Managing IT infrastructure is no walk in the park. Especially when you’re juggling multiple clouds, thousands of devices, and endless updates. It’s like trying to keep a hyperactive octopus in a kiddie pool. That’s where CMDBs (Configuration Management Databases) step in as the ultimate wranglers.
Now, here’s the kicker — not all CMDBs play the same game. Cloudaware and ServiceNow CMDB both pack fascinating features. But they’re built with different priorities in mind.
So, how do they stack up for hybrid environments with sprawling accounts? Let’s take a closer look and find the perfect fit for your IT circus.
Platforms overview
What is Cloudaware CMDB?
Cloudaware CMDB is for the big players. This tool is your best friend if your company manages a maze of multi-cloud and on-prem systems. It’s like having a single, crystal-clear source of truth for all your configuration items. Everything's tracked in real-time, without throttling. Costs, vulnerabilities, CPU usage, and patch status.
But here’s the magic: Cloudaware ties it all together:
- It discovers cloud and on-prem resources,
- enriches them with additional data from the cloud and third-party tools,
- and automatically maps relationships and dependencies.
The result is a clear view of hierarchy and connections. You can see how everything is linked and get a detailed picture of your IT environment.
Cloudaware is built natively on Salesforce's Force.com platform. That’s why all the highest security standards are met. There are features like end-to-end encryption, auditing, multi-factor authentication, and role based access controls. Its scalable design allows growth with your business. Moreover, you can customize reports and workflows to fit your needs.
As one of Device42 competitors it is perfect for big enterprises with dynamic, hybrid IT setups. Cloudaware CMDB offers 50+ integrations, real-time inventory updates, and top-notch security compliance. On top of that, dedicated experts assist with platform setup and optimization.
What is CMDB in ServiceNow?
ServiceNow CMDB offers organizations a central hub for configuration data. It's designed to manage complex IT setups, including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and on-site systems.
Here’s how it works:
- Data Collection. ServiceNow database gathers configuration items from on-prem and AWS, Azure, Google Cloud environments.
- Integration. Service Graph Connectors link external data sources. They standardize the data and enrich CIs with more context.
- Data Population. Automatically populates the CMDB with updated data, ensuring real-time accuracy.
- Relationship Mapping. Maps dependencies between CIs, visualizing their relationships for better decision-making.
- Visualization & Reporting. Provides unified views of CI data and business context to help assess risks and impacts.
ServiceNow CMDB supports dynamic business environments with automated, scalable data curation and integration. However, it may not deliver real-time updates or deep customization options that some competitors offer.
Companies in finance, healthcare, and tech often choose ServiceNow. They value its standardized workflows, automation, and strong platform integration.
ServiceNow meets high security standards with encryption and auditing. However, some settings need better real-time tracking or custom reports. In these areas, ServiceNow might not match other CMDB solutions.
A comparison table of Cloudaware and ServiceNow CMDB
| Feature | Cloudaware | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Key Focus | Multi-cloud and hybrid IT environments asset discovery and dependency mapping | Primarily focused on enterprise IT, with a heavy emphasis on service management and ITIL processes. May lack the flexibility for complex hybrid cloud environments. |
| Supported Objects | Every cloud and on-prem resource within your infrastructure. Theer are also virtual applications (groups of assets) | Software, network devices, documentation, and facilities. |
| Asset Discovery | Continuous, real-time scanning for both cloud and on-prem resources | Requires manual configuration. It can be slower, especially for large-scale or hybrid setups. |
| Tagging | Flexible, user-defined tags based on CI attributes like environment, region, or business unit | Tags are customizable and tightly integrated with predefined configurations. That’s why they require more manual effort to manage. |
| Workflow Automation | Automated workflows based on dynamic CI attributes and relationships | It is strong and revolves around ITIL processes. The process isn’t dynamic for hybrid or multi-cloud environments. |
| Change Management | Detailed tracking, approval workflows, and automated actions | Audit trails, log configuration and compliance changes. |
| Integrations | 50+ integrations, including cloud and on-prem platforms | Multiple integrations with ITSM tools and enterprise systems. May require extensive setup for complex environments. |
| Reporting | Real-time, interactive dashboards with analytics for both on-prem and cloud setups | Customizable dashboards with visual analytics. But for deeper insights across multiple platforms you’ll need custom development. |
| Pricing Model | Subscription packages start from 50 Servers and 1 User. That will cost you $200. | Depends on number of users, the volume of CIs, and add-ons. |
| Free Trial | 30-day free trial | 30-day free trial |
| Best For | Ideal for complex hybrid IT environments with multi-cloud resources | Organizations with mature ITIL processes |
Detailed Features Comparison: Cloudaware CMDB vs. ServiceNow
Both Cloudaware and ServiceNow features are powerful for asset and config management. Let’s see how they stack up in terms of visibility, automation, security, and more.
Asset and Configuration Visibility
| Feature | Cloudaware | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Discovery | Cloudaware continuously scans and discovers all instances across cloud platforms and on-premises environments. It maps each configuration item (CI) in real time. | Scans AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, on-premise environments. However, there are no real-time updates. |
| Data Enrichment | Gathers detailed data from clouds and third-party tools. Enriches CIs with information like costs, vulnerabilities, CPU usage, patch status, and more. | Adds key data to CIs, such as hardware specs, software details, lifecycle status, usage, and compliance information. |
| Detailed Attributes | Based on discovered data, the CMDB assigns attributes to build relationships. This provides the context by connecting related resources. You’ll see which cloud a CI belongs to. Applications and business units are easily identified. Details like costs, vulnerabilities, and CPU usage appear. Patch status is included for better insights. | Integrates external data via Service Graph Connectors. May lack the level of detail and enrichment for each CI compared to other tools. |
| Relationship Mapping | Cloudaware links CIs to display dependencies, relationships, and hierarchy. The CMDB displays an instance's supported application, connections, and business role. The CMDB arranges objects in a tree structure, showing interconnected items and their dependencies. | Provides relationship mapping but may not offer the same level of context or dynamic mapping for complex hybrid setups. |
| Visual Representation | Cloudaware offers visual dashboards and list views for streamlined CI management. The CMDB Navigator organizes assets by providers, services, and regions. CMDB Search quickly locates CIs by name, ID, or attribute, providing clear, actionable insights. | Tables, Service Maps, Visual Dependency Maps |
Cloudaware offers real-time asset discovery, continuously scanning cloud and on-prem environments. It enriches configuration items with attributes like costs, vulnerabilities, and patch statuses. The system also excels in visualizing relationships and dependencies using intuitive dashboards.
ServiceNow scans various environments but may face delays in real-time updates. It integrates external data through Service Graph Connectors but lacks the same depth of enrichment. Its mapping and visualization tools may lack clarity in complex, large-scale environments.
Choose based on the need for real-time updates and detailed visualization.
Tagging and Project Organization
Tagging is about creating structure, providing clarity, and generating actionable insights. Cloudaware and ServiceNow both excel at asset management tagging, each offering unique features.
Cloudaware uses dynamic tagging via Tag Analyzer and virtual applications. It is ideal for complex, multi-cloud environments where assets change rapidly.
ServiceNow IT service management platform offers flexible tagging. This feature links IT assets to business services and applications. It also automates asset classification and provides real-time updates. This ensures tags accurately reflect your infrastructure's current state.
| Aspect | Cloudaware | ServiceNow CMDB |
|---|---|---|
| Tagging Basics | System assigns tags based on CI attributes, such as environment, region, or business unit. Then, if needed, clients can customize them. | Tags are generated automatically during discovery. They include attributes like device type, software version, or dependency. But there are limits with tags customization. |
| Tagging Across Clouds | Works seamlessly across multi-cloud environments, standardizing the tagging process across providers. | Tagging across clouds is supported. But there is no seamless process within complex multi-cloud environments. |
| Customization Options | Tags can be automatically assigned through workflows. They can be based on predefined CI attributes like environment, region, or business unit. | Tags can be customized manually, but there is limited flexibility compared to competitors. |
| Tag Validation | The Tag Analyzer ensures all assets are tagged consistently. It helps maintain tagging standards across the platform. | No explicit validation tools. While dependency mapping is robust, some users may miss direct validation features. |
| Automation | Tags can automatically adjust based on changes in the environment (like resource movements or updates). | Automatically tags assets during discovery and adjusts tags when configurations or dependencies change. |
| Grouping of Assets | The Virtual Applications group assets by specific applications, business units, or custom logic. It uses tags, CI attributes, and custom logic. | Groups assets based on application dependencies, device type, or business unit. However, there are customization and flexibility limits. |
| Dynamic Grouping | Groupings automatically updated based on tag changes or resource attributes. | Groupings update dynamically when discovery identifies changes in dependencies or relationships. |
| Use Case Example | Scenario. You need to group all cloud resources supporting an application. Solution. Automatically tag all instances under a specific business unit. Create a virtual application grouping based on these tags. | Scenario. A database server’s configuration changes, impacting its dependencies. Solution. ServiceNow identifies updated relationships and sets the tag for the impacted resources. |
For customizable tagging and strong multi-cloud support, choose Cloudaware. However, if you're using ServiceNow and need simpler tagging, the ServiceNow ITSM tool might be enough.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation streamlines processes, boosts efficiency, and cuts manual asset and config tasks. Cloudaware and Asset Panda both offer automation, but focus on different needs.
Cloudaware automates tasks like updating fields, attaching assets, tagging, and incident management. With workflows, you can easily automate email alerts and set up Slack notifications. These notifications keep your team informed about critical events.
Meanwhile, Service Now configuration management focuses on automating ITSM workflows and asset management. It supports automation of asset discovery updates, configuration changes, and incident management. The platform's automation integrates with ITSM processes. It enables incident, change, and problem management workflows.
It's perfect for enterprises with solid ITSM practices in place. If you need seamless integration between managing assets and handling service desk tasks, this is a strong option.
| Feature | Cloudaware | ServiceNow CMDB |
|---|---|---|
| Automation Complexity | Advanced, supports multi-cloud and hybrid environments. | Supports ITSM workflows and configuration management automation. |
| Automation Scope | Field updates, tagging, compliance checks, incident and ticket creation. | Automates asset discovery, ITSM incidents, and configuration updates. |
| Custom Workflows | Once data is in Cloudaware, it becomes fully actionable. With workflows, you can customize tasks based on CI attributes, relationships, and events. | Customizable workflows integrated with ITSM processes, like incident and change management. |
| Trigger-Based Actions | Trigger actions based on CI attributes, tags, or relationships. | Actions based on configuration changes, application dependencies, or asset discovery updates. |
| Application-Specific Workflows | Supports application-specific workflows (tag-based automation.) | Tracks and automates workflows for application dependencies and infrastructure. |
| Automated Notifications | Real-time notifications for any data in the system. | Alerts for application dependency changes, ITSM incidents, and configuration updates. |
| Use Cases | Problem: Expired certificate causes business disruption. Solution: Create a time-based workflow to notify you to update the certificate 30 days before expiration. Asset: ACM Certificate. Criteria: Expiration Date < 30 days from Current Date. Action: Send an email and create a Jira ticket. | Problem. A critical application dependency is modified, impacting service stability. Solution. Automate tracking and notification of dependency changes. Dependency. Application-to-database link. Action. Notify IT, generate ServiceNow incident, log change. |
If you're managing complex cloud assets and need flexible workflows, Cloudaware is a strong option. It automates tagging, compliance, and resource updates, and provides real-time notifications. It's ideal for multi-cloud environments and dynamic resource management.
However, if your organization relies on ITSM practices and focuses on managing IT services, ServiceNow is a better choice. It integrates seamlessly with service management tasks, making processes more efficient. Plus, it automates asset discovery and maps out their connections effortlessly.
Change Management
Cloudaware’s got change management down to a science. Everything in your CMDB can be tracked, and when something changes, it’s logged. Think of it like a watchful guardian, catching every tweak, whether a small config change or a significant shift.
- Change Detection. Every time something changes in a resource, it’s tracked. Thus, you have all changes recorded and saved in the history.
- Approval Process. Need a second opinion before a change goes through? Cloudaware can set up custom approval workflows.
- Automated Actions. It doesn’t stop at detection. Cloudaware can trigger emails, create Jira tickets, and execute tasks based on changes.
- Tracking History. Changes get logged in real time. You’ll know exactly what happened and when.
Service Now CMDB provides detailed change tracking. Its main advantage is integration with ITSM workflows. It detects changes in configurations and dependencies. Moreover, it triggers creating incidents, making change requests, or managing problems.
However, it may not provide the same level of flexibility and automation outside the ITSM context.
- Change Detection. Tracks changes in configuration and dependencies, often in real-time.
- Approval Process. ServiceNow manages all changes through an approval workflow within ITSM
- Automated Actions when changes are detected. Actions like creating incidents or change requests are automatically triggered.
- Tracking History. Detailed logs of configuration changes, often with a focus on impact to IT services and business continuity.
Both tools excel in change detection. However, Cloudaware is more flexible and offers real-time automation, especially in multi-cloud setups. Meanwhile, ServiceNow tightly links change detection with its ITSM processes. This makes it perfect for organizations focused on ITIL and service management.
| Feature | Cloudaware | ServiceNow |
|---|---|---|
| Change Detection | Tracks every change in detail and records them. So you can look back and see exactly what happened. | Tracks configuration and dependency changes in real time. |
| Approval Process | Customizable approval workflows | Relies on ITSM integrations like ServiceNow for approval workflows. |
| Automated Actions | Incident and ticket creation, fields updates, start/stop instances, tagging, compliance checks. | Automates discovery updates, notifications, incident tickets, and change request approvals. It also assigns tasks to specific managers. |
| Tracking History | Detailed change logs for every object | Maintains logs of configuration and dependency changes. |
| Visibility | Real-time updates on changes and status | Visualizes changes and impacts on application dependencies. |
| Use case example | Problem. Your SSL certificate expires soon. Solution. Cloudaware can notify you 30 days before the certificate expires. It can also trigger a Jira ticket or email to ensure the certificate is updated in time. | Problem. A critical application server’s configuration changes unexpectedly, potentially disrupting the service. Solution. ServiceNow automatically detects the configuration change and logs it in the CMDB. It triggers an incident notification to the IT team. Then the system creates a change request and assigns tasks for troubleshooting. |
Looking for a robust, adaptable change detection system? Choose Cloudaware for its powerful automation. However, if you need a seamless ITSM framework with detailed dependency tracking, opt for ServiceNow.
Integrations
Cloudaware and ServiceNow configuration management database integrate with a wide range of platforms. But they cater to different needs. Here's a look at how each platform handles integrations.
Cloudaware is designed for complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It supports integrations with cloud services, security tools, DevOps platforms, and more. With over 50 integrations, Cloudaware is your central hub for managing distributed infrastructure.
- 50+ integrations
- Cloud services.
- Security tools.
- Monitoring tools.
- Billing integrations.
- DevOps tools.
- Custom integrations via API.
Cloudaware is ideal for enterprises managing complex infrastructures across multiple clouds and environments.
ServiceNow CMDB is tailored more toward ITSM integration and service management. It connects with ITSM tools, cloud services, and asset discovery tools. The system focuses on service management, asset management, and dependency mapping.
ServiceNow CMDB Integrations (30+)
- Cloud: AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware
- ITSM: ServiceNow, Jira, Zendesk
- DevOps: Ansible, Jenkins, Chef
- Discovery: Hardware, software, and application dependencies
- Custom: API support
| Feature | Cloudaware | ServiceNow CMDB |
|---|---|---|
| Total Integrations | 50+ | 30+ |
| Cloud Integrations | AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle, Alibaba | AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware |
| Security Tools | Tenable, Qualys, Rapid7 and more. | Limited to ITSM integrations |
| DevOps Tools | Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Jenkins, Nagios, Terraform | Ansible, Jenkins, Chef |
| ITSM Tools | ServiceNow, Jira, Email, Slack | ServiceNow, Jira, Zendesk |
| Physical Asset Tracking | Any physical infrastructure via Breeze agent | Integrates with on-premises infrastructure |
| Monitoring Tools | CloudWatch, New Relic, Datadog, Nagios, Pingdom, Sensu, Wormly, Sumo logic, Zabbix. | Basic dependency monitoring |
| Custom Integrations | Full API support: Graph QL, SOQL, REST, SOAP, Bulk API, etc. | API support |
Cloudaware is ideal for complex, multi-cloud setups. It integrates ideally across platforms. For hybrid environments, it's a top choice.
Consider ServiceNow CMDB for ITSM alignment, asset management, and tracking dependencies. This applies to on-prem, cloud, and virtual settings. It integrates well with ITSM tools for streamlined workflows.
Choose based on your priorities — whether it’s hybrid complexity or deep ITSM integration.
Reporting and Analytics
Managing IT assets isn’t just about knowing what you have — it’s about understanding it. Both Cloudaware and ServiceNow deliver powerful analytics. But their strengths? Very different.
Cloudaware’s reporting is for cloud-based asset management. It focuses on monitoring cloud resources like VMs, storage, and services. Here’s an example of how it looks:
- Report Format. Cloudaware offers a mix of tables and interactive dashboards.
- Customization. Cloudaware allows you to customize reports and dashboards based on:
- Time Periods. You can set up reports for daily, weekly, monthly, or even custom date ranges. This makes it easy to track trends over time.
- Custom Filters. You can add filters to view specific groups of assets by region, cost threshold, cloud account, application, business unit, tags, and more.
- Data Segmentation. Customize how data is segmented by different asset types, tags, account IDs, or regions.
- Analytics:
- Real-Time Data. The reports show always-up-to-date data on asset usage and costs, even if generated earlier.
- Cost Analytics. It provides detailed insights into cloud asset costs. You can track over-budget usage and detect cost anomalies. Costs can be broken down by applications, lines of business, tags, or other dimensions. Reserved Instances (RIs) and Kubernetes costs are also tracked separately for better management.
- Historical Trends. Analyze trends over different periods, helping you spot patterns and manage asset lifecycles.
Service Now is designed to deliver detailed insights into ITOM (IT Operations Management). It focuses on dependency tracking, configuration management, and service relationships.
The platform offers reports in tables, visual maps, and service maps. This enables easy tracking of IT asset connections.
Try Servicenow CMDB to customize reports on assets, dependencies, service maps, and ITSM workflows. Filters are easily applied to show specific views based on the needs of your team. You can set the time period for your reports, whether that’s daily, weekly, monthly, or custom date ranges.
What’s inside?
- Dependency tracking. Understand how your applications, infrastructure, and services relate to each other.
- Change analysis. Identify changes in the configuration of your assets and services, and track who made the changes and why.
- Utilization metrics. View data on asset usage and performance, including both hardware and cloud resources.
- Visualizations. ServiceNow offers service and dependency maps. They show your assets' relationships and dependencies.
- It also tracks changes in service configurations and asset relationships over time. This helps you spot trends, ensure compliance, and maintain service health.
| Feature | Cloudaware | CMDB Service Now |
|---|---|---|
| Report Formats | Tables, Interactive Dashboards (charts, graphs) | Tables, Service Maps, Visual Dependency Maps |
| Customization | Highly customizable dashboards with filters. | Customizable fields and filters for assets, dependencies, and ITSM workflows |
| Time Periods | Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Custom date ranges | Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Custom ranges |
| Segmentation | By any logic. For example, by tags, accounts, regions, business units, application, and more. | By asset type, application groups, or location |
| Real-Time Data? | Always up-to-date | Periodic discovery updates (may lead to slight data lag) |
| Analytics Focus | Cloudaware can display and analyze all the data available within the platform. | Dependencies, configuration changes, and service relationships |
| Visualization Style | Yes, interactive dashboards (charts, graphs) | Service maps, Dependency maps (less interactive compared to Cloudaware) |
| History Tracking | Yes, for all data across all Cloudaware modules | Detailed history of dependencies and updates |
| Export Options | Yes, to CSV, Excel, PDF | Yes, to CSV, Excel |
| Custom Reports | Yes, with filters and dynamic parameters | Yes, with customizable fields and filters |
If you need real-time, cloud-based infrastructure views and dynamic reports, choose Cloudaware. However, for IT service management and dependency mapping, go with ServiceNow CMDB.
Pricing
How much does Cloudaware CMDB cost?
Cloudaware’s CMDB pricing is server-based, starting with a minimum of 50 servers and 1 user. For example, the cost for 100 servers is approximately $400 per month.
Cloudaware offers tiered pricing with discounts based on the number of servers. An easy-to-use calculator on the pricing page allows you to estimate costs for your specific infrastructure.
Additionally, Cloudaware provides a 30-day free trial to explore its features.
ServiceNow CMDB pricing
ServiceNow's configuration management uses a subscription model. Pricing depends on the number of users and configuration items (CIs). It is tailored to your infrastructure's size and complexity.
Therefore, for an exact quote, you need to contact ServiceNow.
Here's how it works:
- Number of Users. You’ll pay based on the number of users accessing the system. For example, if you have 20 users, your pricing will reflect that.
- Configuration Items (CIs). Pricing is also influenced by the volume of assets you're managing. If you're tracking 1,500 servers plus cloud-based resources, your CI count could easily reach 3,000 or more, which will affect the overall price.
- Additional Features. If you require advanced features like ITSM integration, reporting, or service mapping, the cost may increase.
The platform offers a 30-day free trial. This allows you to explore their CMDB features and see how it fits with your infrastructure before committing to a subscription.
Which tool is right for you?
If you're juggling multiple clouds and on-prem setups, Cloudaware is your go-to. It’s made for those hybrid environments where you need everything to talk to each other seamlessly. Whether you're managing AWS, Azure, or your physical infrastructure, Cloudaware ties it all together in one neat package. Plus, it’s built for real-time CI discovery and automation, so you’re always on top of your game without the headache of manual updates.
On the other hand, ServiceNow is ideal for large enterprises. It offers advanced custom workflows and tight ITSM integration. It’s powerful, but it can get complicated and pricey, especially if you’re dealing with a mix of on-premise and cloud assets. You’ll likely need a dedicated team to manage the setup and make the most of its features.
Verdict?
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, hybrid-friendly tool that handles cloud and on-prem with automation at its core, Cloudaware is the way to go. It’s perfect for IT teams who want everything running smoothly without the added complexity. If you need heavy customization and advanced ITSM integrations, consider ServiceNow. It's a bit more involved, though.