Understand the difference between automations that take action when sensors trigger and collection extensions that gather custom data through scripted schemas for storage and reporting in the SysTrack database.
Video Transcript
Automations and collection extensions may seem similar on the surface, but they are fundamentally different. Automations run scripts that perform actions when sensors are activated. Collection extensions also run scripts, but the purpose is to collect additional data that is not collected by default and feed it natively into the SysTrack database. Think of it as a way to teach the SysTrack agent to get data that it does not know how to collect out of the box. In a collection extension, a PowerShell script describes a table schema to the SysTrack agent. The script then collects the intended data, which can be things like WMI information, performance counters, or API integrations, and stores it in the table. That data can then be used elsewhere, such as in other scripts or for reporting.