Regardless of the method chosen for deployment, SXSi always uses the same program to perform inventories: the SXSi "agent".
The agent can be launched:
![]() | During a batch process or normally through the network connection script. This is the most widespread method |
![]() | Manually, from a shared folder on the Synexsys server. Perfect to perform evaluation tests |
![]() | Locally, from a portable storage device, to audit PCs not connected to the network |
![]() | From the Synexsys Console, to audit your own computer or remote PCs on which the Synexsys agent runs as a service |
![]() | IMPORTANT The agent will not be executed if file filter.ini is not available via FTP in synexsys\server\outbox or if the local copy of the file cannot be found in the folder where identification file SID.TXT is located. If a manual audit is performed (disconnected), the agent tries to read the filter.ini file from the \client\bin\agent folder. |
In addition, Synexsys Inventory also allows:
![]() | Delaying the audits. Convenient to avoid saturations at login time |
![]() | Scheduling the audit time. Audit during off-peak hours |
![]() | Increasing / decreasing the priority of audit processes. Palliative for slow PCs |
![]() | Requesting an immediate audit of any PC on which the agent is already activated |
The agent is a set of programs that perform all inventory jobs on the PCs and transmit the results to the Synexsys Server. The agent may be launched remotely, without need of installing any software on the client PC, or it may be locally executed as a service.
Whether it is installed or not on the local PC, the agent creates identification files and a file containing the audit results on the audited PC.
![]() | Identification and Reference Files for Incremental Audits: SID.TXT (required for the machine's identification) Given their nature, these files are kept locally on the audited machine. |
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![]() | File containing audited data In the folder where file SID.TXT is located, the agent creates a compressed and encrypted .inv file where all the audit results are stored (*.sys, *.sxs et *.cus). This file is deleted from the audited machine after transfer. The .inv file name is made up of the following identifiers: sid [_seq] [.1st] [.full] .inv sid - machine identifier (identical to SID.TXT) |
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![]() | Integrity chek of the .inv file by the Synexsys agent Once the Synexsys agent has created the inventory file, it checks its integrity. If the result is correct, the .inv file is sent to the Synexsys server (see below). Otherwise, the agent recreates the .inv file a second time and if the test is still not good, the .inv file is not sent to the server. The agent writes the error in the sxsiagent.log file and deletes the .keo files to ensure that the following audit will be forced to Full mode. |
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![]() | Data Transfer via FTP Once the audit concludes, the Synexsys agent indicates the local FTP agent that it must transfer the collected information to the Synexsys FTP Server. The FTP agent executes the transfer to the IP address and port indicated in file ..\synexsys\client\config\config.ini (SXSI FTP Server and Port). If the transfer is cut off, it will be picked up again where it left off as soon as possible or during the next agent execution. |
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![]() | Integrity chek of the .inv file by the Synexsys server Before processing the .inv file, the Synexsys server also checks its integrity. If the result is not good, it moves this file to ..\server\inbox\error and generates a sid.full in the ..\server\outbox. The next time the agent will run, this file will tell the agent to delete its local .keo and this will eventually force a Full mode audit. |
The nature of the audit and its frequency are defined by parameters passed to the agent at run time.
See Inventory Nature and Scheduling, for more information regarding Synexsys Inventory agent setup.
This method is recommended since it does not require installing any software on the local machine. See Deployment via Login Script for more details.
Manual audits are recommended for PCs not connected to the network. See Other Deployment Methods (95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP).
![]() | IMPORTANT To distribute a service remotely you need GLOBAL ADMINISTRATOR rights and to be recognised as a LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR on the PCs where the service is installed. A Global Administrator is normally also a Local Administrator, but this is not always true ! Therefore, make sure you have both rights. You will need authorisation to: |
![]() | create folders on the target machine |
![]() | copy files |
![]() | install a service |
![]() | start a service |
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![]() | This deployment method should only be used on PCs running NT/2000/XP/2003. |
![]() | If your network is in a WORKGROUP, use an account that is recognised as Local Administrator by all the remote PCs. |
Once you are sure to have the required rights:
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![]() | Select the target machines where the agent is to be deployed as a Windows service |
![]() | Right click on any of the selected machines to see the context menu |
![]() | Select one of the two deployment options: |
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Wizard, that will guide you step by step in the deployment setup | |
Advanced, that will take you directly to the deployment window | |
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![]() | REMARK: You can also deploy the agents as services by manually entering or importing the list of HOSTNAMES or IP addresses of targeted PCs. Click here for more details. |
The "Audit ASAP" command from the Objects list context menu (Inventory Section, Objects sub-Section) can be used to request a priority inventory of the selected PCs.
![]() | IMPORTANT Prior to request a PC's ASAP audit, the PC needs to be registered in the database. |
You may select one or several PCs from the list of Objects or from the trees. Right click on your selection and chose "Audit ASAP". A window opens and allows you to chose the inventory type you want to perform.
The selected PCs will be audited as soon as possible. The message "Audit ASAP request being processed..." is displayed on the Audit tab of the concerned PCs until the requested audits reaches the database.
![]() | A BIT OF LOGIC! When you validate an "Audit ASAP", Synexsys Inventory writes a task in ..\server\outbox for each of the selected PCs. As soon the Synexsys agents of those PCs read the task, they will immediately execute the inventory. The agents check their tasks list when they are "waking up". It is important to understand that in this context, "ASAP" does not mean "instantaneous". In fact, if the agents of the concerned PCs only wake up or are executed once a day, it could take up to 24 hours to get the "ASAP Audit" results in the database. If on the contrary, the agent wake up cycle is of 5 minutes, the inventory results will be delivered to the server in just a few minutes. Furthermore, if you asked for an "ASAP Audit" of 20 PCs, it is common sense that the twentieth audited PC will be available in the database only after the completion of the other 19 PC audits. The full process could take over an hour if you requested a file audit. By default, the "Audit ASAP" generates a full inventory. That is what you will normally be looking for when you use this feature. All the data found on the audited machine will be transferred to the server. If you want just to proceed to an update of the inventory, you can check the "Incremental audit" checkbox. |