Discovery classifiers A classifier tells Discovery which probes to trigger for the identification and exploration phases of discovery. Classifiers can also trigger the Horizontal Pattern probe, which launches a pattern, rather than additional probes, for identification and exploration. The classifier essentially starts the identification stage. Discovery uses it after the classification probe returns important parameters to the instance that tell Discovery what to do next.In most cases, you do not need to create a classifier or modify a classifier. But if you are having trouble with Discovery, you might want to check the conditions that determine when a classifier runs based on the parameters the classification probe returns to the instance. Or if you want to discover a new type of CI that Discovery does not already find, you can create your own classifier. Device, process, and IP address classification Discovery classification can be broken down into three types: device classification, process classification, and IP address (or IP scan) classification: Device classification The classification of actual device types, such as a computer running Windows, a computer running a flavor or UNIX or LINUX, a router, a switch, or a load balancer, and so on.When Discovery identifies a computer CI, it triggers an active processes probe to explore the computer CI further. Discovery compares the results of the active processes probe to the process classification conditions to determine if there is a match.Figure 1. Computer CI classification workflow Process classification The classification of applications based on the processes that are running. Discovery classifies processes during the last phase of discovery: the exploration phase, after identifying devices in the Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] table and its extensions. Just like device classification, process classification has its own classification criteria and also has the ability to launch probes. Unlike device classification, process classification creates child configuration items (CI) with Runs on::Runs relationships. By default, Discovery includes classifications for most common processes.If a process matches the classification criteria, Discovery determines whether to run the process handler script. The process handler script modifies the parameter data to help Discovery identify whether the process represents an existing or new application CI. Discovery process handlers prevent the creation of duplicate CIs by filtering out parameters known to have inconsistent values before process classification occurs. Every time Discovery adds or updates an application CI, it also determines the application dependency mapping of the application CI to other CIs in the CMDB. Figure 2. Process classification workflow IP address (IP scan) classification IP address discovery is credential-less, meaning that it attempts to identify devices and software based on just the open ports and banners it finds without requiring you to create credentials. If the classification criteria are met for a device in the IP Scan mode, Discovery automatically updates the CI in the CMDB. After a device is properly classified, Discovery launches the exploration probes configured for that class of device and begins gathering detailed information about the CI. In the default Discovery system, the Linux classifier triggers eleven exploration probes that return information such as disk size, memory, and the number of current connections. The data from these probes returns at different times and is stored in the ECC Queue until processing is complete. This diagram shows the processing flow for classifying and probing devices with an IP scan (no identifiers):Figure 3. IP scan classification See Classification for IP address discovery for more details about the parameters available to classifiers for this type of discovery. Classifier criteria Classifiers also provide criteria that you can use to specify when Discovery should use the classifier under the conditions that you define. The criteria is based on the parameters that a classify probe returns to Discovery. Criteria is constructed with the parameter, an operator, and a value. Classifiers and patterns Discovery can use patterns, rather than probes, to identify and explore CIs. Discovery triggers patterns from the Horizontal Discovery probe, which can be specified on a classifier. You can create you own patterns and add them, via the Horizontal Discovery probe, to a classifier. See Add the Horizontal Pattern probe to a classifier for instructions. You might already be using one of the out-of-box patterns that are provided with Discovery. You can verify this by looking at the classifier to see if the Horizontal Pattern Probe is specified. Logging classification debugging information To log debugging information about classifications, add the following system property. The resulting log entries list the name of each classifier that runs, along with all the names and values that are available to the criteria in the classifier. System property Description glide.discovery.debug.classification Enables debugging information for process classification. Type: true | false Default Value: false Location: Add to the System Properties [sys_properties] table What you can do with Discovery classification Create or modify a discovery classifier if you want to classify CIs that Discovery does not already classify, or trigger other probes that are not already on a classifier. You can modify classifiers that Discovery uses in standard CI discovery, process classifiers for applications, and classifiers based on IP address scans.Before you modify any classifiers, review the parameters that are available for each type of classifier. If Windows machines are on your network, you can use the WinRM protocol, rather than WMI, for more efficient lightweight data transfer and remote command execution. By default, Discovery uses WMI. For instructions on the classifier modifications you can make to use WinRM, see Use Windows Remote Management for classification. If you have Windows computers that are acting as servers and you want them to be classified by their function rather than by the operating system, you can make changes to the criteria of the Windows classifier. See Reclassify a Windows Workstation machine as a server for instructions. Create a Discovery CI classificationA CI classification allows Discovery to identify and explore servers running most common operating systems, network devices when a CI Discovery is run. Create or modify CI classifications if you want classify something new that Discovery does not already find, or to trigger different identification or exploration probes.Create a Discovery process classificationA process classification allows Discovery to create a particular CI type from information gathered during the identification and exploration phases. Classification for IP address discoveryDiscovery provides a way to classify devices it finds through IP address discovery, even when no credentials are available. Use Windows Remote Management for classificationYou can configure the discovery of Windows hosts using the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) protocol.Reclassify a Windows Workstation machine as a serverBy default, Discovery automatically classifies computers using certain Windows operating systems as workstations. However, you might want specific computers in your network that are acting as servers to be classified by their function and not their operating system. Discovery classification parametersThese parameters are available for Discovery classifiers.
Discovery classifiers A classifier tells Discovery which probes to trigger for the identification and exploration phases of discovery. Classifiers can also trigger the Horizontal Pattern probe, which launches a pattern, rather than additional probes, for identification and exploration. The classifier essentially starts the identification stage. Discovery uses it after the classification probe returns important parameters to the instance that tell Discovery what to do next.In most cases, you do not need to create a classifier or modify a classifier. But if you are having trouble with Discovery, you might want to check the conditions that determine when a classifier runs based on the parameters the classification probe returns to the instance. Or if you want to discover a new type of CI that Discovery does not already find, you can create your own classifier. Device, process, and IP address classification Discovery classification can be broken down into three types: device classification, process classification, and IP address (or IP scan) classification: Device classification The classification of actual device types, such as a computer running Windows, a computer running a flavor or UNIX or LINUX, a router, a switch, or a load balancer, and so on.When Discovery identifies a computer CI, it triggers an active processes probe to explore the computer CI further. Discovery compares the results of the active processes probe to the process classification conditions to determine if there is a match.Figure 1. Computer CI classification workflow Process classification The classification of applications based on the processes that are running. Discovery classifies processes during the last phase of discovery: the exploration phase, after identifying devices in the Computer [cmdb_ci_computer] table and its extensions. Just like device classification, process classification has its own classification criteria and also has the ability to launch probes. Unlike device classification, process classification creates child configuration items (CI) with Runs on::Runs relationships. By default, Discovery includes classifications for most common processes.If a process matches the classification criteria, Discovery determines whether to run the process handler script. The process handler script modifies the parameter data to help Discovery identify whether the process represents an existing or new application CI. Discovery process handlers prevent the creation of duplicate CIs by filtering out parameters known to have inconsistent values before process classification occurs. Every time Discovery adds or updates an application CI, it also determines the application dependency mapping of the application CI to other CIs in the CMDB. Figure 2. Process classification workflow IP address (IP scan) classification IP address discovery is credential-less, meaning that it attempts to identify devices and software based on just the open ports and banners it finds without requiring you to create credentials. If the classification criteria are met for a device in the IP Scan mode, Discovery automatically updates the CI in the CMDB. After a device is properly classified, Discovery launches the exploration probes configured for that class of device and begins gathering detailed information about the CI. In the default Discovery system, the Linux classifier triggers eleven exploration probes that return information such as disk size, memory, and the number of current connections. The data from these probes returns at different times and is stored in the ECC Queue until processing is complete. This diagram shows the processing flow for classifying and probing devices with an IP scan (no identifiers):Figure 3. IP scan classification See Classification for IP address discovery for more details about the parameters available to classifiers for this type of discovery. Classifier criteria Classifiers also provide criteria that you can use to specify when Discovery should use the classifier under the conditions that you define. The criteria is based on the parameters that a classify probe returns to Discovery. Criteria is constructed with the parameter, an operator, and a value. Classifiers and patterns Discovery can use patterns, rather than probes, to identify and explore CIs. Discovery triggers patterns from the Horizontal Discovery probe, which can be specified on a classifier. You can create you own patterns and add them, via the Horizontal Discovery probe, to a classifier. See Add the Horizontal Pattern probe to a classifier for instructions. You might already be using one of the out-of-box patterns that are provided with Discovery. You can verify this by looking at the classifier to see if the Horizontal Pattern Probe is specified. Logging classification debugging information To log debugging information about classifications, add the following system property. The resulting log entries list the name of each classifier that runs, along with all the names and values that are available to the criteria in the classifier. System property Description glide.discovery.debug.classification Enables debugging information for process classification. Type: true | false Default Value: false Location: Add to the System Properties [sys_properties] table What you can do with Discovery classification Create or modify a discovery classifier if you want to classify CIs that Discovery does not already classify, or trigger other probes that are not already on a classifier. You can modify classifiers that Discovery uses in standard CI discovery, process classifiers for applications, and classifiers based on IP address scans.Before you modify any classifiers, review the parameters that are available for each type of classifier. If Windows machines are on your network, you can use the WinRM protocol, rather than WMI, for more efficient lightweight data transfer and remote command execution. By default, Discovery uses WMI. For instructions on the classifier modifications you can make to use WinRM, see Use Windows Remote Management for classification. If you have Windows computers that are acting as servers and you want them to be classified by their function rather than by the operating system, you can make changes to the criteria of the Windows classifier. See Reclassify a Windows Workstation machine as a server for instructions. Create a Discovery CI classificationA CI classification allows Discovery to identify and explore servers running most common operating systems, network devices when a CI Discovery is run. Create or modify CI classifications if you want classify something new that Discovery does not already find, or to trigger different identification or exploration probes.Create a Discovery process classificationA process classification allows Discovery to create a particular CI type from information gathered during the identification and exploration phases. Classification for IP address discoveryDiscovery provides a way to classify devices it finds through IP address discovery, even when no credentials are available. Use Windows Remote Management for classificationYou can configure the discovery of Windows hosts using the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) protocol.Reclassify a Windows Workstation machine as a serverBy default, Discovery automatically classifies computers using certain Windows operating systems as workstations. However, you might want specific computers in your network that are acting as servers to be classified by their function and not their operating system. Discovery classification parametersThese parameters are available for Discovery classifiers.
