Discovery and Inventory Group

 View Only

Inventory Solution Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks 5 - Server Components 

Nov 19, 2018 03:07 PM

Server Components

This section covers the Setting and configuration items located in the Symantec Management Console. These are used for administrative and troubleshooting purposes.

 

Custom Data Classes

To run Custom Inventory, a custom data class to contain the data needs to be created. This is done in the Symantec Management Console under Settings > All Settings > browse in the left-hand pane under Discovery and Inventory, Inventory Solution > and select Manage Custom Data Classes.

 

Consider the terms as such:

  • Data class = Database Table – What is entered will become a table, as in the following example: 

Name entered: My Custom Table

Resulting Table name: Inv_My_Custom_Table

  • Attribute = Database Table Column – Name given the attribute will be the name of the column in the database
  • Data type = What type of values are allowed in the column – Make sure you get this one right for the data that is being returned. String works for most values, though data can be manipulated via reporting if it is a specific data type based on the attributes of that data type.
  • Size = How many characters are allowed in the field in total – Provide a buffer for expected characters. For example if you believe you’ll have about 50 characters, give it a limit of a 100 so data isn’t truncated.
  • Key = The table requires a unique value from each computer that returns data – This is not typically used for Custom Inventory, but something like Serial Number may be considered Key since it should not have duplicates.
  • Required = The table requires data to be returned for the indicated column, so no NULLS are allowed – Only use this if you are sure all computers will return data for this column, because if this value is blank the row will not be added to the database.

 

 

In essence, these are details set into a SQL table, but the Platform will require these attributes before it attempts to process data into the database.

 

NOTE: The biggest item of consideration is to ensure you setup your table correctly the first time. Due to the nature of SQL, making changes after data has been inserted can cause failures based on the existing data. If a change is required, consider the following:

  1. Adding a column is not an issue as long as it is not key or does not allow NULLs
  2. Changes to existing columns will likely require the table to be truncated first. Custom Inventory would then need to be run again to repopulate the table.
  3. Changes to the data class require changes to the Custom Inventory script to account for the change.

 

Standalone Inventory Packages

These packages are used to gather inventory on systems that are not managed by a Symantec Management Agent. Components of the agent, including Basic Inventory, are contained within the package, including the ability to post to the Notification Server. The page is found in the Symantec Management Console under Settings > All Settings > browse in the left-hand pane under Discovery and Inventory > Inventory Solution > and select Stand-alone Inventory Packages.

 

When you create the packages, you’ll get many of the same options found in an Inventory Task and Policy. Please note the following when creating and using a Stand-alone package:

  • The output location specified is, by default, the Notification Server. If this location is not available when Inventory finishes, the data will not make it to the NS and the execution is considered a failure.
  • If specifying a local folder, the completed NSEs will be copied and it is then up to the user to get those files to the notification server.
  • If specifying a network share, that share must be available when inventory finishes executing as the files will be posted. If it fails to post, the execution is considered a failure.
  • The links provided on the page can be sent out to the environment to be clicked and executed automatically.
  • Previous to 7.5, a stand-alone package would fail if execute on a system that was managed by the Symantec Management Agent. In 7.5 the execution works just fine.

 

Data Classes

Due to the nature of Inventory, data classes are key to the entire Inventory process. Data classes are basically tables with inventory data inserted into them. The Notification Server uses the data class definitions to manage the tables, mostly when data is to be inserted into them.

 

To view data class definitions browse in the Symantec Management Console under Settings > All

Settings > browse in the left-hand pane under Notification Server > Resource and Data Class Settings > Data Classes. For Inventory expand the Inventory folder. The following list provides feedback on how this section of the console can be used.

  1. In the Custom folder all custom inventory data class you have created can be found.
  2. When selecting a data class, a summary page appears providing feedback on that data class.
     
    1. Data table name – You can use this to see the exact table name if you are not sure
    2. Guid – Knowing a data class’s GUID can be useful when working in auxiliary tables, such as ResourceUpdateSummary.
    3. Multi-rowed – This lets you know if a resource can insert more than one row into the table. Most Inventory data classes are multi-rowed.
    4. Number of resources reported data – This lets you know how many computers have reported inventory for this data class. Good for checking health on data with in a class.
    5. Last reported data – Useful for checking if inventory is being inserted. Note that it does not mean inventory hasn’t come in, just for the last time changed or new inventory reached the database to be inserted.
    6. Attributes – This gives you the columns and their data types, including if they are key or not. The default is non key and allow nulls unless otherwise listed.
  3. For custom data classes you can delete data classes from this location (right-click, delete).

You can export a data class to import at another Notification Server, if so desired (right-click, export).

Statistics
0 Favorited
2 Views
0 Files
0 Shares
0 Downloads

Tags and Keywords

Related Entries and Links

No Related Resource entered.