows - Identity, Windows - software, and so on.*

Hyper-V Server
\*These probes aren't active on the classifier, as Discovery uses patterns by default for these discoveries.

^These probes remain active by default, even when Discovery uses pattern 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 for instructions.

Data collected by Discovery during horizontal discovery

Label

Field Name

Data Description

Stored in Table

Object ID ^

object_id

ID

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance

Name^

name

name

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance

State

state
  • On
  • Off

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

CPUs

cpus

Count

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

Memory

memory

Quantity in MB

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

Network adapters

nics

Count

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

Disks

disks

Count+

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

Disks size

disks_size

Capacity in GB+

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance *

Virtual Base Board Serial Number

baseboard_serial

Virtual serial number

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance

BIOS Serial Number

bios_serial

Virtual serial number

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance

Chassis Serial Number

chassis_serial

Virtual serial number

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance

BIOS GUID

bios_guid

Globally unique identifier (GUID)

cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance
\*Attributes that are put in the `cmdb_ci_hyper_v_instance` table when using the Hyper-V Server pattern. For upgrades, probes and sensors continue to put these attributes in the `cmdb_ci_vm_instance` table.

^Newly discovered attribute when using the Hyper-V Server pattern.

+Discovery can only return this information if the virtual machine is running.

Label Field Store in table
Name name cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Chassis type chassis_type cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Description short_description cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
OS Address Width (bits) os_address_width cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Operating System OS cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Host name hostname cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
IP Address ip_address cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
OS Version os_version cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
OS Service Pack os_service_pack cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Is virtual virtual cmdb_ci_hyper_v_server
Label Field Name Data Description Stored in Table
Name name Name of the virtual network cmdb_ci_hyper_v_network *
ID object_id Globally unique identifier (GUID) cmdb_ci_hyper_v_network *

*Attributes that are put in the cmdb_ci_hyper_v_network table when using the Hyper-V Server pattern. For upgrades, probes and sensors continue to put these attributes in the cmdb_ci table (name) and the cmdb_ci_vm_object table (object_id).

Label Field Name Data Description Stored in Table
Name^ name Name of the resource pool. cmdb_ci_hyper_v_resource_pool
ID object_id Globally unique identifier (GUID) cmdb_ci_hyper_v_rpool_comp
Capacity capacity Maximum amount of the appropriate allocation unit cmdb_ci_hyper_v_rpool_comp
Allocation units allocation_units Units of measurement used (for example, MB or GB) cmdb_ci_hyper_v_rpool_comp
Resource type resource_type Type of resource discovered (for example, memory, or hard drive space) cmdb_ci_hyper_v_rpool_comp
Label Field Name Data Description Stored in Table Reference Table
Windows Cluster name Reference field displaying the Windows Cluster on which the Hyper-V cluster resides. cmdb_ci_hyper_v_cluster cmdb_ci_win_cluster

Relationships

Discovery creates records in the CMDB for the host machine, the parent partition running Windows Server 2008, and all the virtual machines running on the Hyper-V server. Discovery finds the stored templates and maps all the relationships between components.

The instance modifies these tables for use with multiple virtualization products:

Table

Purpose

Virtualization Server [cmdb_ci_virtualization_server]

Contains data on all discovered virtualization servers.

Virtual Machine Instance [cmdb_ci_vm_instance]

Contains data on all discovered virtual machine instances.

Virtual Machine Object [cmdb_ci_vm_object]

Contains data about various objects associated with a Hyper-V server, such as partitions, networks, resource pools, and clusters.
|Parent table|Relationship|Child table| |------------|------------|-----------| |Hyper-V Virtual Machine Instance \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_instance\]|Registered on::Has registered|Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]| |Hyper-V Virtual Machine Instance \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_instance\]|Connected by ::Connects|Hyper-V Network \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_network\]| |Hyper-V Network \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_network\]|Provided::Provides|Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]| |Hyper-V Resource Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_resource\_pool\]|Defines resources for:Gets resources from|Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]| |Hyper-V Resource Pool Components \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_rpool\_comp\]|Contained by::Contains|Hyper-V Resource Pool \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_resource\_pool\]| |Hyper-V Cluster \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_cluster\]|Members::Member of|Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]| |Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]|Runs on::Runs|Windows Server \[cmdb\_ci\_win\_server\]| |Windows Server \[cmdb\_ci\_win\_server\]|Instantiates::Instantiated by|Hyper-V Virtual Machine Instance \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_instance\]| |Windows Server \[cmdb\_ci\_win\_server\]|Virtualized by::Virtualizes|Hyper-V Server \[cmdb\_ci\_hyper\_v\_server\]|

Parent Topic:Operating systems discovery

Clone Hyper-V virtual machines

When importing (cloning) Hyper-V virtual machines, make sure each virtual machine has a unique ID. Discovery identifies virtual machines with duplicate IDs as the same machine.

  1. Export the virtual machine from the Hyper-V server.

  2. Import the virtual machine into a different server, making one of the these choices:

    • Move or restore the virtual machine: This selection clones the image, using the same ID, and moves it to another server. The original image remains on the Hyper-V server.
    • Copy the virtual machine: This selection copies the virtual machine, using a different ID, and moves it from the Hyper-V server. This is the best selection and does not require any further action before you run Discovery.

  3. If you import the Hyper-V clone using the Move or restore selection, be sure to delete the original image from the Hyper-V server.

    When Discovery encounters two virtual machines with the same equivalent serial numbers, it creates only one configuration item (CI).

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