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SCCM 2007 - Asset intelligence -> Custom reports (SW inventory) including product build / installation date
SCCM 2007 - Asset intelligence -> Custom reports (SW inventory) including product build / installation date
Hello forum members,
If I am correct, SCCM 2007 has the Asset intelligence feature in order to produce SW inventory report. Actually, I have seen that specific inventory classes should be enabled for such kind of reports.
For instance, looking into reporting class descriptions listed for the software inventory- as posted at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc161933.aspx - although categorized & uncategorized installed (MS) software inventory could be reported, I was’t able to figure out how custom reports for product build, installation date, etc., could be generated.
Also, I was wondering, whether these custom reports could be applied on non-MS products, as well..
Is this something could be achieved via Custom Labels in Asset Intelligence, with which we can add our own information to the data that will be automatically be collected..?
If this is the case, any further reference or guidance, will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Greetings, Nick.
All Replies
- Installation date will be very very difficult. that's because not every vendor's installation will place the installation date anywhere (regkey or WMI), and then if they do, the date may or may not be in a format which is a standard date format. Some may drop it as 5/30/2009, some as 5/30/09, some as May 30, 2009, some as May 30th, 2009, some as 20090530... and then it may not be in the same regkey or wmi location anyway. Making it nearly impossible for any automated system to accurately gather the installation date for any/all products.
If you *know* the location where the products you care about drop the installation date, we can probably find a way to get that information into the database, and you'll be able to report on it. But it wouldn't be integrated into existing AI reports; you'd have to do some fairly creative reporting to join the data together. Personally, I'd find out why this piece of information is important. The "when" something is installed is almost useless. You (or management) normally really honestly just care about what *is* installed, for licensing reasons or to upgrade to the latest version. When something got installed is really not that important.
Product build: do you just mean version? Or do you mean you custom repackage application installations, and you have an internal "build" version you'd like to report on? Again, completely possible; if you know where you store that repackage build version in wmi or registry, we can pull it out. Again it would be all custom reporting though.
Non-MS Products: Do you mean importing licensing information? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc872793.aspx
Standardize. Simplify. Automate. - Dear Sherry,
At first my appreciation for your time and valuable feedback.
I totally agree with your approach on the installation date, but this request comes as is, directly from customer.
Cust. just asked if it is feasible for SCCM to include each products' installation date in the inventory report.
As per your sayings, this is feasible via custom reporting.
Regarding product build, it is just the product version.
Regarding non MS-products inventory report, custs asks not only licensing info, but -same to MS products- the product version and installation date to be included as well in the report.
Thanks once more for your response.
Rgds, Nick. - Well, I'd go back to the customer and say you'd be able to get installation date--but ONLY for products installed with an MSI. That's in win32_product, so we could customize and pull that information in. But no other product would be reliable. Well, actually... you're a consultant right? Tell them it *is* possible, but it'll cost tons of time, because you'd need to spend tons of time looking at their computers and figuring out where each app might store the install date, figure out a way to extract that via some scripted method, and get ConfigMgr to pull it in. I'll bet they suddenly don't really need to know. :)
ProductVersion: if version is listed in Add/Remove Programs, yes, the version is possible. Otherwise the same applies: if they have some wacky products installed that don't announce themselves into Add/Remove Programs, nor are MSI based, then again it'll be tons of time as you figure out each product.
If it possible you already have the information, but you have failed to make a custom report? Reporting isn't my specialty. If it isn't yours either, you may need to pull in an SQL guru who can make really good SRS reports.
Standardize. Simplify. Automate. - You are close.. :) Actually I am not consultant but Technical Account Manager.
It seems that a lot of effort needed to deal with these cust. reqs. Overall, I am not really certain if it is really worthy for cust. to spend so much money
(via T&M project) to get the job done.. Perhaps some 3rd party tools (i.e. Quest, dudeworks / inventory manager) could do the job better in terms of
time/cost saving.
Thanks once more for your time. - Certainly check with the Dude. He might have a better answer. I'm not familiar with Quest, but I don't think they have something like that for install date; but again, I've never looked deeply at their product offerings. I have a passing familiarity with InventoryManager (and the Dude, smart guy).
Standardize. Simplify. Automate. - I will do that.
Thanks, Nick.
