---
title: Use CMDB groups to add OT context to IT CIs
description: Use Configuration Management Database \(CMDB\) groups to group IT configuration items \(CIs\) based on additional information, like installed software. Then you can add Operational Technology \(OT\) context to the IT CIs.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/operational-technology/operational-technology-manager/use-cmdb-groups-it-ot-conversion.html
release: australia
product: Operational Technology Manager
classification: operational-technology-manager
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 3
breadcrumb: [Use, Operational Technology Manager, Operational Technology]
---

# Use CMDB groups to add OT context to IT CIs

Use Configuration Management Database \(CMDB\) groups to group IT configuration items \(CIs\) based on additional information, like installed software. Then you can add Operational Technology \(OT\) context to the IT CIs.

## Before you begin

Role required: admin or cmdb\_ot\_admin

## About this task

Using CMDB groups doesn't change the class of the IT CI. It instead adds OT entity records to the IT CI, which captures the OT context.

**Note:**

Follow these general guidelines:

1.  Ensure the filter conditions on the CMDB Group returns unique set of CI records every time. For example, adding a filter condition such as **\[OT device details\] \[is EMPTY\]** ensures that only records without OT device details are considered.
2.  Make sure the indexed fields are used as part of the filter criteria conditions. Ensure that the data set does not exceed 10,000 records to avoid performance related issues.

    **Note:** The CMDB Group API doesn't support retrieving records exceeding 10,000 or the limit defined by the following properties.

    -   glide.cmdb.query.max\_results\_limit
    -   glide.cmdb.group.max\_ci\_limit
    To address this, these properties need to be adjusted to allow for larger query results if the CMDB query contains more records than the current limits permit.

3.  Make sure to create an Automated IT to OT Bulk Contextualization \(sn\_automated\_it\_ot\_bulk\_contextualization\) record per CMDB Group to have filtering at a group level and define respective OT entity default values.
4.  Validate the data in the **OT Entity Default Configuration** tab. OT entity records are created using these default values.

## Procedure

1.  Define a CMDB group with the required filter criteria that identifies the right IT CIs.

    For more information, see [CMDB groups](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/servicenow-platform/cmdb-groups.md).

2.  Create an Automated IT to OT Bulk Contextualization \(sn\_automated\_it\_ot\_bulk\_contextualization\) record associated with the CMDB group.

    Creating this record adds OT context to IT CIs through the OT entity details.

    For more information about how to create an Automated IT to OT Bulk Contextualization record, see [Automatically convert your IT records to OT devices](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/operational-technology/operational-technology-manager/automatically-convert-it-records-to-ot-devices.md).

    **Note:** The **Filter Criteria - OT Devices** tab isn't visible when using CMDB groups.

3.  To create a record in **sn\_automated\_it\_ot\_bulk\_contextualization\_m2m\_cmdb\_group**, complete the following actions.

    1.  Navigate to **All** > **Industrial Workspace Admin** > **OT Manager Admin** > **Automated IT OT Bulk Contextualization - Using CMDB groups**.
    2.  Select **New**.
    3.  In the **Automated IT to OT Bulk Contextualization** field, select the record created in step 2.
    4.  In the **CMDB Group** field, select the CMDB created in step 1.
    5.  Select **Submit**.

        You cannot create an Automated IT OT Bulk Contextualization record with more than 1 CMDB group. If you try to create a record with more than 1 group, the following error message is shown:

        An IT to OT contextualization record can't be associated with more than one CMDB group. If an IT to OT contextualization record associated with the CMDB group already exists, you can't create another record.

    The record associates the CMDB group with the Automated IT to OT Bulk Contextualization record.

    For example, if you want to add OT entity details for all computers that have a specific HISTORIAN software installed, you need to create a CMDB Group that matches this filter critieria. Then create a scheduled job and link it to the CMDB Group for computers that have HISTORIAN software installed.

4.  To run the job immediately, select **Execute Now** in the record.

    When you select **Execute Now**, a confirmation modal is shown. The scheduled job can only process 10,000 CIs at one time. The message shown in the modal depends on the number of CIs you have. The following table shows examples of the messages you may see.

    |Number of CIs|Message|
    |-------------|-------|
    |Less than 10,000 CIs|This action will trigger the scheduled job which creates OT entity records for 2 records from the CMDB group "Name starts with H". Are you sure you want to proceed?|
    |More than 10,000 CIs|Associated CMDB group has over 10K CIs. This action will trigger the scheduled job which creates OT entity records for the first 10K records and the remaining CIs will be processed in the next job run. Are you sure you want to proceed?|

5.  Select **Proceed**.


**Parent Topic:**[Using the Operational Technology Manager](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/operational-technology/operational-technology-manager/using-operational-technology-manager.md)