SCCM 2012 Inventory and Asset Intellgence

SCCM 2012 Inventory

We can use Configuration Manager 2012 to collect hardware and software inventory from Configuration Manager 2012 clients by enabling the client agents on a site-by-site basis.

Hardware Inventory

When the hardware inventory client agent is enabled for Configuration Manager 2012 sites, hardware inventory data gives system information (such as available disk space, processor type, and operating system) about each computer.

Software Inventory

When the software inventory client agent is enabled, we can inventory information such as inventoried file types and versions present on client computers. The software inventory client agent can also collect information about files inventoried on client systems. Configuration Manager 2012 software inventory can also collect files, not just details about the files, from client computers. With file collection, you specify a set of files to be copied from clients to the Configuration Manager 2012 site server that the clients are assigned to.

After Hardware and software inventory is enabled and the clients run a Hardware and software inventory cycle, the client sends the inventory information to a management point in the client’s site. The management point then forwards the inventory information to the Configuration Manager Site server, which stores the inventory information in the site database. Software inventory runs on clients according to the schedule that you specify in client settings.

View inventory data that System Center 2012 Configuration Manager collects

WE can use several methods to view the hardware/Software inventory data that System Center 2012 Configuration Manager collects. These include the following:

• Create queries that return devices that are based on a specific hardware configuration.

• Create query-based collections that are based on a specific hardware configuration.

• Run reports that display specific details about hardware configurations in your organization..

• Use Resource Explorer to view detailed information about the hardware inventory that is collected from client devices.

Configure Hardware/Software in Configuration Manager 2012

This procedure configures the default client settings for hardware/Software inventory and will apply to all the clients in your hierarchy. If you want these settings to apply to only some clients, create a custom device client setting and assign it to a collection that contains the devices that you want to use hardware/Software inventory.

Configure Hardware Inventory

Use the following steps to configure System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Hardware inventory for your site.

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.
2. In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings.
3. Click Default Client Settings.
4. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.
5. In the Default Settings dialog box, click Hardware Inventory.
6. In the Device Settings list, configure the following:
7. Enable hardware inventory on clients - From the drop-down list, select True.
8. Hardware inventory schedule – Specify the interval at which clients collect hardware inventory. Use the default value of 7 days or click Schedule to configure a custom interval.
9. Configure any other client settings that you require.
10. Click OK to close the Default Settings dialog box.

Note: It is recommend to run the scans off hours or on the weekends when system resource utilization is lower as the scans can consume quite a bit of processor.

Click Set Classes

In the Hardware Inventory Classes you can adjust what items you wish to collect data on from any number of possible items. For additional information regarding the classes refer to the Technet article on them. Click OK then Click OK again.

Configure Software Inventory

1. In the Configuration Manager console, click Administration.
2. In the Administration workspace, click Client Settings.
3. Click Default Client Settings.
4. On the Home tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.
5. In the Default Settings dialog box, click Software Inventory.
6. In the Device Settings list, configure the following values:
7. Enable software inventory on clients – From the drop-down list, select True.
8. Schedule software inventory and file collection schedule – Configures the interval at which clients collect software inventory and files. Use the default value of 7 days or click Schedule to configure a custom interval.
9. Configure the client settings that you require.
10. Click OK to close the Configure Client Setting dialog box.

How to Extend Hardware Inventory in Configuration Manager

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Hardware inventory reads information about devices by using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). WMI is the Microsoft implementation of web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM), which is an industry standard for accessing management information in an enterprise environment. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is the infrastructure for management data and operations on Windows-based operating systems. You can write WMI scripts or applications to automate administrative tasks on remote computers but WMI also supplies management data to other parts of the operating system and products, for example System Center Operations Manager, formerly Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM), or Windows Remote Management (WinRM).In previous versions of Configuration Manager, you could extend hardware inventory by modifying the file sms_def.mof on the site server. This file contained a list of WMI classes that could be read by Configuration Manager Hardware inventory. If you edited this file, you could enable and disable existing classes, and also create new classes to inventory.

Please check this link for enabling or disabling inventory class or add new class

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712290.aspx

SCCM 2012 - Enable Asset Intelligence

Microsoft acquired AssetMetrix, an asset management software company, in 2006. They have used the technology from this acquisition to greatly enhance ConfigMgr asset recognition and reporting capabilities.

Microsoft introduced Asset Intelligence (AI) 1.0 functionality in SMS 2003 SP 3. The ConfigMgr 2007 RTM and SP 1 releases have included enhanced functionality with AI 1.1 and 1.5, respectively.

AI is quite useful for keeping track of the assets within your environment including hardware and software inventory as well as licensing. When it comes time for true-up this can be quite beneficial. This information can be utilized via console and in reporting. There are a number of configuration steps before you can use Asset Intelligence in SCCM 2012.

Here are some questions Asset Intelligence reports can help you answer:

1.          What IT hardware and software assets are deployed in the environment?
2.          Who is using IT assets, and what are the usage patterns and trends?
3.          What changes have occurred in the IT asset base?
4.          How are software licenses and Microsoft Client Access Licenses (CALs) used?
5.        What hardware is compatible with operating system and application software in use or proposed for deployment?

Enable Asset Intelligence Hardware Inventory Reporting Classes:
First we need to enable AI hardware inventory classes as outlined the steps in above section

1. Now we need to enable Inventory Reporting Classes.
2.  In the Asset and Compliance space select Asset Intelligence.
3. On the Home Tab Click Edit Inventory Classes.
4.  When the Edit Inventory Classes opens Select enable all Asset Intelligence reporting classes or you can select individual classes.

Note: If you intend to enable the Hardware Inventory Client Agent to inventory the information required to support these reports, SMS_SystemConsoleUser must be checked

if you chose to enable all classes you will get a prompt warning you to about client system resources during the scan. Click Yes

Install Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point:

Next we need to install AI. The Asset Intelligence synchronization point can be installed only on a site system located at the top-level site of the Configuration Manager hierarchy and requires Internet access to synchronize with System Center Online by using TCP port 443. In the Administration Space expand Site Configuration then highlight Sites. Select the site server you want to install AI on and Right Click and select Add Site System Roles. By now you should be all familiar with the Add Site System Roles Wizard. Add the server name if not already present then select the Site code. Click Next

Add proxy information if required. Click Next

Select Asset Intelligence synchronization point. Click Next

By default, the Use this Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point setting is selected and cannot be configured on this page. System Center Online accepts network traffic only over TCP port 443, therefore the SSL port number setting cannot be configured on this page of the wizard. Click Next

You can modify the synchronization schedule as required. Keep in mind to run scans in off hours if at all possible. Click Next

Verify your settings and Click Next

You should get a success page. Click Close

Enable Auditing of Success Logon Events:

Asset Intelligence uses logon events from the local Windows security event log to monitor Client Access License usage. If you plan to use AI to monitor CALs, enable auditing of success logon events. In order for AI to display information gathered from Windows Security event logs on client computers in reporting you need to enable audit logging. If it is not enabled these reports would contain no data even if the appropriate hardware inventory reporting class is enabled.

Note: The following actions will need to be performed by someone with Domain Administrator level access in Active Directory.

On your domain controller open Group Policy Management Editor. Find the SCCM policy that you created before you did the SCCM installation, Right Click and Edit (you can create a new policy if you prefer but I like to keep all my related policies together like this). Expand out Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Audit Policy. Double Click on Audit Logon Events. Check Define these policy settings and then Check Success. Click Apply

Note: The following actions will need to be performed by someone with Domain Administrator level access in Active Directory.

On your domain controller open Group Policy Management Editor. Find the SCCM policy that you created before you did the SCCM installation, Right Click and Edit (you can create a new policy if you prefer but I like to keep all my related policies together like this). Expand out Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Audit Policy. Double Click on Audit Logon Events. Check Define these policy settings and then Check Success. Click Apply

Note: The following actions will need to be performed by someone with Domain Administrator level access in Active Directory.

On your domain controller open Group Policy Management Editor. Find the SCCM policy that you created before you did the SCCM installation, Right Click and Edit (you can create a new policy if you prefer but I like to keep all my related policies together like this). Expand out Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > Audit Policy. Double Click on Audit Logon Events. Check Define these policy settings and then Check Success. Click Apply

Import Software License Information:
The Import Software License Wizard is used to import Microsoft Volume Licensing (MVLS) information and general license statements into the Asset Intelligence catalog. The MVLS license statement contains information about the license entitlements, or number of purchased licenses, for Microsoft products. A general license statement contains information about the purchased licenses for any publisher.

Note: The site server computer account needs Full Control permissions for the NTFS file system to the file share that is used to import software license information. 

One thing to keep in mind when importing license information. Existing software license information is overwritten so ensure that the information file that you use when you do the import contains a complete listing of all necessary data. This will only update information in the license file, not any other data.

In the Assets and Compliance space Click Asset Intelligence. On the home tab Click Import Software Licenses. The Import Software License Wizard will start up. Click Next

There are two possibilities to chose from here. Microsoft Volume License Statement and General License Statement.

Microsoft Volume License Statement
The first is for importing Microsoft related product volume licenses (duh). The easiest way to gather this data is to pull it directly from the Microsoft partner website.

Open up Excel (any version), rename Sheet 1 to License Data then delete sheets 2 & 3. In the Ribbon Select Data then Click From Web. Navigate to https://licensing.microsoft.com/ and enter in your Windows Live ID. Once you are logged in Click View your license summary, click the box to Select License Data then Click Import. Click OK. You will need to remove the first column then save the file as a normal .xlsx file for future reference. Then save the file as an .xml file to the NTFS share discussed previously.

General License Statement
A General License Statement is used for all non Microsoft related products you have in AI and will need to be saved as a .csv file only.

Open up Excel (any version), rename Sheet 1 to License Data then delete sheets 2 & 3. In Row 1 Column A enter the following (each in a new column). Green items are required for all software on the list, the rest are not, but I leave them in there so I can remember the place holders and its nice to input the data if it is available.

Name

Publisher

Version

Language

EffectiveQuantity

PONumber

ResellerName

DateOfPurchase

SupportPurchased

SupportExpirationDate

Comments

Now that we have our 11 columns labeled we can add in the software information in row 2 down (as needed). The software names need to match up exactly to what you see in Inventoried Software, otherwise you will get an error when inputting data. Save the file as .cvs to the NTFS share discussed previously.

Now that we have our license file created select Microsoft or General depending on your need and browse to the file. Click Next

You will get a summary, Click Next

Once you have success Click Close

Configure Asset Intelligence Maintenance Tasks:
There are two types of Maintenance tasks available in AI. Check Application Title With Inventory Information and Summarize Installed Software Data

Check Application Title With Inventory Information
This maintenance task checks that the software title that is reported in software inventory is reconciled with the software title in the Asset Intelligence catalog. By default, this task is enabled and scheduled to run on Saturday after 12:00 A.M. and before 5:00 A.M. This maintenance task is only available at the top-level site in your Configuration Manager hierarchy.

Summarize Installed Software Data (Available only on Primary Sites)
This maintenance task provides the information that is displayed in the Assets and Compliance workspace, in the Inventoried Software node, under the Asset Intelligence node. When the task runs, Configuration Manager gathers a count for all inventoried software titles at the primary site. By default, this task is enabled and scheduled to run every day after 12:00 A.M. and before 5:00 A.M. This maintenance task is available only on primary sites.

Go to the Administration Space, Expand Site Configuration then Click Sites. Highlight the server that has AI installed on it and and on the Home tab Click Site Maintenance

Locate Check Application Title With Inventory Information and Click Edit

Check Enable this task and set the schedule appropriate for your environment. Click OK

Summarize Installed Software Data (Available only on Primary Sites). Click Edit

Check Enable this task and set the schedule appropriate for your environment. Click OK

Congratulations Asset Intelligence is now up and running

References

1. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg712322.asp
2. http://jimmoldenhauer.blogspot.in/2013/11/sccm-2012-enable-asset-intelligence.html 
3. http://tutorial.programming4.us/windows_server/system-center-configuration-manager-2007---available-reports-and-use-cases-(part-4)---asset-intelligence,-reporting-on-application-compatibility.aspx