--- schema_version: "1" id: 7fbf412f4a786ff1061a5c592d52ca62f82e91417a75ba9923dfb334593bb7c9 title: Agentless Discovery for Scanning IT Assets collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/it_srvcs_discovery_agntlss_disc_overview.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_agntlss_disc_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 0acc20975b71f72bad11c81d3f626ba42a46e3cde5e015e6380b4cc87cf13cde description: Use agentless discovery to identify assets across on-premises, virtual, and cloud environments without installing software agents on each device. Do agentless discovery by using discovery applications, targets, probes, and scan jobs to collect system data through secure network protocols. After each scan, the collected information is processed and updated in CMDB to maintain accurate configuration data. products: - Service Cloud - Agentforce IT Service release: "264" --- # Agentless Discovery for Scanning IT Assets Use agentless discovery to identify assets across on-premises, virtual, and cloud environments without installing software agents on each device. Do agentless discovery by using discovery applications, targets, probes, and scan jobs to collect system data through secure network protocols. After each scan, the collected information is processed and updated in CMDB to maintain accurate configuration data. ### Required Editions
Available in: Lightning Experience
Available in: Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited Editions with Agentforce IT Service that have Discovery enabled.
Before you set up agentless discovery, prepare the Discovery Application host and confirm connectivity and access to Salesforce and the target systems in your scan scope. Coordinate with your network, security, and infrastructure teams so that scans can connect reliably and return complete asset data. Start agentless discovery by downloading and installing the discovery application on a Windows host. The application acts as the scanning engine for agentless discovery. After installation, create discovery targets to define what to scan, such as IP ranges, hostnames, or cloud connectors. Each target includes one or more probes that determine how data is collected from systems in that scope. Probes gather information about the operating system, network, hardware, and applications. Associate credentials with each target to allow authenticated access and ensure accurate data collection. Run scan jobs to manage and monitor agentless discovery. Each scan job initiates the scanning process, tracks the progress, and records when the discovery run starts and completes. The scan job also captures the targets covered and the data collected during the run. After completion, the discovery application sends the scan results to CMDB, where CMDB processes the information, identifies unique assets, and updates configuration items to keep data accurate and current. See [Key Terms in Discovery](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_key_terms.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Get familiar with essential terms before you start using discovery.") for definitions of discovery applications, targets, probes, and scan jobs. ![Example](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-it_service-264-0-0-production-enus/0a574a10-4c7a-4681-aacf-0767f8beaad4/images/icon_example.png) Example : Agentless Discovery for Deep Host Scan An IT administrator installs the discovery application on a Windows host to perform agentless scans. The administrator creates a discovery target and selects deep host scan (WMIC, SSH, SNMP) as the probe type. The target includes IP ranges for Windows and Linux servers within the data center, along with the required SSH and WMI credentials. When the scan job runs, the discovery application connects securely to each server, collects data about the operating system, network interfaces, and installed applications, and sends the results to CMDB. CMDB processes the collected information and updates configuration items to reflect accurate configuration data. - **[How the Discovery Application Connects Salesforce and Target Systems](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_app_communication.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Keep asset data in CMDB accurate and current with reliable agentless scans. Understand how the Discovery Application receives scan instructions from Salesforce, collects asset details from target systems through supported protocols, and returns scan results to Salesforce for processing. Use this communication flow to plan network access. - **[Prepare the Discovery Application Host for Agentless Scans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_prepare_app_host.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Run reliable agentless scans and keep asset data in CMDB current by preparing a Windows host for the Discovery Application. Provide outbound access to Salesforce, protocol-specific access to target systems, and a service account with local administrator access. Verify connectivity so the application can run scan jobs and return results for processing. - **[Agentless Discovery Network, Port, and Access Requirements](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_network_access_requirements.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Improve agentless scan reliability and keep discovered asset data current. Review the connectivity and access requirements for each supported probe before you create discovery targets. - **[Download and Install the Discovery Application](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_create_disc_app.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Use the Discovery Application to perform agentless scans and collect asset data without installing software on each device. The Discovery Application runs on a Windows host and securely connects with your network to detect systems, identify configurations, and send discovery data to Configuration Management Database (CMDB) for processing. - **[Prepare Windows Targets for Agentless Discovery](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_prepare_windows_targets.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Improve Windows scan reliability and keep asset data in CMDB current by preparing target systems for agentless discovery. Configure account access, remote management, and firewall rules for the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) or PowerShell Remoting probe that you plan to use. - **[Prepare Linux and macOS Targets for SSH Discovery](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_prepare_ssh_targets.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Collect complete Linux, Unix, and macOS inventory data and keep CMDB records current by preparing target systems for Secure Shell (SSH) discovery. Provide a dedicated scanning account, the access required for system and hardware details, and network connectivity from the Discovery Application host before you create the discovery target. - **[Prepare Network Devices for SNMP Discovery](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_prepare_snmp_targets.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Discover switches, routers, firewalls, printers, and other network devices accurately by preparing them for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) scans. Turn on a supported SNMP version, provide read-only access to the required management information, and allow connectivity from the Discovery Application host before you create the discovery target. - **[Prepare Cloud and Virtualization Targets for Discovery](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_prepare_cloud_virtualization_targets.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Build a current inventory of cloud and virtual infrastructure by preparing provider accounts and VMware vCenter for discovery. Grant read-only access to the resources in scope, verify the required HTTPS connectivity, and capture the authentication details that you use to create discovery credentials and targets. - **[Create Discovery Credentials for Secure Scanning](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_create_cred.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Use discovery credentials to securely connect to systems and collect data during agentless scans. Credentials authenticate access to devices, applications, and cloud environments without manual sign-in. Create and manage credentials for supported types such as Windows, SSH, SNMP, or AWS to ensure accurate and authorized discovery results. - **[Create a Discovery Target](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_create_target.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Create a discovery target to define where and how agentless discovery scans IT environments. Targets define the systems, IP ranges, and environments included in agentless discovery. Each target also specifies probe types that determine how those systems are scanned. When a target runs, it creates a scan job that collects discovery data and updates asset information in Configuration Management Database (CMDB). - **[Configuration Fields for Target Categories and Probe Types](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_target_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Understand the configuration fields that define each agentless discovery target type. Identify which fields appear dynamically for different target category and probe types in the Configure Scan Target Details page so that you can configure discovery targets accurately. - **[Manage Discovery Targets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_manage_targets.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** View, run, or manage existing discovery targets to maintain and reuse scan configurations efficiently. - **[Monitor and Review Scan Jobs](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_monitor_scanjob.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Monitor discovery progress and review scan results with scan jobs. Each scan job tracks the execution of a discovery target and provides detailed visibility into discovered assets, scan duration, and completion status. Use the scan job details to verify discovery coverage and ensure that your CMDB data remains accurate and up to date. - **[Troubleshoot Agentless Discovery Scans](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_discovery_troubleshoot_agentless_scans.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Resolve target connectivity, authentication, and access issues to restore agentless discovery coverage and keep CMDB data current. Review scan job details and Discovery Application logs to identify where a scan stopped and apply the appropriate resolution.