PC Software Inventory in Vector IT Asset Management Solutions

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PC Software Inventory

Key Capabilities and Features

Software License Compliance, and Software Asset Optimization, are not activities that suit a corner-cutting approach. Our customers rely on the Vector AM Software Inventory component to analyze their installed software accurately and in depth.

Vector Software Inventory uses a ‘Triple Pass’ technique, in which three methods are employed to maximize software identification and minimize the extraneous noise seen in other simplistic software inventory tools. The raw results generated by the three methods are presented in the tabbed display of the Software Identification Manager.

The first pass uses a rules based analysis, where directory contents are analyzed against the identification rules in the Known Applications Library. Rules may be based on file information – names, sizes, dates, etc – or on VersionInfo file header data, or on ARP registry information. A RuleWizard facilitates the creation of additions to the Known Applications Library.

If an application is not recognized from the Known Applications Library, Vector Software Inventory will interrogate file headers to determine a Provisional Identification – one of the three tabs in the Identification Manager display. Using the raw information collected from the networked PCs, you have the ability inspect the file header information yourself, to make a final decision on how that header information can be employed in a permanent identification rule.

If no identification can be made from file header information, Vector Software Inventory will look for correlation of executables with information in the Add/Remove Programs Registry.

Applications are ‘promoted’ from provisional identification with file header or ARP Registry information to confirmed identification and addition to the Known Applications Library through the RuleWizard.

The Software Inventory results are stored in the Asset Management database, and are accessible through a comprehensive set of Web-based reports in the Asset Reporting Portal.

Scaling

Software Inventory employs a two stage process of data collection and analysis. A collection agent (either permanent or transient) collects raw file information from the PC and sends it across the network or over the internet to a collection point. This raw information is then processed away from the PC, using scheduled tasks which can be distributed to optimize processor loads and network traffic. This combination of raw data collection and offline analysis permits the highest level of sophistication in the analysis phase while minimizing the impact on the client PCs. Our customers regularly analyze software inventory for populations of over 10,000 PCs held in a single database. The drill-down reporting in the Asset Information Portal provides information at every level from organization summary to individual PC.

License Management and Software Asset Optimization: ISO 19770 and ITIL

Vector Software Inventory meets the key practical demands of following ISO 19770-1 and ITIL best practices in Software Asset Management, and of implementing a program of Software Asset Optimization. The Known Applications Library enables you to record your total license entitlement for each application, and this information is used in the drill-down Compliance Reports in the Asset Reporting Portal. Vector’s multi-pass approach to software identification is ideal for extension to embrace the new software asset tag technology being developed under ISO 19770-2.

Desktop Configuration Management, Application Version Control

The ability of Software Inventory to identify fine detail of Application Versions is a valuable aid to maintaining consistency of application versions. In Vector’s Asset Manager Pro and Software License Compliance and Optimization solutions, the Application Package Policy Manager (PPM) component supports version detail when defining the deployment policy for an application.