What is the primary function of the Horizontal Discovery sensor?

The primary function of the Horizontal Discovery sensor is to perform updates of the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) based on identification rules. This specific sensor plays a crucial role in ServiceNow Discovery by identifying application services and their constituents across various devices in the network. Once it identifies these elements, it uses predefined rules to update the information in the CMDB, ensuring that the data remains accurate and up-to-date. This enhances visibility into the IT environment, allowing for better management and governance of configuration items.

The emphasis on identification rules highlights the sensor's capability to determine relationships between different components and ensure they are correctly represented in the CMDB. This function is significant for organizations that rely on accurate configuration data for incident management, change management, and compliance requirements.

While monitoring user activity, restricting access to applications, or generating reports are important tasks in an IT environment, they do not fall under the primary responsibilities of the Horizontal Discovery sensor. Instead, the sensor's focus remains on the identification and updating of configuration items within the CMDB.