KACE Product Support

It doesn't need to stay in the same location necessarily, I just need an easy way to update the asset fields.
I haven't run a SQL rule from the Help Desk before and just glanced through the tabs and didn't see this option. I also searched the help for sql and rule and didn't see anything helpful. I have to run to a meeting but would you mind letting me know exactly where to look for this or what words to search on in the help doc and I will give it a try.
Thanks!

You write a help desk rule and use any select query (i.e. SELECT * FROM ASSET), then you put your custom SQL to move data from MACHINE and related tables to ASSET and the related asset data tables in the Update query field. It's not called a custom SQL rule, it's just a help desk rule. You can put it in any queue, but I've created a special queue that houses all of my non-help desk related rules. I wish KACE would create a special section elsewhere in the admin console for running custom SQL against the database, but using help desk ticket rules is currently the only way to do it. So, for anyone who doesn't have the Help Desk module, you cannot currently run custom SQL commands.

I have an old feature request for a "retired" machine status. It would still show up in inventory and keep all the information, but would be un-managable. That would solve a lot of our problems.

Erin,

This is a highly requested feature and will be added to the KBOX in a future release.

The easier, although more manual, way to do this is to create a report that exports the fields that you want into a cvf file, and then import that file into the asset module, mapping on System Name or BIOS Serial Number or some other field that can be used as a primary key for the import.

The help desk rule is conceivable, but as you will see when you look at the schema under the KBOX, it is all meta data with field names like FIELD_77 and it will be very tedious to maintain the rule.

Chris...

I'd like to learn about this as well.

I opened a ticket up on the topic as well. We will see what they say.

Computer Assets are automatically created when a machine checks into Inventory. When MIA machines are deleted, the asset records remain. If you'd like to keep inventory data around (i.e. Software, Processes, Hardware info, etc.), you'll have to use custom SQL rules in the Help Desk module to copy the Inventory data to the appropriate Asset entries in either the History area or an asset field.

You will have to use custom SQL to do this, as the Inventory tables are linked to the Asset tables (the data is not in the same table in the database). So, once an MIA machine is deleted from Inventory, the Asset is no longer linked to that data. You'll have to copy it from the Inventory item to the respective Asset item before the machine is deleted from Inventory.

Does this make sense?

It does but I wish there was a better way to handle the process and I find it hard to believe that more people don't find losing the inventory data to be an issue, which was a question in my original post. Do most people jump through the hoops you listed above or do they just go oh well, that data is gone?

The less I have to rely on someone manually keeping up with something the better so only having to delete a computer from inventory vs also having to remember to run the custom SQL would be preferable.

In my company's case, we don't care about data for old assets - primarily because we lease most of our equipment. Once it drops out of Inventory due to MIA status, it's already been sent back to our leasing company. For machines that we do purchase - which are primarily servers - we still don't care about hardware/software inventory if the machine is offline. Typically, if old hardware is reused then we install a KBOX agent and it ends up back in Inventory with an accompanying Asset.

As far as automation goes, you wouldn't have to do anything manually. You create the SQL rule in the help desk, schedule it to run once daily, weekly, etc., and that's it. You'll just be dumping inventory table data over to the asset tables.

I know you are looking for some way to keep inventory data in its present location, but that's how the KBOX decides how many nodes are being managed. The data cannot remain in the Inventory tables in the database - historical data must be kept in asset tables.

I haven't tested this yet, but for anyone else wanting to do this, first create a new queue and at the very bottom you can create a custom ticket rule. If I get it working I will post the details on my final set up.
Thanks airwolf for pointing me in the right direction.

It's just a matter of writing the proper code. I'd also like to mention that it is very easy to destroy your KBOX database by running untested custom code. So, WARNING: Backup your database before running custom help desk rules for database modification.

Also, it may be beneficial to ask KACE support to assist with the SQL code. Gerald in support can usually whip something out fairly quickly. He does good work too.

One more tip while you're attempting this: the KBOX will only allow you to put a single statement in the "Update Query" field. So, everything you want the update to do must be done in a single INSERT, UPDATE, REPLACE, etc. You can, however, use nested SELECT statements, if needed.

I will set up a test database to run the SQL queries on before try it on the live data. Always good to mention the backups though. Update queries can sure make things go splat in the blink of an eye.

Although Chris' suggestion is easier, it is also a manual process. The only way to automate the process is with the use of help desk rules. It sounds like a solution to your problem will be implemented in an upcoming release, but you have limited options if you need a solution before the feature is implemented.

This may sound real simple but it works for us and is similar to what Chris suggested. We just create a .doc or pdf using the "Printer Fiendly" version of the complete inventory, then attach (upload) the document to the Asset.