Does ServiceNow Discovery require any tools to be installed on the devices being discovered?

ServiceNow Discovery operates using an agent-less approach, which means that it does not require any software agents to be installed on the devices being discovered. This functionality allows it to identify and gather data about IT assets across a network without direct installation on each device. The agent-less methodology simplifies the process of discovery, ensuring that organizations can efficiently collect configuration items (CIs) and their relationships without the overhead of deploying and managing software agents on every endpoint.

This approach is particularly advantageous for environments with a large number of devices or where the installation of software agents may not be feasible. Instead, ServiceNow Discovery utilizes various protocols, such as SNMP, WMI, SSH, and others, to communicate with devices and retrieve asset information. This allows for effective and comprehensive discovery across diverse platforms while streamlining the operational overhead associated with agent management.