---
title: Discovery
description: ServiceNow Discovery is an automated process that continuously scans and identifies all the components within the IT infrastructure. It plays a crucial role in maintaining an accurate and up-to-date CMDB 360 with the information it finds.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/r-discovery.html
release: australia
product: Discovery
classification: discovery
topic_type: reference
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 3
breadcrumb: [ITOM Visibility, IT Operations Management]
---

# Discovery

ServiceNow Discovery is an automated process that continuously scans and identifies all the components within the IT infrastructure. It plays a crucial role in maintaining an accurate and up-to-date CMDB 360 with the information it finds.

\[Omitted video\] Description: Discovery overviewDiscovery is available as a separate subscription from the rest of the ServiceNow AI Platform. See [Request Discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_ActivateTheDiscoveryPlugin.md) for details.

Discovery supports database encryption and full-disk encryption. See [Database Encryption](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-security/db-full-disk-encryption.md) for details.

## Get started

<table id="simpletable_disco" class="simpletableBody"><tbody><tr><td>

**Introduction**

 [Exploring Discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/c_GetStartedWithDiscovery.md)

</td><td>

**Set up**

 -   [Request Discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_ActivateTheDiscoveryPlugin.md)
-   [Discovery setup](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/discovery-setup.md)
-   [MID Server installation](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/servicenow-platform/mid-server-installation.md)
-   [Create and test your credentials](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-security/t_CreateCredential.md)
-   [Migrate from CAPI to Patterns](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/migrate-from-capi-to-pattern.md)

</td><td>

**Configure**

 -   [Configuring Discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/c_DiscoveryConfiguration.md)
-   [Discovery properties](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/r_DiscoveryProperties.md)
-   [Create a Discovery behavior](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/create-disco-behavior.md)
-   [Create a Discovery CI classification](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/create-discovery-ci-classification.md)
-   [Create a Discovery process classification](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_CreateAProcessClassification.md)

</td></tr><tr><td>

**Use**

 -   [Schedule a horizontal discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_CreateADiscoverySchedule.md)
-   [Run a Quick Discovery](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_CreateADiscoverySchedule.md)
-   [Discovery status](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/c_DiscoveryStatus.md)
-   [Validate discovery results](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/t_CreateADiscoverySchedule.md)
-   [Discovery Admin Workspace](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/discovery-admin-workspace.md)
-   [Discovery for cloud environment](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/cloud-discovery-wizard.md)
-   [Certificate Inventory and Management](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/cert-inventory-mgmt.md)

</td><td>

**Integrate and develop**

 -   [Activate SCCM Asset Intelligence scheduled imports](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-administration/activate-ai-scheduled-imports.md)
-   [Discovery APIs on the ServiceNow® Developer Site](https://developer.servicenow.com)

</td><td>

**Troubleshoot and get help**

 -   [Discovery monitoring and issue resolution](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-operations-management/discovery/c_DiscoveryTroubleshooting.md)
-   [Search the Known Error Portal for known error articles](https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0597477)
-   [Ask or answer questions in the ITOM forum](https://community.servicenow.com/community/operations-management)
-   [Contact Customer Service and Support](https://support.servicenow.com/now?draw=case)

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>