Why ServiceNow CMDB Misses Physical Accuracy—and How to Fix It

ServiceNow is widely trusted by enterprises to run core IT service management processes. While ServiceNow provides a strong logical view of services and configuration items, it was not designed to capture the physical state of a live data center. Without a system built for physical infrastructure, what exists on the floor and what’s recorded in the CMDB quickly diverge.

Asset Point, Align’s DCIM platform, integrates seamlessly with ServiceNow through bidirectional synchronization, keeping the CMDB current while preserving ServiceNow as the logical system of record.

In this blog, we’ll look at why physical accuracy breaks down in ServiceNow environments—and how Asset Point brings it back.

Getting Specific: Where ServiceNow Excels and Where it's Limited

ServiceNow’s CMDB excels capturing a device’s logical data such as, ownership, assignment groups, application mappings, lifecycle state, business service, dependency map, and ticket history. Yet in reality, that same device could be physically in a different cabinet, a different RU, a lab, a storage room, replaced or removed.  Those critical physical details – floorplans, locations, rack elevations become questionable.  Asset Point seamlessly connects the physical with the logical.

How to Capture and Maintain Physical Infrastructure Data

Asset Point is Align’s DCIM platform, built for data center managers who prioritize validated accuracy over theoretical automation, as well as global teams who need to view any data center worldwide from the convenience of their office.

What Asset Point tracks:

• Exact rack and RU locations
• Floorplan and cabinet layouts
• Cabinet elevations
• Device serial numbers
• Power connections
• Space and capacity views
  
  

Asset Point’s accuracy comes from validated, maintained physical records. Asset Scan, Asset Point’s iOS tool, anchors updates to the real environment rather than assumptions or guess work.

Teams can:

• Easily (physically) scan assets
• Validate RU placement
• Confirm asset tags, serials, hostnames
• Automatically generate audit trails to track every change
• Quickly and easily reconcile “what’s recorded” versus “what’s real”

What Teams Gain from Physical Accuracy

Workflows that stay intact: IMACs, decommissions, and incident responses reference precise rack- and RU-level locations with elevation views, not vague cage descriptions.

Faster incident response: Visualized cabinets and verified asset locations reduce MTTR (mean time to repair) and eliminate time spent searching for equipment.

A trusted physical source of truth: Pinpoint rack elevations, RU placement, and capacity views ensure teams act on data that reflects reality.

• Seamless ServiceNow integration: Bidirectional synchronization keeps the CMDB current while preserving ServiceNow as the logical system of record.
• Validated updates and audit trails: Asset Scan enables easy maintenance with verified physical changes and complete accountability.
• Configuration that fits your environment: Match naming conventions, models, and fields to your standards without disrupting existing workflows.
• Granular access control: Permissions ensure the right teams have the right level of visibility and control.

"Accurate physical data is a competitive advantage. Our clients move faster, plan smarter, and respond to incidents with precision.” — Global Data Center Director, Financial Services Enterprise

Ready to Strengthen Your ServiceNow with Physical Truth?

Asset Point will strengthen your workflows by providing the missing physical layer without disruption. Reach out to Align for a demo and see how Asset Point can complement your ServiceNow environment.