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Configure the HCL BigFix Inventory connector

The Snow Integration Connector for HCL BigFix Inventory/ILMT is configured within Snow Integration Manager (SIM). For more information on SIM, see Snow Integration Manager.

The HCL BigFix Inventory connector uses an API connection and can be used for gathering of inventory data in the following scenarios:

  • Environments where both BigFix Server (Console) and BigFix Inventory are configured.

  • Environments where both BigFix Server (Console) and ILMT version 9.x are configured.

  • Environments where only ILMT version 9.x is configured.

note

  • When inventory data from multiple sources is to be merged, ensure that the used site Id (global or local) is the same for all sources and that the HCL BigFix Inventory connector is aggregated first.

    For example: A scenario can be when data from the HCL BigFix Inventory connector and the Snow Inventory Agent or the VMware vSphere connector is to be merged.

  • Ensure that the HCL BigFix Inventory connector is not scheduled for aggregation when the data import is in progress in BigFix Inventory/ILMT. Let the import finish before aggregation takes place.

Set up the Connection configuration​

  1. Under the BigFix Inventory/ILMT section, in the API Endpoint, enter the BigFix Inventory/ILMT address.

    This is typically the qualified URL or the IP address used to access the BigFix Inventory/ILMT server.

    EXAMPLE

    https://[hostname]

    https://192.168.168.20

  2. The Port shows the default port set by HCL. The port can be changed.

  3. In the User Name and Password, enter credentials for the created user account with access to the BigFix Inventory/ILMT Web API.

  4. In the Batch size, enter a numeric value for batch (page) size to be used during the collection of data from BigFix Inventory.

    note

    The HCL BigFix Inventory connector collects data from BigFix Inventory in batches (pages). The default batch size in the connector is 1000. Using a different value can optimize the execution time for the connector but it depends on the number of endpoints (devices) in the environment. A recommendation about the page size can be found in the following URI:Options to limit size of the individual response

  5. If a connection to BigFix Server (Console) is required, select the BigFix Server (Console) checkbox and then specify information according to Step 6 through 8 of the Set up the Connection configuration.

    Else, clear the BigFix Server (Console) checkbox, and then continue with Step 9 of the Set up the Connection configuration.

    note

    Integration with BigFix Server is enabled by default. When only a connection to ILMT is required, you can clear the BigFix Server (Console) checkbox to remove the connection to the BigFix Server.

  6. Under the BigFix Server(Console) section, in the API Endpoint, enter the BigFix Server (Console) address.

    This is typically the qualified URL or the IP address of the BigFix Server (Console). If the BigFix Inventory and BigFix Server reside on the same server, enter the same URL API Endpoint.

    EXAMPLE

    https://[hostname]

    https://192.168.168.12

  7. The Port shows the default port set by HCL. The port can be changed.

  8. In the User Name and Password, enter credentials for the created user account with access to the BigFix Server Web API.

  9. To verify the connection, select Test connection.

  10. Under the Aggregation section, in the Initial aggregation length (months) , select the number of months for the initial aggregation of inventory data.

  11. To reset an ongoing incremental aggregation, select Clear Last Aggregation Date.

  12. Optional: Under Site id (overrides global site id), enter a site Id for the BigFix inventory connector.

Set up the Filtering​

  1. By default, the connector only gathers data from the devices that have PVU applications from IBM with SubCapacity values (PvuSubCap and/or PvuSubLimit).

    Select the Include software instances checkbox to also gather:

    • software instances from IBM and HCL where ILMT is integrated.

    • software instances from IBM, HCL and other manufacturers where BigFix Inventory is integrated.

  2. If the Include software instances checkbox is selected, select the Include software metric checkbox to also gather:

    • software instances license metric.

      This information is used to flag appropriate software instances as PVU software on virtual machines.

  3. Select the Include file information for Windows systems checkbox to also gather:

    • information on files discovered on Windows devices.

  4. Select the Include package information for Unix systems to also gather:

    • information on packages discovered on UNIX devices.

  5. Select the Include data center information to gather information about clusters from the BigFix Inventory (ILMT).

  6. Optional: Under the Computer exclusion rules section, select:

    • Exclude TLM VM devices: It excludes discovered devices that have a name starting with TLM_VM (devices that are missing VM manager data) from the aggregation.

    • Exclude k8s (Kubernetes) devices: It excludes discovered containers from the aggregation.

  7. Optional: Under the Data processing rules section, select:

    • Extract hostname from server name: It extracts the hostname component of the server name when the server name is used as the hostname. The extraction is based on the value corresponding to ManagedServerTagTemplate that is found in the Advanced Server Settings of the BigFix Inventory environment.

      note

      • If the name field is populated in the computer entity that the connector receives from BigFix, it will be reported as hostname in the inventory file, regardless of this checkbox.

      • The extraction of hostname from server name is dependent on the presence of the %HOSTNAME component in the server tag and a corresponding value in the server name. It is possible for you to edit the server tag content, if required.

      caution

      • If unable to extract a hostname from the server name, the server name will be used as it is. Refer to the Advanced server settings docs on BigFix for more information on the parameters that a server name can contain.

      • This feature may provide different results after updating to SIM 6.0.0 version, and can cause duplicates of devices in the Snow Inventory Server and Snow License Manager in some cases.

  8. Select OK to finish and save the settings, or Cancel to cancel the changes.