Which port probe method is used to gather data from Windows-based systems?

The choice of WMI, or Windows Management Instrumentation, as the correct method for gathering data from Windows-based systems is grounded in its design and functionality. WMI is a powerful framework used for accessing management information in an enterprise environment. It allows for the monitoring and management of various system components, including hardware, software, and system configurations, specifically on Windows operating systems.

When Discovery is implemented in a ServiceNow environment, using WMI enables the Discovery process to retrieve detailed information about Windows machines. This includes system properties, installed applications, services, and other configuration data, which are crucial for asset management and IT service management within the organization.

As a protocol specifically tailored for Windows, WMI serves as a Windows-native method for retrieving this type of data, making it inherently suitable for such tasks compared to other protocols that may not have the same level of integration or capability on Windows platforms.

In this context, using WMI ensures that the Discovery process can effectively communicate and extract valuable information without compatibility issues that can arise when using other methods designed for different operating systems.