How Red Hat approaches agentless infrastructure scanning

Learn how Red Hat 'discovery' enables agentless infrastructure scanning in air-gapped environments, ensuring full offline visibility.

17 jul 2026 • 4 min read • Q2BSTUDIO Team

Discovery: Red Hat's open source tool for agentless scanning

In today's IT landscape, organizations need to have an accurate understanding of their infrastructure: what software is running, on which servers, on which clouds, and how that aligns with licenses and subscriptions. Visibility into technology heritage has become a pillar of governance, security, and cost optimization. However, when infrastructure operates in isolated environments, without an internet connection, or with strict data sovereignty requirements, traditional agent-based solutions or solutions that require constant communication with the cloud are not viable. This is where agentless scanning takes on a special role, and Red Hat has developed open source tools to address this challenge efficiently.

Agentless scanning allows you to obtain information about the operating system, installed applications, configurations, and patches without the need to install additional software on each machine. Instead, the tool connects remotely using standard protocols such as SSH, WinRM, or virtualization APIs. This reduces overhead on systems, minimizes security risks by not introducing new binaries, and facilitates operation in highly regulated environments. Red Hat, aware of these needs, has created an open-source solution that aims to provide a scanning engine that can run locally, without relying on outbound connections, and that generates detailed reports on software inventory. This is especially relevant for sectors such as defense, government, manufacturing, or sovereign clouds, where network isolation is a premise.

But beyond the tool itself, the interesting thing is how companies can integrate these types of capabilities into their ecosystem. Many organizations choose to develop custom applications that complement the core functionalities, adapting them to their internal processes. For example, they may need to combine the scan data with asset management systems, cybersecurity tools, or business intelligence platforms. This is where custom software becomes a strategic ally: it allows you to build data pipelines that enrich the information obtained, apply business rules and generate personalized alerts. Q2BSTUDIO, as a software and technology development company, offers specialized services in creating these custom solutions, helping companies get the most out of agentless scanning.

Artificial intelligence is also starting to play an important role in this area. AI agents can analyze software usage patterns, predict licensing needs, detect security anomalies, and suggest corrective actions. Imagine a system that, after scanning your entire infrastructure, uses machine learning models to identify outdated software or risky configurations, and automatically generates tickets in your IT system. This is already possible thanks to the combination of agentless scanning and artificial intelligence for enterprises. At Q2BSTUDIO, we develop applications that integrate these capabilities, either on cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure cloud services, or in on-premise environments.

In addition, the visibility that agentless scanning provides is critical for cybersecurity. Knowing exactly what software is installed and its version allows you to identify known vulnerabilities and prioritize patches. In air-gapped environments, where online CVE databases cannot be accessed, it is necessary to have local correlation mechanisms. Modern cybersecurity solutions benefit from this granular information. Our cybersecurity services help implement these measures in an integrated way. On the other hand, the data collected can be dumped into business intelligence systems such as Power BI, generating dashboards that show compliance status, license coverage or patch evolution. The business intelligence services we offer at Q2BSTUDIO allow you to connect these data sources and create actionable visualizations.

Another key aspect is automation. Agentless scanning can be run periodically or on-demand, but to be truly useful, it needs to be integrated with infrastructure orchestrators, CI/CD systems, and configuration management tools. This is also where apps come into play as they connect all these dots. For example, you can develop a microservice that, upon detecting a new server via scanning, automatically registers it in a CMDB and triggers a security provisioning. Q2BSTUDIO has experience in building these architectures, using cloud technologies such as AWS and Azure, and also in hybrid environments.

The regulatory compliance dimension must not be forgotten. Many regulations require maintaining an up-to-date inventory of IT assets. Agentless scanning provides auditable evidence, as long as it is implemented correctly. Organizations can combine this capability with license and contract management systems, ensuring that every facility is covered. In this context, collaboration with a technology partner such as Q2BSTUDIO can make all the difference, as we offer consulting and development services to adapt open source tools to the specific requirements of each client.

Finally, it's important to note that agentless scanning is not a magic bullet. It has limitations: it cannot access powered-off systems, requires proper credentials, and can generate a network load if run at high frequency. However, when combined with other techniques such as agent-based scanning (for critical systems) or log analysis, you get a complete picture. The key is to design a visibility strategy that contemplates all scenarios, and that can help Q2BSTUDIO with custom software development that orchestrates multiple data sources.

Red Hat has brought to the table a robust way to approach infrastructure scanning in disconnected environments, but the real value is in how enterprises integrate that capability into their ecosystem. Whether it's improving cybersecurity, optimizing licenses, applying artificial intelligence, or generating reports with Power BI, customization is key. At Q2BSTUDIO we understand these needs and offer solutions ranging from custom application development to integration with cloud and business intelligence services. If your organization needs full visibility into its infrastructure, even in the most restrictive environments, we can help you build the right solution.

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