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Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management

Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management

$246.00
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What does the Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course cover?

Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management is covered here in 8 modules: Defining Asset Scope and Classification Standards, Discovery Tool Selection and Integration Strategy, Network Scanning and Access Configuration and 5 more. The outline lists 48 specific topics, opening with select whether virtual machines in development environments are included in the discovery scope based on compliance requirements and operational risk tolerance.

How do you approach Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management step by step?

The work is sequenced in 8 stages. It starts with Defining Asset Scope and Classification Standards, moves through Discovery Tool Selection and Integration Strategy and Network Scanning and Access Configuration, and ends at Scalability and Operational Maintenance. Each stage carries its own topic list, so the sequence is followed rather than summarised.

What is in Module 1 of the Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course?

Module 1 is Defining Asset Scope and Classification Standards. It works through select whether virtual machines in development environments are included in the discovery scope based on compliance requirements and operational risk tolerance., implement a naming convention schema that supports automated parsing across hybrid cloud and on-premises systems without introducing naming conflicts., decide between using functional roles (e.g., "web server") versus technical.

How is the Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course delivered?

The Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course is fully self-paced with immediate online access after enrolment. Access does not expire and future updates are included at no cost. It can be taken on any device, and a certificate of completion is issued by The Art of Service when you finish.

How much does the Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course cost?

The Configuration Discovery in Infrastructure Asset Management course is $249 as a one time payment. There is no subscription, no per seat licence and no hidden fee. Enrolment carries a 30 day satisfied or refunded guarantee, so it can be assessed in full before you commit.

Closely related courses: Configuration Discovery in Vulnerability Scan, Configuration Discovery in Data Governance, Discovery Tools in Configuration Management Database, Configuration Discovery in Vulnerability Assessment.

More answers: what you get with every course, refund policy, all help answers.

This curriculum spans the technical and operational rigor of a multi-workshop infrastructure governance program, addressing the same configuration discovery challenges encountered in large-scale hybrid environments during internal control assessments and cross-team integration projects.

Module 1: Defining Asset Scope and Classification Standards

  • Select whether virtual machines in development environments are included in the discovery scope based on compliance requirements and operational risk tolerance.
  • Implement a naming convention schema that supports automated parsing across hybrid cloud and on-premises systems without introducing naming conflicts.
  • Decide between using functional roles (e.g., "web server") versus technical specifications (e.g., "Apache 2.4") as primary classification attributes for discovered assets.
  • Integrate CMDB taxonomy standards with existing ITIL-based service models to ensure consistency in asset categorization.
  • Establish rules for handling ephemeral containers and serverless functions, including thresholds for retention and classification.
  • Resolve conflicts between network-based discovery (e.g., IP scanning) and agent-based reporting when asset identity or role differs across sources.

Module 2: Discovery Tool Selection and Integration Strategy

  • Evaluate agent-based versus agentless discovery tools based on network segmentation, firewall policies, and endpoint security constraints.
  • Map discovery tool capabilities to support for encrypted protocols (e.g., WinRM over HTTPS, SSH key rotation) in regulated environments.
  • Integrate discovery tools with identity providers to authenticate scans using service accounts with least-privilege access.
  • Configure throttling parameters for discovery jobs to avoid performance degradation on business-critical database servers.
  • Assess vendor tool support for custom probe development when standard discovery patterns fail for legacy or proprietary systems.
  • Align discovery tool scheduling with change freeze windows and patching cycles to minimize false-positive drift detection.

Module 3: Network Scanning and Access Configuration

  • Design subnet-level scanning schedules that account for WAN link latency and bandwidth constraints in remote site discovery.
  • Configure firewall rules to allow ICMP, SNMP, and WMI traffic only from authorized discovery scanner IPs, balancing security and coverage.
  • Implement SNMPv3 with AES encryption and user-based security models instead of community strings in multi-tenant networks.
  • Handle cases where network address translation (NAT) obscures the true internal IP of discovered assets behind public endpoints.
  • Use proxy scanners in isolated DMZs to discover assets without opening inbound firewall rules to central discovery servers.
  • Adjust scan timeouts and retry thresholds for high-latency or intermittently connected IoT and edge devices.

Module 4: Credential Management and Secure Authentication

  • Store discovery credentials in a privileged access management (PAM) system and retrieve them dynamically during scan execution.
  • Rotate service account passwords and SSH keys used for discovery on a defined schedule, synchronized with IAM policies.
  • Implement role-based access control (RBAC) on discovery tools so teams only view assets within their operational domain.
  • Use certificate-based authentication for Linux server discovery instead of password-based SSH to meet audit requirements.
  • Define fallback credential chains for discovery jobs when primary domain credentials fail due to replication delays.
  • Log and audit all credential usage during discovery runs to support forensic investigations and compliance reporting.

Module 5: Data Normalization and Reconciliation

  • Resolve duplicate records when the same server appears in CMDB, cloud inventory, and network scan results with different identifiers.
  • Map vendor-specific hardware models (e.g., Dell R740, AWS m5.xlarge) to a standardized asset type classification for reporting.
  • Establish business rules to determine authoritative data source when configuration attributes conflict across discovery methods.
  • Implement automated merging of partial records (e.g., network scan provides IP, agent provides software list) into a single configuration item.
  • Define lifecycle states (e.g., "discovered," "validated," "decommissioned") and transition logic for assets in the CMDB.
  • Handle timezone and clock skew discrepancies when correlating event timestamps from distributed discovery sources.

Module 6: Change Detection and Drift Management

  • Configure thresholds for configuration drift alerts to avoid alert fatigue while capturing meaningful changes (e.g., +2 open ports).
  • Differentiate between authorized changes (via change management) and unauthorized drift using integration with ticketing systems.
  • Set baseline comparison frequency based on asset criticality—daily for production databases, weekly for test servers.
  • Suppress drift alerts during approved maintenance windows using integration with calendar-based scheduling tools.
  • Automate remediation workflows for specific drift types (e.g., unauthorized software) using policy enforcement tools.
  • Archive historical configuration states to support root cause analysis during incident investigations.

Module 7: Governance, Compliance, and Audit Alignment

  • Map discovered software installations to license entitlements and generate reports for SAM (Software Asset Management) audits.
  • Ensure discovery data collection adheres to data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) when capturing user or system identifiers.
  • Produce asset inventory reports filtered by ownership, location, and compliance status for internal audit requests.
  • Define retention policies for discovery logs and configuration snapshots based on corporate data governance standards.
  • Coordinate with security teams to prioritize patching based on discovered OS versions and CVE exposure.
  • Validate completeness of discovery coverage by comparing asset counts against procurement and finance records.

Module 8: Scalability and Operational Maintenance

  • Partition discovery jobs by geographic region to reduce load on central CMDB and avoid database locking issues.
  • Monitor scanner resource utilization (CPU, memory) and scale horizontally when job queues exceed processing capacity.
  • Implement health checks for discovery agents and alert when endpoints stop reporting for more than 72 hours.
  • Schedule full discovery sweeps quarterly, supplemented by incremental scans every 24 hours for change detection.
  • Document scanner failure modes and recovery procedures, including steps to resume from last known good state.
  • Optimize CMDB indexing and query performance based on common access patterns from service operations and security teams.
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