What does a status set to Absent indicate for a Host CI?

When a status is set to Absent for a Host Configuration Item (CI), it signifies that the host is currently offline. This status is used to indicate that the Discovery process cannot communicate with the host, which typically means it is not responding to queries or is not present in the network at that moment.

In the context of ServiceNow Discovery, a host being marked as Absent means that there may be temporary situations such as network issues, power downs, or other reasons preventing the discovery tool from reaching the host. It does not imply that the host is permanently decommissioned or that all processes are inactive; rather, it solely refers to the current unavailability of the host to be contacted or discovered in the network. Thus, the status represents a transient state that may change if the host comes back online.