Automating Device Tagging with Service Based Detection

Device tagging is a critical pillar of IT operations. It determines how monitoring policies apply, how scripts are targeted, how compliance reports are generated, and how workflows are triggered. In short, tags act as the connective tissue between IT strategy and daily endpoint management.

However, in many environments tagging is still a manual process. Administrators or technicians log into devices, review running services, and apply tags by hand. This approach may work in small networks, but it becomes unsustainable as environments scale across hundreds or thousands of endpoints. Manual tagging slows down IT operations and introduces human error that undermines monitoring and automation.

Level addresses this challenge with Service Based Tagging Automation, available directly from the Level Library. This automation uses built-in variables like WindowsServices, LinuxServices, and MacServices to detect real time service state on endpoints. Based on that detection, it dynamically applies tags such as Exchange, Nginx, or Adobe without requiring human intervention.

This blog explores the technical foundation of Service Based Tagging, its value for IT teams and MSPs, and how it integrates with broader automation strategies.

The Problem with Manual Tagging

Time Consumption

In a traditional workflow, tagging requires technicians to manually inspect each endpoint. In small networks with fewer than 50 devices, this may be manageable. In environments with thousands of endpoints, or MSPs managing multiple clients, it quickly becomes an impossible workload.

Inconsistency

Different technicians may apply different naming conventions. One may use “MS Exchange,” while another uses “ExchangeServer.” Inconsistent tags break automation logic, cause monitoring rules to misfire, and create fragmented reporting.

Human Error

When tagging is manual, mistakes happen. Services are misidentified, tags are skipped, or devices are left untagged entirely. Errors compound as infrastructure grows.

Slow Adaptation

Infrastructure evolves constantly. New applications are deployed, services are upgraded, and workloads shift between on premises and cloud. Manual tagging cannot keep pace with these changes. The result is stale tags that no longer reflect the reality of the environment.

Operational Risk

Tags drive policy application. If a device running SQL Server is not tagged correctly, it may miss critical patching or monitoring checks. The result is exposure to vulnerabilities and increased risk of downtime.

Manual tagging was designed for a simpler era of IT. Today’s distributed, hybrid, and fast moving environments require automation.

Technical Foundation of Service Based Tagging

Core Detection Variables

Service Based Tagging relies on three core variables that extract runtime service information:

• WindowsServices – Enumerates all active and enabled Windows services, including enterprise workloads such as Microsoft Exchange, IIS, SQL Server, and custom services.
• LinuxServices – Detects running daemons and processes across distributions, including Apache, Nginx, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and custom services.
• MacServices – Captures services and applications unique to macOS, such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Office365 services.

These variables are updated in real time by the Level agent running on each endpoint.

Mapping Services to Tags

The automation uses conditional logic to map detected services to predefined tags. Examples include:

• If WindowsServices contains MSExchangeIS, apply the tag Exchange.
• If LinuxServices contains nginx, apply the tag Nginx.
• If MacServices contains Adobe, apply the tag Adobe.
  

Administrators can fully customize these mappings. For example, you could map a proprietary in house service to a specific compliance tag.

Triggers

The automation can be executed manually or triggered automatically:

• Device Created – When a new device is onboarded, the automation immediately inspects running services and applies relevant tags.
• Scheduled Execution – The automation can be run at intervals to ensure tags remain accurate as services change.
• Manual Execution – Administrators can run the automation on demand for validation or troubleshooting.

Tag Lifecycle

The automation can also handle tag removal. If a service is no longer present, the tag can be removed to avoid stale categorization. This keeps device state accurate over time.

Why Accurate Tagging Matters

Precision in Monitoring

Monitoring policies are only effective if they target the right devices. Accurate tagging ensures that an Exchange monitoring policy applies only to devices running Exchange, while web server monitoring applies only to Nginx or Apache tagged devices.

Reduction in Noise

When tags are inaccurate, policies fire incorrectly. This generates false positives and unnecessary alerts. By ensuring accurate tags, Service Based Tagging reduces alert noise, allowing technicians to focus on real issues.

Automation Efficiency

Tags act as the scope for automation. Patch management routines, script deployments, and remediation workflows all depend on tags. If tags are wrong, automations misfire. With accurate tagging, automation becomes precise and efficient.

Security and Compliance

Many compliance frameworks require auditable evidence that critical workloads are monitored and patched. Tags provide the grouping necessary to enforce compliance policies. With automated tagging, coverage is consistent and verifiable.

Scalability

Accurate tags across thousands of endpoints make it possible to scale monitoring and automation without scaling human effort. MSPs managing dozens of clients can enforce consistent standards across environments without manual intervention.

Real World Scenarios

MSP Multi Client Operations

An MSP supports 20 different clients. Each has a mix of Windows servers, Linux VMs, and macOS devices. With manual tagging, technicians spend hours each month updating tags as services change. By deploying Service Based Tagging, the MSP ensures that all Exchange servers are tagged, all web servers are identified, and all macOS creative workloads are categorized without manual effort. Monitoring and patching policies now fire only where they should, saving hours of troubleshooting and reducing noise across clients.

Enterprise Patch Management

An enterprise IT team needs to ensure SQL Server instances receive cumulative updates every month. Using Service Based Tagging, devices running SQL Server are automatically tagged SQLServer. Patch policies scoped to this tag ensure updates are applied consistently. Administrators no longer need to maintain static device groups.

Cross Platform Visibility

In a hybrid environment with Windows servers, Linux containers, and macOS creative endpoints, Service Based Tagging provides a unified tagging model. Regardless of operating system, services are detected, mapped, and tagged. This creates a consistent foundation for cross platform monitoring and automation.

Compliance Auditing

A financial services firm must demonstrate to auditors that all Exchange servers are patched and monitored. With Service Based Tagging, Exchange servers are always tagged automatically. Reports scoped to the Exchange tag provide auditable proof of compliance without additional manual work.

Implementation Best Practices

1. Import from the Level Library
   Use the Automation Service Based Tagging entry to deploy the policy into your environment.
2. Customize Service Mappings
   Modify the default mappings to include the services critical to your business. For example, add custom database services, security agents, or proprietary applications.
3. Test in a Pilot Group
   Validate tagging accuracy on a small group of representative devices before deploying globally.
4. Enable Automatic Triggers
   Configure the automation to run at device creation and scheduled intervals. This ensures tags are accurate at all times.
5. Enable Tag Removal
   Include logic to remove tags when services are disabled or uninstalled. This prevents stale tags from lingering.
6. Integrate with Other Automations
   Pair service based tagging with patching automations, monitoring checks, and remediation workflows. Tags act as the foundation for orchestration.
7. Review Regularly
   Infrastructure evolves. Review service to tag mappings quarterly to ensure new workloads are covered.

Extended Technical Considerations

Service Detection at Scale

The accuracy of Service Based Tagging depends on reliable service reporting from endpoints. For environments with limited connectivity or high numbers of offline devices, schedule periodic runs to refresh state.

Security Implications

Because tagging is automated, attackers cannot rely on stale tags to evade monitoring. If a malicious actor deploys a new unauthorized service, it will be detected and tagged, triggering monitoring and potentially alerting.

Integration with PSAs

MSPs can integrate tagging with Professional Services Automation systems. For example, when a tag is applied for Exchange, a monitoring policy can create a ticket in the PSA if service checks fail. This creates a closed loop between tagging, monitoring, and incident response.

Cloud and Container Workloads

Service Based Tagging is not limited to traditional endpoints. It can detect services running in cloud VMs or containers, providing consistent monitoring coverage across hybrid environments.

Conclusion

Manual tagging is no longer a viable strategy for modern IT operations. It is slow, inconsistent, and prone to error. Service Based Tagging Automation from Level eliminates the overhead by dynamically detecting services and applying accurate tags across Windows, Linux, and macOS devices.

With accurate tags, monitoring becomes precise, automation becomes reliable, compliance becomes easier to demonstrate, and IT operations scale without additional human effort. For MSPs and enterprise IT teams alike, Service Based Tagging represents a foundational shift toward smarter, more resilient IT management.

Deploy it today from the Level Library and free your team from manual tagging.