IT, OT and IoT asset discovery
It is hard to protect an asset missing from your inventory.
Network, API and CMDB data come together in an asset profile.
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An inventory beyond a list of addresses.
Asset discovery identifies assets in an environment and builds useful profiles: device type, manufacturer, system, communication patterns and available ownership context. The goal is consistent visibility across managed and unmanaged devices.
Armis combines data from existing tools, integrations and network observation. This matters where inventory records, agents or scanners alone do not cover the full environment, such as OT, IoT or intermittently connected equipment.
From information
to action.
Find inventory gaps
Compare multiple sources and identify assets missing from existing records.
Build asset profiles
Connect identifiers, classification and available technical details in a record teams can validate.
Enrich the context
Enrich a CMDB or security process with more current device and relationship information.
How to start?
- Identify network segments and existing sources: CMDB, endpoint tools, cloud and network systems.
- Agree on telemetry and integration access. A network collector can use mirrored SPAN/TAP traffic; assess any need for additional queries separately.
- Compare results with inventory records, validate classification and assign responsibility for data maintenance.
Requirements and limitations
Absent traffic or integrations can limit device identification. Discovery does not guarantee complete data about every system from day one. Armis can supply CMDB data, but does not replace data quality, ownership and asset lifecycle practices.
Illustrative use case
Outside the inventory.
Within the team’s view.
A device missing from the CMDB
To validate
- Device profile
- Network segment
- Owner
A device appears in a plant network segment but is absent from inventory records. First, establish what it is and how it communicates.
From identification to inventory
Profile and communications
Review the device classification and its connections.
Owner
Establish responsibility for the asset and its data quality.
CMDB update
Update inventory records before moving on to risk assessment.
Related topics.
Your questions.
Clear answers.
Does asset discovery replace a CMDB?
No. Asset discovery provides technical observations that can enrich a CMDB. The service model, record ownership and update process remain part of the organisation’s configuration management.
Can unmanaged devices be discovered?
Yes. Network data and integrations can provide information about devices without an agent. The level of detail depends on visible traffic, protocols and data sources.
Is asset discovery entirely passive?
Not always. Armis uses passive observation and integrations, with selective queries where necessary and permitted. Methods should match the sensitivity of the environment.
How can inventory quality be evaluated?
Define a comparison scope against trusted records. Check identification accuracy, duplicates, completeness of important fields and treatment of intermittently connected assets.
Let’s talk about
your environment.
From where you are to what comes next.