Discovery Guided Setup

Release version: Australia

Updated June 16, 2026

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Summary of Discovery Guided Setup

The ITOM Discovery Guided Setup streamlines the installation and initial configuration of Discovery, helping ServiceNow customers quickly establish Discovery in their environment. It provides a structured sequence of tasks divided into four phases—Learn, Crawl, Walk, and Run—that guide users from foundational knowledge through technical setup to ongoing operational optimization.

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Note that this Guided Setup has been superseded by the ITOM Configuration Console (available from Zurich Patch 8 onwards), which offers a faster, more interactive way to install and configure Discovery with automation via Now Assist. However, the Guided Setup still offers a comprehensive, step-by-step onboarding experience and includes a task that links directly to the ITOM Configuration Console.

Phases

Learn: Builds foundational understanding of Discovery’s principles, techniques, and prerequisites.
Crawl: Guides initial technical setup including plugin installation, credential configuration, and preparing for scheduling discoveries.
Walk: Focuses on configuring and activating Discovery schedules, adding credentials, and installing and validating MID Servers.
Run: Supports ongoing monitoring and optimization using tools like Discovery Admin Workspace and Content 360 to maintain effective Discovery operations.

Key Features

The Guided Setup interface provides intuitive navigation and progress tracking throughout the phases, with embedded help and direct links to detailed documentation. Key interactive features include:

Progress Tracking: View status and mark tasks or phases complete as you advance.
Task Navigation: Jump to specific activities within or across phases for flexible setup flow.
Save and Resume: Enter a configuration name to save progress and return later.
Exit and Resume Options: Exit the setup at any point and resume from in-progress configurations.
Embedded Help: Contextual guidance and direct access to detailed product documentation.

Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

This Guided Setup helps customers:

Accelerate Discovery deployment with a clear, structured approach.
Ensure accurate CMDB visibility by following best practices during configuration.
Gain confidence with built-in help and documentation links throughout setup.
Manage setup progress efficiently with task tracking and resume capabilities.
Transition to the ITOM Configuration Console smoothly when ready, benefiting from enhanced automation and interactive configuration.

By following the Discovery Guided Setup, customers can expect a well-organized implementation that lays a strong foundation for IT Operations Management success.

ITOM Discovery Guided Setup provides a sequence of tasks that help you install and get started with Discovery. If you're setting up Discovery for the first time, this is a good way to get your environment up and running quickly.

Note:

This guided setup has been replaced by the ITOM Configuration Console (available in Zurich Patch 8 or later versions of the ServiceNow AI Platform), which offers a faster way to install and update apps, with interactive configuration pages, task assignment, and automated implementation by Now Assist. In ITOM Guided Setup v27.3.1, the Learn phase includes a new task that provides direct access to the ITOM Configuration Console. For more information, see ITOM Configuration Console for Discovery.

To access the ITOM Discovery Guided Setup, navigate to All > ITOM Guided Setup > ITOM Discovery Guided Setup. You're then prompted to enter a configuration name, which enables your progress to be saved and resumed later. If you're returning to the setup, select Cancel followed by Exit in the confirmation dialog to view the list of in-progress setup configurations.

The ITOM Discovery Guided Setup leads you through a structured series of configuration activities to promote accurate visibility in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and establish a strong foundation for IT operations.

Phases

The setup is organized into the four distinct phases: Learn, Crawl, Walk, and Run. Each task within a phase includes built-in resources, such as contextual embedded help and links to detailed documentation on the ServiceNow product documentation site. In some cases, you can even complete the task directly within the guided setup.

Learn: The Learn phase is the first step in the guided setup. This phase helps you develop a foundational understanding of Discovery by exploring its core principles, learning about various techniques, and identifying the prerequisites needed to proceed with the setup.
Crawl: This phase walks you through the initial technical setup of Discovery, including installing the necessary plug-ins, configuring credentials, and preparing your instance for scheduling discoveries.
Walk: In this phase, you configure and activate Discovery schedules by setting up various schedule types, adding credentials, and installing and validating your MID Servers.
Run: This phase focuses on monitoring and optimizing ongoing Discovery operations, leveraging tools like Discovery Admin Workspace and Content 360 to track performance and promote continued success.

Key features

The ITOM Discovery Guided Setup provides step-by-step configuration support along with intuitive navigation to track progress and move smoothly through each phase.

Navigational features available on the landing page — Figure 1. Guided Setup landing page features

Table 1. Interactive features within the landing page
Feature	Description
1. Exit	Exit the Guided Setup. Note: Selecting Exit in the confirmation dialog takes you back to the list of setup configurations currently in progress.
2. Complete	Mark the Guided Setup complete. Note: This option is only available once you have completed all the tasks in each phase of the setup.
3. Start	Launch the Guided Setup phase.
4. Status	Track your progress of the Guided Setup phase.
5. Task	Jump to specific activities within a phase.
6. Phase drop-down	View and access tasks within another phase.

Navigational features available in a phase — Figure 2. Guided Setup in-phase features

Table 2. Interactive features within each phase
Feature	Description
1. Back arrow	Return to the Guided Setup landing page.
2. Phase drop-down	Toggle between different phases.
3. Activities	Jump to other activities within the current phase.
4. Close	Navigate back to the Guided Setup landing page.
5. Mark Complete	Track your progress and continue to the next activity in the phase.
6. Skip	Skip directly to the next activity in the phase.