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This getting started article will help users to set up asset discovery services using TDAdmin and the asset discovery software. The user must have application admin access to the Assets/CIs app in TDNext.
Overview
TeamDynamix asset discovery services use active network scanning and/or Windows-based agents to gather information about the assets in your environment. The service then relays that information to the TeamDynamix cloud environment for integration with TeamDynamix asset applications. Asset application administrators can review the results of the scan and allow the discovery process to modify records within the asset application.
This can work with several different asset protocols that you can have inside your environment.
Transcript
Asset Discovery Services allow for the discovery of assets within your network, and the integration of those items into the asset database within the asset applications found in the TDNext interface. Asset discovery uses active scanning and/or Windows-based agents to gather information about the assets in your network to then create or update assets in your TeamDynamix environment.
Where to Find This
This feature appears in the TDAdmin interface and in some asset discovery-specific applications.
TDAdmin is where administrators configure and monitor asset discovery jobs and discovered assets. The Windows asset discovery agent runs on a user’s computer and provides device information to TeamDynamix. Support staff can view information on discovered assets in the Assets/CIs application in TDNext.
Navigate to asset discovery following these paths:
- TDAdmin > Applications > Assets/CIs application > Asset Discovery
- TDNext > applications menu > Assets/CIs > Assets
Where to Start
Setting Up Asset Discovery
Configuring Asset Discovery
Using Asset Discovery Services
Gotchas & Pitfalls
- The Windows agent must be installed on each machine you wish to get information on. This typically requires a Group Policy update to install the software in bulk.
- You may need to enable some protocols, like WMI, on any IP ranges you intend to use for discovery.
- SSH is disabled by default on Macs, so you will need to enable Remote Login in order to discover MacOS devices
- For WMI discovery, you will need a special Discover Windows devices
- You may need to modify firewall rules for discovery service traffic
Examples
- Supplement your TeamDynamix asset inventory by automatically creating and modifying assets as new machines join your network
- Keep up-to-date information on Windows devices, including technical specifications, via the Windows agent
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Will Asset Discovery work across VLANs or will it only work within a single VLAN without reconfiguration of the back end switches and routers?
A. As long as the VLANs are enabled to use the underlying protocols, asset discovery will work across multiple VLANs. If asset discovery needs to be installed in multiple places to accurately cover your network, then it can.
Q. Can discovered assets be manipulated using the TeamDynamix API, such as to match them to existing asset records?
A. No. Discovered assets are mapped to existing assets automatically based on the matching algorithm described in the Reviewing Discovery Results article.
Q. Will Assets that are discovered and created be reportable via the Assets report source inside TDNext, and/or able to be related to tickets?
A. When asset discovery creates an asset, the asset can be reported on and associated with tickets. However, unmapped data from the asset (unique info that was pulled in from the item but is not being stored in a standard or custom field) cannot be reported on at this time.
Q. Does the approved list of IPs win over the rejected list of IPs?
A. The rejected IPs list takes precedent over the approved IPs list.
Q. Does the asset discovery agent work on Macs or PCs?
A. Currently, it only works on PCs.
Q. What is the difference between a probe and a ping?
A. Ping is a probe, which means it finds a machine but only returns an IP address. Gatherers pull in data to TDX from the device. It is recommended to execute a probe (ping) first, and use the returned IP address to gather more information on the device.
Q. Are there recommended settings for whether to create and/or discover on a discovery job?
A. Manually build out any product types needed. For WMI, you may choose to have a discovery job both discover and create assets, as the product models are usually quite accurate. SNMP should only be set to discover but not create assets, since the data is not very clean and/or is very inconsistent.
Q. How do I get the asset discovery tabs inside my TDAdmin console?
A. A system administrator at TeamDynamix must turn on these settings for you. If they are not turned on, contact your implementation consultant to put a ticket in.
Q. Is there a recommended status for assets that are discovered?
A. The suggested status is Active/In Use, since the service only discovers items that are active and connected to your network.
Q. How much does this cost?
A. Please contact your implementation consultant to start the dialogue on the TDX side.
Q. How often should I check the mappings for changes/augmentations?
A. We recommend doing this no later than yearly. Perhaps creating a scheduled ticket inside TDNext can help with this.
Q. Do discovered items show up in TDNext?
A. No. Discovered and created items show up in TDAdmin, but only created items show up in TDNext.