What is Discovery in ServiceNow?
Discovery is a ServiceNow ITOM product that automatically finds devices, servers, applications and cloud resources in your environment and keeps their details up to date in the CMDB.
How Discovery works
Discovery runs from MID Servers inside your network. For each IP address in a schedule it goes through four phases: scanning (checking which ports respond), classification (working out what kind of device it is), identification (matching it to an existing CI through the IRE) and exploration (collecting details like installed software, running processes and relationships).
Credentials and schedules
To collect details, Discovery needs credentials, such as Windows, SSH, SNMP or VMware credentials, stored securely in the instance. Discovery schedules define which IP ranges to scan and when, often nightly or weekly, so the CMDB stays current without manual work.
Cloud and agent-based discovery
For AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, Discovery uses the cloud providers’ APIs instead of scanning IP addresses. For devices that are hard to reach, like laptops outside the office, the Agent Client Collector can report data from an agent installed on the machine.
Best practices
Start with a small, well-understood network range, check the results, then expand. Review Discovery errors after each run; credential failures are the most common issue. Combine Discovery with CSDM so discovered infrastructure is linked to the application services that use it.
Common mistakes
Scanning everything at once with incomplete credentials produces many unclassified devices. Running Discovery alongside other data sources without reconciliation rules can cause duplicate CIs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Discovery and Service Mapping?
Discovery finds individual devices and software. Service Mapping builds the map of how those components together deliver a specific service.
Does Discovery need agents?
No, it is agentless by default. The Agent Client Collector is an optional agent for specific use cases.
How often should Discovery run?
Most organizations run it daily or weekly, depending on how quickly their environment changes.
Related ServiceNow terms
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ServiceNow is a trademark of ServiceNow, Inc. This glossary is an independent resource by Sequal Consultancy and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ServiceNow, Inc.