Agent vs agentless is the choice between two ways of collecting inventory data in IT Asset Management (ITAM): installing software on each device, or gathering data remotely from the network and from the tools that already manage those devices. IT teams compare both methods when they choose an IT Asset Management solution or plan how to keep the inventory of their IT assets complete.
This article compares agent based vs agentless methods side by side in a table, then explains what each one is and lists its pros and cons. It also covers when to use an agent and when to go agentless for each type of device, and how InvGate Asset Management combines both.
Agent vs agentless ITAM: comparison table
The main difference between agent and agentless ITAM is where the data comes from. An agent runs on the device and reports its own inventory, while agentless methods query devices remotely or sync them from the systems that already manage them.
As the table shows, each method covers what the other one leaves out. That is why most IT teams combine them: the agent for the computers they manage, and agentless discovery for network devices and anything where an agent can't run.
What is agent-based IT Asset Management?
Agent-based IT Asset Management is a method of tracking hardware and software by installing a small piece of software, the ITAM agent, directly on each device. The agent collects data such as hardware specifications, installed software, usage, security settings and logged-in users, and reports it to the ITAM tool on a schedule.
That data maps the IT infrastructure and keeps an up-to-date asset inventory with no manual work. Because the agent travels with the device, it keeps reporting when a laptop connects from home or from another office.
Pros and cons of an ITAM agent
An ITAM agent gives IT teams the most complete picture of each device they manage. These are its main benefits:
- Continuous, unattended updates. The agent collects data on a schedule with no manual effort, so the inventory stays current without anyone chasing devices.
- Deep data on every device. It reports hardware, installed software, operating system, security and user details that remote scans can't read.
- Coverage outside the office network. Laptops of remote and hybrid workers keep reporting from any connection.
- Software usage and compliance. Agents can track how software is actually used and detect unauthorized applications, which supports license compliance.
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That depth comes with some tradeoffs. These are the disadvantages to plan for:
- Deployment and maintenance. Each device needs the agent installed and kept up to date, which takes planning in large fleets.
- Compatibility and performance. Some operating systems aren't supported, and a poorly optimized agent can consume system resources.
- Devices that can't run an agent. Printers, network equipment, IoT and employee-owned devices stay out of the inventory unless an agentless method covers them.
What is agentless ITAM?
Agentless ITAM tracks hardware and software without installing anything on the devices. The ITAM tool scans the network and queries each device through standard protocols such as SNMP, WMI or SSH, or connects through application programming interfaces (APIs) to the systems that already manage those devices.
It focuses on network endpoints and infrastructure devices, such as servers, switches, routers, storage systems, printers, scanners and IoT devices, which often can't run an agent. Like the agent, it has clear strengths and limits.
Pros and cons of agentless ITAM
Agentless ITAM is the fastest way to see what is connected to the network. These are its main advantages:
- Fast deployment. There is nothing to install on the devices, so scans can start as soon as the IP ranges and credentials are set.
- Scalability. One scan covers a wide range of addresses and device types across the network.
- No impact on the devices. Nothing runs on the endpoints being inventoried.
- Coverage for devices that can't run an agent. Network equipment, printers, IoT and legacy systems come into the inventory.
Reaching devices remotely also limits what agentless methods can see. These are the disadvantages to keep in mind:
- Less detail. Data such as software usage or detailed hardware configurations is harder or impossible to obtain remotely.
- Dependence on network access. Devices that are offline, behind a firewall or outside the network scope are missed by scans.
- Reliance on standard protocols. Devices that don't support SNMP, WMI or SSH, or that block them, return limited data.
- Data only as fresh as the last scan. Changes that happen between scans don't appear until the next one runs.
What is agentless discovery?
Agentless discovery is the ability to find and identify assets on a network without installing agents on them. Agentless network discovery scans IP ranges to map routers, switches and firewalls, while agentless asset discovery extends the scan to endpoints, virtual machines and other connected devices, so IT can build an agentless network inventory and spot unmanaged or unknown assets. On Windows computers, agentless discovery for Windows devices uses WMI to read hardware and operating system data.
Integrations with the tools that already manage devices are another form of agentless discovery. An integration with an MDM tool brings in the laptops and phones enrolled there, wherever they connect from, which covers the devices a network scan can't reach.
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When to use an agent and when to go agentless
The right method depends on the type of device and on whether IT can install software on it. In most environments, the answer is a mix:
- Laptops, desktops and servers you manage: use an agent. It gives the deepest data and keeps reporting when laptops leave the office.
- Printers, switches, routers, cameras and IoT devices: go agentless with network scans, since these devices can't run an agent.
- Computers where you can't install software: use agentless discovery, with WMI for Windows and SSH for Linux, as long as the computers are reachable on the network.
- Devices already managed in an MDM tool: connect that tool as a discovery source, as the Microsoft Intune integration does for Intune-managed laptops and desktops.
- A first inventory or shadow IT detection: start with a network scan to see everything that answers on the network, then roll out the agent where it fits.
Matching each device type to its method keeps the data deep where it matters and the coverage wide everywhere else. The result is one inventory where every asset is tracked by the source that knows it best.
Agent and agentless discovery in InvGate Asset Management
InvGate Asset Management is ITAM software that offers an enterprise experience without the complexity or the price of one, with an intuitive interface, a no-code approach and fast deployment. It builds the inventory with four methods that work together, the Agent, network discovery, integrations and manual or CSV import, so every device gets the method that fits it.
The InvGate Asset Management Agent
The Agent runs on Windows, Linux, macOS and Android devices and sends a full inventory every 8 to 12 hours, also when a laptop is outside the corporate network. It also enables software metering and remote access from the platform, two capabilities agentless methods can't offer.
Teams can install it manually on a single device or roll it out remotely from the platform. Larger Windows fleets can also receive it through Group Policy or Microsoft Intune, methods our guide to the InvGate Asset Management Agent explains step by step.
Agentless discovery: network scans and integrations
InvGate Discovery scans the IP ranges you define from a Proxy inside your network, using standard network protocols plus WMI for Windows computers and SSH for Linux. It finds printers, switches, access points, IP phones and the shadow IT nobody registered, although it can't reach devices outside the office network. Every result lands in Assets > Discovery for review, so only the devices you want to track become assets, a key step in IT asset discovery.
Integrations work as discovery sources too. InvGate Asset Management connects to Microsoft Intune, Jamf, Google Workspace, SOTI MobiControl and Omnissa Workspace ONE, and keeps the devices they manage in sync, including the laptops and phones that never touch the office network.
Wrapping up
The agent vs agentless decision comes down to coverage: the agent gives the deepest data on the computers you manage, and agentless discovery reaches network devices, restricted machines and fleets already managed in an MDM tool. Combined, they keep a complete inventory with the right level of detail for each device.
To see both methods feeding one inventory, start a free trial of InvGate Asset Management or talk to Sales. During the 30-day trial, you can install the Agent on a few computers and connect your first discovery source.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions that come up most often when IT teams compare agent and agentless methods. They cover remote devices, protocols and the agent's impact on performance.
Can agentless discovery find remote laptops?
Network scans only reach devices visible on the corporate network or through a virtual private network (VPN), so they miss laptops working from home. Integrations with MDM tools such as Microsoft Intune or Jamf do bring them in, because they sync every device enrolled there.
Do you need both an agent and agentless discovery?
In most environments, yes. The agent covers the computers you manage in depth, and agentless discovery adds network devices, printers and machines where installing software isn't possible.
What protocols does agentless discovery use?
Network scans rely on SNMP for network devices and printers, WMI for Windows computers and SSH for Linux, plus other standard network protocols to identify what answers on each address. Integrations use the APIs of the tools they connect to.
Does an ITAM agent slow down the device?
A well-designed agent runs in the background with a light footprint and minimal impact on day-to-day work. The InvGate Asset Management Agent, for example, collects its inventory on an automatic schedule designed not to interrupt users.
