What type of infrastructure elements can be targeted using horizontal discovery patterns?

Horizontal discovery patterns are designed to identify and gather information about a wide range of infrastructure elements that exist within a network. This includes not only servers but also various types of hardware and hosts, such as network devices, virtual machines, and other elements that can be discovered through network exploration.

When utilizing horizontal discovery, the goal is to scan the network comprehensively to reveal all connected devices and their attributes, regardless of their specific roles or configurations. This allows for a complete inventory of hardware resources, which is crucial for IT asset management, performance monitoring, and compliance purposes.

In contrast, the other options are more limited in scope. Focusing solely on physical servers, specific types of applications, or only network switches does not encompass the broad capabilities of horizontal discovery patterns. Therefore, the correct identification of all hardware or hosts in the network highlights the expansive reach of this discovery approach, making it a foundational aspect of effective network management and monitoring in ServiceNow Discovery.