Arrays in Web Reports?

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All Forums >> [Management Products] >> Microsoft Systems Management Server >> Web Reporting >> Arrays in Web Reports?

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Arrays in Web Reports? - 5/8/2008 2:03:30 PM

mcharves

Posts: 10
Score: 0
Joined: 5/6/2002
From: Pasco, WA State, USA
Status: offline

I've got another question to pose to you all.

We're currently working on a major OS deployment, and one of the tasks I've been assigned has been to develop a report that shows all of the software installed on a system. This would normally be a moot issue, since I could use the "Software 2E - Installed Software on a Specific Computer" Web Report to get that information... however, several of the applications we have natively in our organization (both 3rd party and home developed) do not have entries in Add/Remove Programs, and hence don't show in the Software 2E report.

So... I've been working on attempting to find a way to use the Software 2E report as a base, and append information to it with a sub-query based on the "Computers with a specific File" logic for the applications not in Add/Remove Programs using an array for the filename variable.

My question is whether or not this is a good idea, or if there is a better / easier way to accomplish this? Or, whether a query like this already exists somewhere that I'm not aware of? I've Googled it and hunted around on the forums for other ideas or solutions and haven't found any so far.

Thanks again...

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Mike Charves
SMS Administration
Bechtel National, Inc.

Post #: 1

RE: Arrays in Web Reports? - 5/8/2008 2:27:10 PM

jnelson993

Posts: 596
Score: 67
Joined: 2/18/2005
From: Minneapolis, MN
Status: offline

Well, there are more programs there than just those found in ARP...the way I understand the Asset Intelligence stuff working is it uses software files data and ARP data combined to develop an "entry" for software. So have you looked and explicitly found the software not there already?

Anyway, if you're looking to combine that report with another report I think that's totally doable, but down that way be dragons...I mean there's a lot of work deciding what should go into and get excluded from the software files data. The problem with the software files data is that the product name and other fields are free-form fields that any developer building an EXE/DLL can put whatever they want into it and thus you'll notice product names corresponding to software you don't actually have installed. And you'll have to make sure the stuff you return from there is not duplicating stuff that's coming from the installed software views. I think it could add a lot of confusion and be a lot of work after the fact when people start questioning the results. SCCM should greatly improve on this all with the newer versions of Asset Intelligence which should allow you to manually update the AI catalog with your own software.

Now, I'm sure we can be helpful if you still decide to go that way.

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(in reply to mcharves)