Discovery

• 3 min to read •

Discovery Task is intended to be used for device detection in a specific IP range.

You are able to discover and deploy the Syxsense agent via the Syxsense vRep technology providing the discovery task has been set up for success.

The following configurations are required:

ICMP is enabled within the network.
The vRep is online and is able to ping the devices.
A site group has been created which contains the IP address ranges for the Site.
An admin or Sudo account is available for use within the task for the devices.
The end device does not have a firewall enabled or antivirus rule which blocks any of the Syxsense functionality - see our Requirements/Pre-requisites for further details.

When you manage devices, it allows you to perform inventory and configuration tasks, vulnerability scanning and fixing, patch management, and software distribution on the devices via Syxsense Console.

From the technical point of view, discovery is device detection in a specific IP range. When discovery is over, and the devices are found, the Syxsense agent is implemented on them, and they appear in the console.

As the content of a virtual private network is not accessible from the outside, the cloud can only detect a device with a vRep agent installed on it. To discover devices, the cloud server sends a request to the vReps, and it then discovers other devices and installs an agent.

There are several methods you can use to install our agent:

Use group policy (GPO)  - preferred
Download the agent manually from the cloud and install it on necessary devices
Install Syxsense agent through another system management tool
Create a Discovery task, specifying the IP range

Important Information

You can discover single or multiple IP ranges.

Any device which is discovered where admin credentials are accepted will automatically install an agent. With the help of Relay Functionality even devices with zero connectivity to the Internet can be discovered.

Prerequisites

Discovery task permissions

An online vReps

An Admin Account Setup

A configured Site (check Device and Site Management for details)

Video Tutorial: How to Create Discovery TaskVideo Tutorial: How to Create Discovery Task

Watch an example of this task Video

How to find a reason of a Discovery fail on a device Video

Guided walk-through: How to Discover Devices Within a Particular IP RangeGuided walk-through: How to Discover Devices Within a Particular IP Range

❶	From the Tasks menu click > click 'Discovery' Drop-down TitleDrop-down Title
❷	Where: Select a single/multiple Sites to discover or choose the selection by Active Directory Query > Click 'Next'
❸	Credentials: Add credentials that have Admin or Root permissions to the devices. Multiple credentials can be used, including credentials for both Windows, Linux, and Mac OS together. For Linux devices, you may also use SSH keys.
❹	When: Select when you would like your site to be discovered > Click 'Next'. You may configure a Maintenance Windows during which discovery will be completed, a repeat interval such as 'repeat every Monday' for unsuccessful devices, and the Protect option to ensure the discovery does not run during important business hours.
❺	Summary: Review the settings of the task and if configured correctly, click 'Run Now' to save and run the task.

TroubleshootingTroubleshooting

The list below will highlight some of the possible result statements with resolution.

Issue/Result Statement	Reason/Resolution
Device Name shows as 'UNKNOWN'	Device IP is not resolving to a host name
'Device is currently excluded'	Device operating system, IP address, or host name is listed in 'Device Exclusions'. Check Device Exclusions in Setup.
'Unable to connect potential firewall ports'	Device has active firewall blocking remote ports from connecting. Check pre-requisites for port requirements in Requirements and Prerequisites.
'The directory service failed to authorize the request'	The administrator or service account provided is not authorized to access administrative shares or SSH. Provide a new account using the Discover Task wizard.
'Access is denied'	The administrator or service account provided is not authorized to access administrative shares or SSH. Provide a new account using the Discover Task wizard.
'Failed to connect. Timeout expired after restart'	The device is not properly responding to the vRep. Verify the network connection and/or target device and re-run the Discovery when ready.
'Not Connected'	The device has a MicroAgent already installed and it is not responding. Device is offline/not connected to network.

Last Update: July, 2024