ServiceNow ITSM MCP server
Integrate ServiceNow IT Service Management with AI agents to automate incident handling, change management, problem resolution, and service operations. An AI agent connected to ITSM can create and route incidents, manage changes, track problems, process service requests, update the CMDB, search knowledge, and monitor SLAs—all from natural language requests. Use this for intelligent incident response, automated change workflows, knowledge-driven problem solving, or IT operations automation.
Setting up an MCP server
This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.
Before you begin
You'll need:
- Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
- API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)
Create an MCP server
Find the API in the catalog
- Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
- Select New MCP Server.
- Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.
Configure the server
- Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
- Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
- Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
- Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
- Select Next.
Configure authentication
Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.
Configure security
- Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
- Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
- Select Next.
Deploy
Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.
Connect to an AI client
Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:
Tips
- You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
- If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
- You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.
Authentication
ITSM integration uses OAuth 2.0 authentication. When you register an OAuth application in your ServiceNow instance, you'll receive authorization and token endpoints in the pattern https://{instance}.service-now.com/oauth_auth.do and https://{instance}.service-now.com/oauth_token.do. You'll need your client ID and client secret to configure the MCP server. ServiceNow OAuth uses a default scope called useraccount which provides access to user account information and standard API operations across the ITSM module.
Available tools
These tools enable incident management, problem tracking, change control, CMDB operations, and knowledge-driven service delivery.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Create incident | Create a new incident ticket |
| Get incident | Retrieve incident details |
| Update incident | Modify incident status, priority, or assignment |
| List incidents | Query incidents with filtering |
| Search incidents | Find similar incidents by description |
| Create problem | Create a problem record from incidents |
| Get problem | Retrieve problem details and root cause |
| Link incident to problem | Associate an incident with a problem |
| Create change | Create a standard or emergency change request |
| Get change | Retrieve change details and status |
| List changes | Query changes by date or type |
| Create service request | Submit a catalog service request |
| Get request | Retrieve request details and fulfillment status |
| Get CI | Retrieve a configuration item |
| Update CI | Modify configuration item properties |
| Link CI to incident | Associate infrastructure with an incident |
| Search knowledge | Find knowledge articles |
| Check SLA | Verify SLA status for a ticket |
Tips
Route incidents to assignment groups based on category and subcategory tags to ensure incidents reach the right team.
Create change templates for common updates like patching and deployments to standardize processes and reduce configuration errors.
Link incidents to problems systematically to identify recurring issues and find root causes.
Update the CMDB whenever infrastructure changes occur to keep the dependency map current and accurate for impact analysis.
Search knowledge articles before creating new incidents to leverage existing solutions and avoid duplicating efforts.