When you create inventory policies and tasks with the option File Properties -
manufacturer, version, size, internal name, etc. selected, you can configure the
software inventory rules by clicking Advanced > Files Properties Scan Settings on the inventory policy or task page.
Gathering software inventory
How software inventory rules work
See“Methods for gathering software inventory”on page 92.
The software inventory rules let you filter drives, system types, folders, and files when you gather software inventory data. By default, all local drives and all folders on those drives are scanned. When you select a folder, all subfolders are included by default. You can add, edit, or delete items in the list.
The following table explains how the software inventory include and exclude rules work.
Table 7-3 Software inventory include and exclude rules Description
Option
Includes the drive in the scope of software scan.
Drives > Include drive
Ignores the drive from software scan.
Drives > Exclude drive
For the target computers that are running UNIX and Linux, includes the file system of the given type in the scope of software scan.
Drives > Include file system type
For the target computers that are running UNIX and Linux, excludes the file systems of the given type from software scan.
Drives > Exclude file system type
Includes the folder in the scope of software scan.
Folders > Include folder
Ignores the folder from software scan. Starting with Inventory Solution 7.0 SP1, new folders have been added to the list of excludes to reduce redundant data. You may want to review these settings to make sure that important applications are not excluded.
Folders > Exclude folder
For the target computers that are running UNIX and Linux. This setting tells the software scan to limit maximum number of subfolder levels or to ignore a folder where the count of files exceeds the given number.
Folders > Include folder limits
Scans the files that match the given rules. Reports the size and the file count information if you have selected “Report size or file count information only” option on the Include
file rules dialog. Otherwise reports file information (name,
path, size, last modified date, manufacturer and so on).
File > Include Rule
Does not report the information about the files matching these rules to the CMDB.
File > Exclude Rule
The following table explains how the Inventory Plug-in behaves on different platforms.
95 Gathering software inventory
Table 7-4 Software inventory behavior on different platforms
Behavior of the software scan agent on Mac Behavior of the software
scan agent on UNIX/Linux Behavior of the software
scan agent on Windows Possible settings on the
Files Properties Scan Settings tab
UI shows message "Please include at least one Drive or Folder for the Mac scan." UI shows message "Please
include at least one Drive or Folder for the UNIX/Linux scan."
UI shows message "Please include at least one Drive or Folder for the Windows scan."
Does not include or exclude any drives or file system types and folders.
Scans the included drives. N/A
Scans the included drives. Includes only drives and
does not exclude any drive. Does not include or exclude any folders.
N/A Does not scan anything N/A
Includes only the file system type and does not exclude any file system. Does not include or exclude any folders.
Scans only the included folders.
Scans only the included folders.
Scans only the included folders.
Includes only the folders and does not exclude any folder. Does not include or exclude any drives or file system types.
Scans the included child folder.
Scans the included child folder.
Does not scan the child folder.
Excludes a parent folder, but includes the child folder of it.
Scans the parent folder, but ignores the child folder. Scans the parent folder, but
ignores the child folder. Scans the parent folder, but
ignores the child folder. Includes a parent folder, but
excludes the child folder of it.
Scans only the included folder.
N/A Scans only the included folder.
Excludes a parent drive, but includes a folder on it.
N/A Does not scan the included folder.
N/A Excludes the file system type, but includes a folder with this file system type.
Scans the entire drive but ignores the excluded folder. N/A
Scans the entire drive but ignores the excluded folder. Includes a parent drive, but
excludes a folder on it.
N/A Does not scan anything N/A
Includes the file system type, but excludes a folder with this file system type.
Gathering software inventory
How software inventory rules work
Table 7-4 Software inventory behavior on different platforms (continued) Behavior of the software scan agent on Mac Behavior of the software
scan agent on UNIX/Linux Behavior of the software
scan agent on Windows Possible settings on the
Files Properties Scan Settings tab
Does not scan any files. Does not scan any files.
Does or does not exclude files.
Does not include any files.
The included files are scanned in the scope that the drives and folders define.
The included files are scanned in the scope that the file system types and folders define.
The included files are scanned in the scope that drives and folders define. Includes a few files. Does
not exclude files.
Files not matching the exclude file’s criteria and matching include file’s criteria are reported to the CMDB.
Files not matching the exclude file’s criteria and matching include file’s criteria are reported to the CMDB.
Scans the files matching include file’s criteria. Out of these, those matching the exclude criteria are excluded from reporting to the CMDB. Includes a few files and also
exclude files.
See“Inventory advanced options: Files Properties Scan Settings tab”on page 57.