---
sourceDocument: Australia IT Operations Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-operations-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia IT Operations Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itom

bundleId :

    - itom

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Discovery IP address configuration

# Discovery IP address configuration {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated July 25, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read

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This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Discovery IP address configuration

The Discovery IP address configuration in ServiceNow enables you to define the specific networks or network segments for Discovery to query.
You can include or exclude particular IP ranges to tailor the scope of your Discovery scans effectively.
This setup is essential for identifying devices within your network infrastructure accurately and efficiently.
Show full answer Show less  
Note that IPv6 addresses are not supported for IP address ranges or IP networks in this configuration. If the IP addresses are unknown, running Network Discovery first is recommended to identify IP networks before converting them into IP address range sets.

## IP Collection Types

There are three methods to specify IP addresses for Discovery:

* **IP address list:** Add individual IP addresses or host names to be queried. Host names must resolve to an IP address. This method is useful for targeting specific devices outside defined ranges.
* **IP address range:** Define arbitrary IP ranges for scanning. This method allows inclusion of selected network segments but may scan network and broadcast addresses, potentially causing inaccurate results. To maintain performance, ranges should be limited to a /16 subnet or smaller.
* **IP network:** Specify entire IP networks using CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.0.0/24). Discovery automatically excludes network and broadcast addresses, reducing errors and improving accuracy. This is the recommended method for defining IP ranges.

## Best Practices and Performance Considerations

* Use IP networks in CIDR notation to avoid scanning network and broadcast addresses, which can lead to redundant or invalid device entries.
* Limit Discovery schedules to a maximum range of /16 (approximately 65,536 IPs) to avoid performance issues. For large networks, split ranges into smaller segments.
* After running Network Discovery, convert discovered IP networks into range sets to streamline subsequent device discoveries.
* Clear update and metadata records if integrations populate sysmetadata and sysupdatexml tables after importing IP range items.

## Additional Configuration

You can use Discovery generic attributes to automatically assign field values to Configuration Items (CIs) based on the IP range they were discovered in. For example, you can assign locations to CIs to enhance data organization and reporting.

## Management and Related Tasks

Manage your IP collections through Discovery Admin Workspace IP inventory. Related tasks include adding IP data to range sets, creating quick IP ranges, importing IP ranges via import sets, excluding IP ranges, and using a Global Excludes List to refine Discovery scope.  
Use one or more of these methods in any combination to define the network or network
segment for Discovery to query. You can
include or exclude specific IP ranges from your query.
Note:  
If you don't know the IP addresses in the network, run [Network discovery](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/zksC_EL0aa69TBZPihXLaA#c_NetworkDiscovery "Network Discovery discovers the internal IP networks and subnets within your organization.") first to determine the IP networks. Then, convert the IP networks into IP address range sets.  
If you have integrations which populate sys_metadata and sys_update_xml tables, make sure to clear the update and metadata records after the discovery_range_item or discovery_range_item_ip import occurs.  
Important:  
IPv6 addresses aren't supported for IP address range or IP network.  
There are three types of IP collections:{#discovery-ip-address-configuration__table_qqv_ll3_1y__entry__2}

| IP collection type | Description |
|-|-|
| IP address list | Use IP address lists to add individual addresses to query. These addresses aren't included in any existing IP range or IP network. You can enter the IP address of the device or a host name (DNS name). If you enter a host name, it must be [mapped to an IP address](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_MapIPAddressToDNSName&version=australia&pubname=australia-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US). |
| IP address range | You can define arbitrary ranges of IP addresses to query. This process is a good way to include selected segments of a network or subnet. However, Discovery has no way of knowing if the IP range includes addresses for private networks or broadcast addresses, and scans all the addresses in the range. If the network and broadcast addresses are included, then the results are inaccurate. Discoveries configured to detect IP networks are more accurate than discoveries configured for IP address ranges. Only those IP addresses in your range that are reserved for manageable devices on the public network should be included. Note: To avoid performance issues, limit Discovery schedules to a maximum range of /16 (approximately 65,536 IPs). For better performance, consider splitting the range into smaller segments. |
| IP network | You can also scan an entire IP network. [An IP network](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/zksC_EL0aa69TBZPihXLaA#c_NetworkDiscovery "Network Discovery discovers the internal IP networks and subnets within your organization.") includes the range of available IP addresses in that network. The scan also includes the network address (the lowest address in the range) and the broadcast address (the highest address in the range). After you [run network discovery](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/zksC_EL0aa69TBZPihXLaA#t_RunNetworkDiscovery "Configure network Discovery from a Discovery schedule."), [convert the IP networks that were found into range sets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/zksC_EL0aa69TBZPihXLaA#t_ConvertIPNWIntoDiscoRangeSet "After you conduct a network Discovery, you must convert the IP networks that were found into range sets for use in discovering other devices.")for use in discovering other devices. IP networks are represented in CIDR notation. Examples of CIDR notation include: * 192.168.0.0/24 * 10.11.128.192/26 {#discovery-ip-address-configuration__ul_crx_bgd_ntb} Discovery will not scan the network or broadcast addresses for a network. The equivalent ranges for the two networks are: * 192.168.0.1 -- 192.168.254 * 10.11.128.193 -- 10.11.128.254 {#discovery-ip-address-configuration__ul_yzf_2gd_ntb} To avoid introducing errors from broadcast addresses, configure Discovery to exclude them by using IP network definitions in CIDR notation. Discovery automatically avoids scanning network and broadcast addresses when using IP networks. Including broadcast addresses in Discovery scans can lead to significant errors in the data, such as redundant or invalid device entries. By excluding broadcast addresses, Discovery helps prevent these errors. This built-in control makes IP networks the best method of defining which IP address ranges to query. |
[ ]

{#discovery-ip-address-configuration__table_qqv_ll3_1y}

After you define your IP collections, use Discovery generic attributes to automatically set field values on CIs discovered within a schedule, range set, or IP address range. For example, assign different locations to CIs based on the IP range they were
discovered in. For more information, see [Define CI field attributes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/QHFynSHKBHYPmgshYxTegQ "Define attributes on a Discovery schedule, IP network, IP range set, or IP address range to automatically populate configuration item (CI) field values during discovery.").

For more information about viewing and managing your IP collections, see [Discovery Admin Workspace IP inventory](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/uVzwryFXAiGeWesPhDXUKQ "The IP inventory page centralizes the IP addresses, ranges, networks, and range sets that Discovery uses to scan your environment. Use it to review existing IP data and add entries to Discovery range sets.").
**Related tasks**   

* [Add IP data](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VIbHs14h6AMw3KOclHwTjA "Use the New IP data dialog in the IP inventory page to add IP addresses, ranges, networks, or range sets to your discovery configuration.")
* [Add IP data to a range set](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/qerSwKKO7NSRWlXjGNDhLQ "Use the IP inventory page in Discovery Admin Workspace to add IP ranges or networks to a new or existing range set.")
* [Create a Quick IP range for a Discovery schedule](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/PJo_OlOGMAKb0_ik8Sa4XQ "Quick ranges enable administrators to define IP addresses to scan in a single comma-delimited string without creating separate records.")
* [Import IP ranges into Discovery schedules with import sets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~YViKZ8Bbau7ObmCiiDwRA "One method of entering large numbers of IP networks into Discovery schedules is by using import sets.")
* [Exclude IP ranges from a Discovery range set](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3yNODkiW3rnaVNofm_8Ltw "You can specify a range of IP addresses that you want to exclude from your Discovery query.")
* [Use Global Excludes List for IP addresses and ranges](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/yupJhhPKE9hBj1dTzxFG8g "Global Excludes List allows administrators to define global IP exclusions lists that work across Discovery schedules that discover configuration items, IP addresses, or networks. The list helps to prevent access to sensitive IPs as it blocks discovery when the IP is on the exclusion list. This feature is only applicable for Horizontal Discovery starting in the Rome release.")  
**Related reference**   

* [IP address selection properties](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ztu1zmv8VOw246oxEXckFw "You can use system properties to control the selection of IP address for specified configuration item (CI) classes.")