--- sourceDocument: Brazil IT Operations Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-operations-management Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil IT Operations Management ft:clusterId : - itom bundleId : - itom workflow : - Technology --- # Discovery IP address configuration # Discovery IP address configuration {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI 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 This guide explains how to configure IP address collections in ServiceNow Discovery to define which network segments or IP ranges to query during discovery scans. You can combine multiple methods to include or exclude specific IP addresses or ranges, improving discovery accuracy and efficiency. Note that IPv6 addresses are not supported for IP address ranges or networks. Show full answer Show less ## Key Methods for Defining IP Address Collections * **IP address list:** Add individual IP addresses or DNS names mapped to IPs that are not part of any existing IP range or network. Useful for targeting specific devices. * **IP address range:** Define arbitrary IP address ranges to scan. This method requires caution as Discovery scans all addresses in the range---including network and broadcast addresses---which can lead to inaccurate results. To optimize performance, limit ranges to a maximum of /16 (around 65,536 IPs) and consider splitting large ranges. * **IP network:** Scan entire IP networks using CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.0.0/24). Discovery automatically excludes network and broadcast addresses to prevent errors such as duplicate or invalid device entries. This method is more accurate and preferred over IP address ranges. ## Best Practices and Important Notes * If you are unsure about IP addresses in your environment, run Network Discovery first to identify IP networks, then convert those into IP address range sets. * Clear update and metadata records if you have integrations populating sysmetadata and sysupdatexml tables after import of discovery range items to maintain data integrity. * Exclude broadcast addresses to avoid errors and ensure clean discovery data; using IP network definitions with CIDR notation helps automate this exclusion. * Assign CI field values automatically based on IP ranges discovered using Discovery generic attributes, enabling better data classification such as location assignment. ## Next Steps for ServiceNow Customers * Manage and view your IP collections efficiently using Discovery Admin Workspace IP inventory. * Use related tasks like adding IP data, creating quick IP ranges, importing IP ranges with import sets, and excluding IP ranges via Global Excludes List to refine Discovery schedules. * Refer to Discovery IP address selection properties to fine-tune IP address scanning behavior. 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/C1iiauYH5zM_Cq1WfWvTxg#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=brazil&pubname=brazil-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/C1iiauYH5zM_Cq1WfWvTxg#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/C1iiauYH5zM_Cq1WfWvTxg#t_RunNetworkDiscovery "Configure network Discovery from a Discovery schedule."), [convert the IP networks that were found into range sets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/C1iiauYH5zM_Cq1WfWvTxg#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/wgAonimNj89OX7swVojukQ "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/Kuopk2M9rzc6JYROYJFQtQ "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/5DAs0vtKblkKl1qJ1GM~3Q "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/Hws0dwITuH74Z5jMfZFEUA "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/_q8ehHe7M3KpwnvUe~zHyw "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/KJ~eb9799ISVfDIv0jpt~g "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/0A6HDlQly1dpE_4fsP3ZgQ "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/Hzn4TENYkSgWbLFggSCppw "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/QEEPKXX2~5BnOfE4aMrGuw "You can use system properties to control the selection of IP address for specified configuration item (CI) classes.")