Learn how discovery scans, identifies, and processes asset data to keep your CMDB
accurate and complete. The discovery lifecycle defines the end-to-end flow from detecting assets
to updating configuration items in CMDB. Understanding this flow helps you plan scan schedules,
troubleshoot data gaps, and maintain visibility across your IT environment.
Required Editions
| Available in: Lightning Experience |
| Available in: Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited
Editions with Agentforce IT Service that have Discovery enabled. |
Discovery starts when a scan job runs against a defined target. The scan job references one
or more discovery applications or agents that use stored credentials to connect to endpoints
through standard protocols such as WMI, SSH, SNMP, or cloud APIs.
After connecting, discovery detects active assets and collects configuration details such as
hostname, operating system, and running processes. Identification rules then match the scanned
data with existing configuration items in CMDB to prevent duplicates. New configuration items
are created automatically when no match is found.
Process jobs analyze discovered processes and network ports to map dependencies among
assets.
When processing is complete, discovery updates CMDB with the latest asset information.
Dashboards and reports summarize scan results, coverage, and error trends. By automating each
stage, discovery removes manual effort, prevents data drift, and keeps CMDB continuously
aligned with your evolving IT environment.
