Issue
The ServiceNow connector fails to crawl knowledge articles and catalog items. The following error is returned during crawling:
com.lucidworks.connectors.servicenow.exception.ServiceNowRESTException: {"error_description":"access_denied","error":"server_error"}Diagnosis
Verify that the credentials entered in the datasource configuration are correct. Check the ServiceNow instance release version, such as Zurich or Washington DC, and verify if the security setting to disable resource owner password credentials in OAuth 2 token grants is applied.
Environment
Fusion 4.2.6 SP3
ServiceNow V1 Connector
ServiceNow Washington DC release or newer
Cause
The ServiceNow V1 connector in Fusion 4 authenticates using the OAuth 2.0 password grant type. Recent ServiceNow security patches and releases restrict the password grant type in favor of the client credentials grant type. The token endpoint rejects the authentication request before credential validation occurs because the connector hardcodes the deprecated password grant type.
Resolution
A patched version of the ServiceNow V1 connector is available for Fusion 4.2.6 that adds support for the client credentials grant type.
Install the updated connector plugin
Contact Support to request the updated ServiceNow connector plugin file.
Download the provided file:
lucidworks.servicenow-4.2.6.zipInstall the plugin file using the Fusion 4 plugin manager.
Configure the datasource
Update the connector settings to use the new authentication flow.
Open the ServiceNow datasource configuration in the Fusion UI.
Select the checkbox labeled Use Client Credentials grant.
Ensure the ServiceNow username and ServiceNow password fields are populated to allow the connection to establish.
Save the datasource configuration and start a test crawl to verify connectivity.