In today's enterprise networks, devices connect, disconnect, and move faster than IT teams can track. Remote work, BYOD, and IoT ecosystems expand the attack surface daily. Meanwhile, CMDB records rarely reflect reality. The result: compliance gaps, audit headaches, operational inefficiencies, and security blind spots. One unknown device can trigger hours-or even days-of investigation.

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) has long been the foundation for identity-first access control-knowing who and what is connecting to your network and enforcing the right level of access. Meanwhile, ServiceNow has become the system of record for IT asset and configuration data. Yet until now, these two platforms often told different versions of the truth, leaving IT teams to reconcile data manually.

The Visibility Gap Enterprises Face

IT teams live between two incomplete views:

• ServiceNow CMDB: Detailed asset inventories, ownership, and business context-but rarely real-time posture, location, or connectivity.
• Cisco ISE: Live network visibility-but not always aligned with CMDB metadata or lifecycle information.

The result is a constant cycle of reactive work: reconciling stale records, investigating unknown devices, and responding to compliance issues after the fact. These gaps create operational friction and expose organizations to risk.

The Old Way Was Limited

Previous integrations between Cisco ISE and ServiceNow attempted to close this gap by pushing CMDB attributes into ISE. But these were mostly one-way, static connections:

• ServiceNow fed asset attributes into ISE
• Access control relied on static CMDB entries
• CMDBs did not reflect live posture, location, or connection changes

Visibility improved-but control remained reactive, siloed, and incomplete.

Introducing the ServiceNow Certified App: Service Graph Connector for Cisco ISE

Supported on ISE 3.3 P4 and later, this certified app transforms IT asset management and network access into a unified, real-time control plane. Identity, posture, and inventory now operate in sync, delivering actionable intelligence across IT and security domains.

What's Now Possible

• Real-Time, Bidirectional Synchronization: ISE continuously updates ServiceNow with live device details-posture, last-seen timestamp, location, and connection state. CMDB records are current, accurate, and trusted.
• Asset Intelligence Powers Access Decisions: Metadata from ServiceNow-including owner, asset tag, department, serial, and compliance state-flows into ISE, enabling richer, more precise policy enforcement.
• Adaptive Policy Assignment & Enforcement: Access policies can be assigned directly in ServiceNow and executed instantly by ISE, eliminating console hopping, reducing operational friction, and accelerating response.
• Scalable for IoT, BYOD, and Remote Networks: The integration supports large-scale, dynamic environments where devices appear and change constantly. Automation is not a luxury-it's essential.

The Cisco ISE + ServiceNow Service Graph Connector finally closes the loop between visibility and control. One Source of Truth. One Enforcement Engine.

Why This Matters for Security, IT Operations, and Compliance

This integration is more than a convenience upgrade; it is an architectural shift that modernizes how enterprises maintain asset accuracy and enforce identity-first access.

• For Security Teams: Better context means better policy. Real-time posture, ownership, and compliance data reduce uncertainty and shrink attack surfaces.
• For IT Operations: Automation eliminates hours of manual reconciliation work that consumes operational hours and delays remediation.
• For Asset and Compliance Teams: Audits become smoother. CMDB Records stay accurate. Risk discussions become data-driven instead of assumption-driven.
• For Business Leaders: The organization reduces operational friction, strengthens its security posture, and improves governance-all with existing platforms already in use.

Why This Integration Matters for Zero Trust

Zero Trust requires continuous verification, and verification requires context. ISE enforces access. ServiceNow provides asset truth. Together, they create a continuously updated, unified view of every identity.

Where previous integrations offered visibility, this integration delivers action. Where CMDB was passive, it becomes policy aware. Where teams operated in silos, they now operate as a unified system.

Zero Trust is no longer a goal; it becomes an operational reality.

Ready to Turn Visibility into Control?

Upgrade to Cisco ISE 3.5 and enable the new ServiceNow integration to unlock:

• Continuous Zero Trust access
• Unified operational workflows across IT + SecOps
• Accurate, real-time CMDB posture
• Lower manual effort, faster response, stronger compliance

Your network already sees everything. Now it's time to use it. With Service Graph Connector for Cisco ISE, watch your network inventory come alive.

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