Automatically find devices, points, schedules, and assets from your connected systemsDiscovery is the process of querying a connected external system to find and register available entities — devices, data points, schedules, and assets — without configuring each item by hand.
How discovery works
When you run discovery on a connector, KODE OS queries the external system’s API for available entities.Not all integrations support discovery. Check the specific integration page to see if discovery is available. Integrations that only receive data via webhooks or MQTT typically do not have a discovery step.
What gets discovered
Devices
A device represents physical hardware or a logical grouping in the external system — a thermostat, sensor hub, door controller, meter, or camera. Each discovered device includes:Points
Points are the individual data values or control endpoints on a device. For a thermostat, points might include current temperature, setpoint, humidity, and operating mode. Each discovered point includes:Schedules
For integrations that support schedule management (for example, Niagara or Distech), KODE OS can discover schedules already configured in the external system. Discovered schedules include name, type (weekly or calendar), current values, and linked point references. See the Schedules guide.Assets
Assets are physical or virtual objects that KODE OS tracks for metadata. Unlike devices, they do not have time-series data points. Asset discovery is available for integrations that manage inventory-type data. Examples of assets:- Network equipment (routers, switches, servers)
- Furniture (desks, chairs, whiteboards)
- Safety equipment (fire extinguishers, AEDs)
- Any physical item that needs metadata tracking
Running discovery
1
Open the connector
Go to
Data Sources in your building, then select the connector you want to discover from.2
Start discovery
Click
Discover on the connector detail page. KODE OS authenticates with the external system and queries for available entities.3
Review results
Discovery results list found devices and their points. Each item shows:
- Device or point name
- External system identifier
- Type and category
- Whether it is new or already registered
4
Select and register
Select the devices and points you want to register in Cloud BMS. You can select individual items or use Select All for bulk registration. Registered devices and points become available for data collection across the platform.
Discovery behavior by protocol
Rediscovery
You can run discovery multiple times on the same connector. When you rediscover:- New items appear as available for registration
- Existing items appear as already registered and can be updated
- Removed items (no longer found in the external system) are flagged for review
Troubleshooting
Discovery returns no devices
Discovery returns no devices
Verify that the connector credentials have the correct permissions in the external system. Some vendor APIs require specific roles or scopes to list devices. Also check that the URL and authentication settings are correct by running a test connection first.
Discovery times out
Discovery times out
Large systems with thousands of devices may take longer to discover. If discovery times out, try narrowing the scope by configuring a specific folder, site, or building filter in the connector settings when the integration supports it.
Discovered devices are missing points
Discovered devices are missing points
Some integrations discover devices and points in separate steps. After registering devices, you may need to run discovery again or open the device detail page to see its points. Also verify that the external system’s API exposes point-level data.