Overview of Asset Discovery

Asset Discovery is the process of automatically identifying and collecting information about IT assets in a network such as hardware, software, and connected devices. The collected data is then organized into the CMDB to help track asset details, relationship, and configurations for better management and compliance.

One of the biggest challenges in maintaining an accurate CMDB is keeping the data continuously updated. Manual data entry compounds this issue, as it is prone to errors. This can make it difficult to track Configuration Items (CIs), assess their impact, and understand relationships between them.

To overcome these challenges, the Asset Discovery Expert (ADE) automates the identification of devices on your network and updates the CMDB with the latest data, which helps reduce human error, ensure data accuracy, and keeps the CMDB up-to-date with minimal manual intervention. Automated discovery simplifies the process of tracking changes to CIs and running regular scans to capture any configuration updates.

Asset Discovery Expert (ADE) Tool

Asset Discovery Expert (ADE) is an agentless tool that uses a simple GUI and various protocols like SNMP, LDAP, and TCP/IP to automatically discover and track assets. You can define discovery profiles, scan devices across networks, and map discovered data to predefined asset models in the CMDB. ADE identifies all devices connected to your network, the services they run, and the relationships between services and devices, helping you better understand the impact of change.

ADE imports the discovered IT resources directly into the CMDB. Newly discovered Configuration Items (CIs) are flagged to facilitate easy categorization and allocation according to your organization’s structure.

Asset Discovery Workflow

The following outlines the process of configuring, discovering, classifying, and tracking assets in ChangeGear.

1. Set up Discovery Profiles

   • Define scan parameters by creating discovery profiles to target specific networks or device ranges.

   • (Optional) Review and enhance factory-provided data models to complement the information gathered from devices.

2. Run Discovery Scans

   • Schedule or manually run scans to collect asset data.

   • Use optional tools like SNMP OID Management or MIB Import to enhance SNMP-based discovery where applicable.

3. Import and Map to CMDB

   • Review discovered results in the UI and map them to the CMDB.

   • Discovered data is imported and mapped to predefined fields in the CMDB using Mapped CI Fields.

   • Push updates to the CMDB to track changes over time.

ChangeGear simplifies asset discovery with out-of-the-box (OOTB) configurations and a modern web interface. Users can easily set up and customize data models, streamline discovery, and manage asset information. Key features include an MIB Browser and access to an online MIB library, allowing you to import and leverage various MIBs for better SNMP-based device management. Furthermore, it features advanced SNMP classification and device recognition capabilities to enhance the accuracy and depth of discovered asset information and ensures that a wide range of network devices are correctly identified and classified.

Explore these topics to get started with asset discovery:

• Import and Manage SNMP MIB files and OID Management

• Use the MIB Browser to upload and explore MIB files to enhance SNMP-based device discovery.

• Configure Scan Data Models

  Customize data models to define what information is collected during scans using the Scan Data Models Editor.

• Set up Discovery Profiles

  Create or import discovery profiles to define the network ranges/IPs in Discovery Profile Settings.

• Run Scans and Review Results

  Set up manual or automated scans to continuously update your device data and review results to verify classifications and identify new assets.

• Asset Models and SNMP Classification

  Map discovered devices to asset models for accurate representation on import.

• Export Manager

  Use Export classification and data models for isolated environments.

• Asset Discovery Resources

  Resolve common questions about using Asset Discovery Expert (ADE) tool to ensure optimal asset discovery.

 

 

 

See Also: 

Discovery Expert Tool