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Sources

The Sources page is the central place to manage all inputs that Forward uses to collect configuration, state, and vulnerability data from your environment.

Sources page layout​

The Sources page is organized into categories shown in a panel on the left. Each category represents a specific type of source. Selecting a category updates the main table to show sources belonging to that category.

Only one category is displayed in the table at a time.

Sources Page Overview

Source categories​

The table below lists every source category, what it covers, and where to find setup instructions.

CategoryDescriptionSetup guide
Classic devicesRouters, switches, firewalls, and other traditional network devices accessed directly by Forward via SSH or SNMP.Adding Devices
Cloud-managedDevices managed through cloud controllers such as Cisco Meraki Dashboard and Arista VeloCloud Orchestrator.Cloud-Managed Device Collection
Cloud providersPublic cloud infrastructure — AWS, Azure, GCP, Alkira, and IBM Cloud.Cloud Infrastructure Setup
VM platformsVirtual infrastructure platforms — VMware vCenter and NSX-T.VMware Setup
Synthetic nodesUser-defined logical constructs (Internet nodes, Intranet nodes, L2/L3 VPNs, WAN circuits, encryptors) used as traffic origination or termination points in analysis.Synthetic Nodes
EndpointsEnd hosts and custom devices collected via CLI, SNMP, or HTTP using reusable endpoint profiles.Endpoints
Data connectorsExternal integrations that supply data to Forward via HTTP(S) GET requests.Data Connectors
Data filesUploaded files used as data inputs, accessible through NQE.Data Files
End host scannersVulnerability scanner integrations (Rapid7 InsightVM, Tenable Security Center) that feed into Exposure Analysis.Rapid7 InsightVM · Tenable SC

Finding sources​

The search field filters sources across all categories.

When a search term matches sources in multiple categories:

  • Matching results for the currently selected category are shown in the table
  • Other categories display a match count next to their name
  • Selecting a different category shows the matching results for that category

Search matches:

  • Source or device name
  • Vendor
  • Location

Search across categories

Managing sources​

Within a category, common actions can be performed on one or more sources:

  • Enable or disable collection using the collect toggle
  • Edit source settings
  • Test connectivity (for supported source types)
  • Include or exclude sources from collection
  • Delete sources (when applicable)

Actions apply only to the selected sources in the active category.

Source selection and actions

Source status indicators​

The table displays status information for each source, which may include:

  • Connectivity or authentication status
  • Collection status
  • Last successful snapshot
  • Last tested time

Status fields and indicators vary by source category.