An organization’s infrastructure is composed of many different assets. Ten of the most common types of IT assets managed with discovery software include:

Asset Type	Definition	Example
Hardware	Physical devices and equipment	Laptops, desktops, servers, printers, and routers
Software	Applications and programs	Operating systems, enterprise applications, and productivity software such as Windows, Oracle, or Microsoft Office
Network	Components that provide communication or connections between devices	Routers, firewalls, and wireless access points
Cloud	Resources or services provided over the internet by third-party providers in the cloud	Cloud storage, cloud computing platforms, and SaaS applications such as Salesforce
Data	Information typically important or sensitive that is stored and processed	Databases, intellectual property, financial figures, and customer records like a CRM
Endpoint	Physical devices that connect to a network	Desktops, servers, laptops, and mobile devices
Security	Systems, software, or tools designed to protect your infrastructure	Antivirus software, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and encryption tools
Virtual	Digital versions of hardware or software	Virtual desktops, containers, and virtual machines (VMs)
Mobile	Portable devices	Smartphones, laptops, and tablets
Internet of Things (IoT)	Internet-connected devices	Wearable devices, sensors, smart devices like doorbells and thermostats

These assets are critical components of modern infrastructure, and they can be easily discovered and monitored through asset management. Organizations can also reveal known, unknown, vendor, and rogue assets. After all, you can’t manage what you can’t see.

As organizations grow and evolve, assets are constantly being added, removed, or modifiedmaking it difficult to maintain an accurate inventory. The addition of shadow IT, where unauthorized devices and software are used without the knowledge of IT departments, further obscures asset visibility.

With continuous asset discovery, organizations can detect shadow clouds, network infrastructure, and unknown endpoints.

The main benefits of asset discovery include:

• Improved Security: Reduces risk with continuous, accurate detection of assets
• Operational Efficiency: Accelerates business while reducing time and resource needs
• Cost Reduction: Eliminates redundant assets that can be modified or reduced
• Compliance Assurance: Streamlines inventory for accurate compliance reporting
• Enhanced Decision-Making: Helps determine network upgrades, cloud migration, and address business changes quickly

IT asset discovery works by identifying and cataloging devices in a network, including endpoints, routers, switches, and OT/IoT devices. They can be used in both cloud and on-premises environments.

Through the asset discovery process, organizations can find specific information, including usage patterns, software installs, and configuration details. This data is consolidated into a centralized inventory, providing IT and security teams with an up-to-date, unified view of their asset data. This single source of truth helps manage, track, and secure IT resources effectively.

IT asset discovery ensures that organizations maintain complete visibility and awareness of their full infrastructure, reducing risks and costs while enhancing overall organizational efficiency. The top 5 use cases for asset discovery include:

1. Asset Inventory

Modern asset discovery tools provide real-time monitoring to maintain accurate asset inventories, including hardware specifications, software versions, and usage metrics. The asset inventory data can be enhanced with additional context such as asset ownership, department associations, lifecycle stages, and more.

2. Change and Configuration Management

Automated asset discovery can also determine when devices join or leave the network, as well as configuration changes. The discovery tools continuously update the asset database with these ongoing changes for strategic planning.

3. Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

Advanced analytics can be applied with asset discovery to identify trends, detect anomalies, and optimize asset management strategies. Real-time discovery can also help quickly address security vulnerabilities, compliance issues, and operational inefficiencies by providing an at-a-glance view of the IT environment.

4. Software License Compliance

By automatically identifying and cataloging all software installed in their IT infrastructure, organizations can easily track how many software licenses are in use vs how many have been purchased, ensuring compliance with licensing agreements. Organizations can also avoid costly fines and legal issues, as well as identify unauthorized or outdated software that might be non-compliant with current licensing terms.

5. Cloud Resource Optimization

Cloud can often be a black box, but with asset management discovery tools organizations gain visibility into their cloud assets, including storage, services, and instances across cloud providers. This visibility enables IT professionals to identify underutilized or idle cloud resources, which can then be redistributed or reevaluated.

For real-time active, passive, and targeted network and device discovery, organizations can leverage FireMon Asset Manager to detect unknown, rogue, shadow clouds, network infrastructure, and endpoints in the enterprise.

FireMon Asset Manager can protect a wide range of assets, including but not limited to:

1. All Layer 2 and Layer 3 devices in on-premises and cloud environments
2. Physical devices such as servers, workstations, and networking equipment
3. Virtual machines
4. Cloud-based assets across various platforms like AWS and Azure
5. Network asset discovery across infrastructure components and IoT devices

Request a demo today and discover why FireMon is one of the best asset discovery tools for your enterprise.

Why Is Asset Discovery Important?

According to Forrester and the Global Tech Spend Forecast, software and IT services will account for 69% of global tech spend by 2027. This shows the growing need for asset discovery tools to track and manage organizations’ investments across their network from desktops, servers, laptops, and beyond.

By tracking assets, organizations can reduce spend, minimize waste, better allocate resources, and secure their assets. After all, you can’t secure what you can’t see.

How Does Asset Discovery Help You Understand Your Attack Surface?

Asset discovery provides organizations with a comprehensive view of their assets where they can identify every component in their infrastructure with all access points. Organizations can then identify vulnerabilities, detect rogue and unauthorized devices, better manage their hybrid environments, and respond to cybersecurity incidents faster.

What Are the Differences Between Active and Passive Discovery Tools?

The difference between active and passive discovery methods is how they collect and identify asset information. Active discovery tools actively query the network by scanning the devices and software, whereas passive discovery tools monitor the activity on the network without any probes or queries.

An active discovery tool may impact network performance due to the active scans; however, it can provide more detailed and real-time information.

Active discovery is best when an organization needs full, detailed visibility for compliance checks, vulnerability management, and auditing. Passive discovery is useful for continuous monitoring without any additional traffic on the network.