Contents

Ex 3 - Tachyon v5.2 - Using - Using Inventory as an Administrator

Exercise Overview:

Using Inventory

In this lab we will learn how to use the Inventory Application as a user with Administrator rights.

AI Powered Auto-curation seen as an Administrator

We will now look at the effect of the AI Powered Auto-curation has on software records

Basic Summary Screen

1ETRNW72
  1. Log onto 1ETRNW72 as 1ETRN\Manager1
  2. Open the Tachyon Portal in Chrome (if not already open)
  3. Click Switch App and choose Inventory
  4. Click on SLA Inventory
  5. Once the initial curation completes, click on Basic Summary in the left menu

The Summary table now includes software records curated by AI. The first column in the table shows the total Records Collected. The next three columns represent direct catalog matches, AI assisted matches and records that remain non-normalized. You can explore these by clicking on the links in the brackets.

  • Normalized Records-Direct Catalog Matches (Distinct Products) - corresponds to software records identified using existing rules in the 1E Catalog. Exploring these will show you the normalized entries with enriched data regarding licensability, end-of-support date etc.
  • Normalized Records-AI Assisted Matches (Distinct Products) - the software records the AI automatically extracted and normalized. The AI recognises the vendor, title, version and edition and normalizes them. Every record identified by the AI is looked at by the 1E Catalog team and enriched with data regarding licensability, end-of-support date etc.
  • Non-Normalized Records (With AI Suggestions) - displays a screen to assist in manually normalizing important software.

AI Suggestions for Non-Normalized Records (With AI Suggestions)

The AI makes predictions for all source data. Predictions with a confidence score below the set threshold. These predictions might still be accurate or quite close to accurate, so the task of manually adding rules to the Catalog becomes much easier.


    The predictions are displayed on the AI Suggestions screen.
  1. Click on the (x) link in the Basic Summary screen (in the Non-Normalized Records (With AI Suggestions) column).

  1. This displays the Unidentified Software Records screen:

    2. This screen has the following elements:

    Overview 

    Shows a count of distinct software records to be identified, so you can keep track of progress.

    • AI predicted - records the AI was unable to identify, but was able to provide suggestions
    • AI predicted and partially matched - where the vendor or title was identified through previous knowledge from the 1E Catalog, these records have a default high confidence score
    • Cannot be identified - these records have insufficient information to recognize the software or make a prediction.
    • Clear All Filters - show all records

    Filter

    Filters by application type.

    • Show only Secondary Applications - filters to only secondary applications
    • Newly discovered  (Last 30 days) - filters to applications discovered within the last 30 days
    • New to Catalog - filters to applications that are either new vendors or titles previously unknown to the 1E Catalog
    • Exclude Secondary Apps - removes any applications considered secondary, like updates, hot fixes or language packs.

    AI Prediction Confidence 
    Confidence scores for predictions are divided into three equal parts below the threshold. High, Medium and Low confidence relate to the ease at which the AI engine suggestions can be manually reviewed and added as rules.

    FILTER BY 
    Use this to add conditional filters for various fields on the Suggestions Table,
  1. Click on the Plus sign next to filter by and enter:
    "Vendor Contains Micro" to return results based on Microsoft as a software vendor.

Suggestions Table 
Each row on this table corresponds to a distinct set of software records. There are four values and a number of actions to perform for each distinct record. The values are:

  • Install Count - the total number of records found with the same source data across the estate
  • Source Data - ARP data extracted into Title, Version, Vendor, Edition, Colloquial Version and Licensable fields
  • AI Prediction - the AI suggestion after attempting to extract Title, Version, Vendor, Edition, Colloquial Version and Licensable fields from source data, Licensability is set to a default of No on the suggestions table, this can be edited before adding
  • Confidence- abstracted to high, medium or low based on the exact numeric value for prediction confidence, these confidences values will always be lower than the threshold required to automatically normalize records.

Take Action on Unidentified Software Records

The Actions you can take on each record are:

  • Add - adds the suggestion directly to the catalog, once the rule is added, the software record in context will appear normalized from the next sync onwards
  • Edit - allows you to edit the software record before adding to the catalog
  • Exclude - you can exclude a software record, to remove it from a normalization requirement, this also reduces the count of software left to identify - these excluded records will still appear on the same screen, tagged as excluded.

You can explore these records to see what the AI has curated by clicking on the related links in the Basic Summary Report.

We have also introduced a new screen for AI suggestions for any software records that remain non-normalized. This is a replacement for the Best Match Screen which allowed you to add rules.

Edit/Add a Suggestion to the Catalog

  1. Filter the Unidentified Software Records to show software where the vendor is Microsoft
  2. Scroll to find the software with the title: Administrative Templates (ADMX) for Windows 10 and Windows Server Click Edit

  1. In the displayed screen (shown right), accept the suggestions and click Add to Catalog

Note the Options have now changed from Add, Edit to Added, Edit

Exclude a Suggestion from the Catalog

  1. Remove the previous filter on Unidentified Software Records and add a filter to find software where the Title contains Mail
  2. Scroll to find the software with the title: hMailServer 5.4.2-B1964 Click Exclude
    3. Note the Options have now changed from Add, Edit and Exclude to Add, Edit and Include

The Inventory screens seen as an Inventory Administrator

Now that we have seen what a Viewer can see we will see how it differs for an Administrator.

Software Inventory - Dashboard screen as an Administrator

1ETRNW72
  1. Log onto 1ETRNW72 as 1ETRN\Manager1
  2. Open the Tachyon Portal in Chrome (if not already open)
  3. Click Switch App and choose Inventory
  4. The page should open on Software Inventory - Dashboard  if it has not navigate there
  5. The screen has the same fields as the viewer saw, and the drop lists have the same effect, select the options to confirm if you desire

Software Inventory - Aggregate screen as an Administrator

  1. Navigate to Software Inventory - Aggregate
  2. The screen has the same fields as the viewer saw, and the drop lists have the same effect, select the options to confirm if you desire
  3. The difference is the Export button is now enabled, click on this.
  4. The Export popup opens. You can choose which columns to export in the same way you can choose columns to display in the main report panel. Choose all columns


  5. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example AggregatedSoftwareInventory_20200813095415.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  6. Review the data exported, choose a title and confirm that the data matches that displayed on screen (the downloaded file exports in Vendor order descending)
  7. Once reviewed, close the file

Software Inventory - Product Usage screen as an Administrator

  1. Navigate to Software Inventory - Product Usage
  2. The screen has the same fields as the viewer saw, and the drop lists have the same effect, select the options to confirm if you desire
  3. The difference is the Export button is now enabled, click on this.
  4. The Export popup opens. You can choose which columns to export in the same way you can choose columns to display in the main report panel. Choose all columns


  5. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example InventoryProductUsage_20200813102621.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  6. Review the data exported, choose a title and confirm that the data matches that displayed on screen (the downloaded file exports in Vendor order descending)
  7. Once reviewed, close the file

Hardware - Hardware Inventory screen as an Administrator

  1. Click on Hardware - Hardware Inventory
  2. The screen has the same fields as the viewer saw, and the drop lists have the same effect, select the options to confirm if you desire
  3. The difference is the Export button is now enabled, click on this.
  4. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example HardwareInventory_20200813111828.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  5. Review the data exported, choose a title and confirm that the data matches that displayed on screen (the downloaded file exports in Vendor order descending)
  6. Once reviewed, close the file

Hardware - Virtual Summary Screen as an Administrator

  1. Navigate to Hardware - Virtual Summary the screen on the right is displayed
  2. The screen has the same fields as the viewer saw, and the drop lists have the same effect, select the options to confirm if you desire, there is no difference between a user and an administrator

Hardware - Device Screen as an Administrator

  1. Navigate to Hardware - Device the screen will be blank
  2. Enter 1ETRNW101 in the Search device box at the top of the screen and when the machine name resolves select this, the Devices screen then populates, all the fields are as the viewer saw
  3. Observe the Installed Software - Matched tab the Export button is now enabled, click on this.
  4. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example MatchedSoftware_20200813111828.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  5. Review the data exported, choose a title and confirm that the data matches that displayed on screen (the downloaded file exports in Vendor order descending)
  6. Once reviewed, close the file
  7. Navigate to the Installed Software - Unmatched tab
  8. Note the Export button is enabled click on this, 
  9. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example UnmatchedSoftware_20200813111828.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  10. There is no data at this time we have not linked any apps
  11. Once reviewed, close the file
  12. The Link apps button is enabled we will look at that functionality later

Manage Associations Screen as an Administrator

CM to Product Screen

  1. Navigate to Manage Associations - CM to Product the screen will be blank on the left under the Page title, CM to Product is underlined and on the right there are three options Associations, All records and No Associations, All records is selected, Note the number of records
    2. Note Add/Edit Association is disabled
  2. Select No Associations, and confirm the number of records is equal to that seen on the All records option

  1. Select Microsoft Project 2010 via the check box to the left and then note that the Add/Edit Association button is enabled, Click this, and observe the screen to the right opens

  1. In the Vendor field type Microsoft, when the search resolves select Microsoft Corporation
  2. In the Title field type Project and select this when the search resolves
  3. Choose 2010 in the version field
  4. Search for and select Standard in the Edition field
  5. Click Save, Click < CM to Product
  6. Now choose the Associations tab, and confirm that Microsoft Project 2010 is now listed
  7. Confirm that the value for All records is one more than that for No Associations
  8. Associate another product of your choice, once you have saved, do not return to the CM to Product screen.
  9. Select the record you just added, and click Edit
  10. The record will now appear in the upper section of the page, amend the version number and click Save
  11. Confirm the amendment is shown. And navigate back to < CM to Product and Associations
  12. Confirm the new product is listed, and select it. Click Add/Edit Associations
  13. In the bottom half of the screen, select the title and click Delete click delete on the popup window, confirm no data is now displayed
  14. And navigate back to < CM to Product and Associations
  15. Confirm the title is no longer listed

Product to CM Screen

  1. Navigate to Manage Associations - Product to CM, Product to CM is underlined and on the right there are three options Associations, All records and No Associations, All records is selected, Note the number of records
    2. Note there are three buttons all are disabled:
    Add Association
    Edit Association
    Remove Association
  2. Select No Associations, and confirm the number of records is equal to that seen on the All records option
  3. Sort the vendor field Ascending, and select Adobe Systems Incorporated, and click on Add Association

  1. The screen will display as shown on the right

  1. In the Search for a CM Application or Package field type Adobe, and when it resolves to Adobe Reader 9 select it
  2. In the lower half of the screen, select Adobe Systems Incorporated and click Save

  1. The message on the right will be displayed briefly

  1. Navigate back to < Product to CM
  2. Then click on Associations, and confirm the newly created Association is listed
  3. Repeat the above for another Application of your choice
  4. Two applications now have Associations to CM Applications

Review the Associations as a Viewer

Now that there are some Associations between Product and CM and CM and Product, we will review what the Viewer user can see

1ETRNW101
  1. Log onto 1ETRNW101 as 1ETRN\User
  2. Open the Tachyon Portal in Chrome (if not already open)
  3. Navigate to Manage Associations - CM to Product, and open the Associations tab
  4. Confirm that the 3 Applications we have created associations for are listed
  5. Select one of the three using the check box to the left and confirm that the Add/Edit Association button remains disabled

  1. Notice that each of the names is a link, click on one and observe the information displayed, which is the detailed information from the Application an example is shown on the right. Once reviewed close the pop up

  1. Navigate to Manage Associations - Product to CM, and open the Associations tab
  2. Confirm that the 2 Applications we have created associations for are listed
  3. Select one of them using the check box to the left and confirm that the Add/Edit Association button remains disabled

Amend and Delete Associations

Having created Associations, and viewed them we will now amend and delete them

1ETRNW72
  1. Return to 1ETRNW72 as 1ETRN\Manager1
  2. Navigate back to Product to CM and the Associations tab
  3. Select an entry and note the options that become enabled on the right hand side, Edit Association and Remove Association are now enabled
  4. Click Edit Association
  5. Amend the search to be Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
  6. Check the radio button next to Acrobat Reader in the Selected Products area and click Save
  7. Navigate back to < Product to CM
  8. Then click on Associations, and confirm the amendment made is shown
  9. Select an entry and note the options that become enabled on the right hand side, Edit Association and Remove Association are now enabled
  10. Click Remove Association
  11. Click delete on the pop up window after reading the message
  12. Confirm the Association has been removed

User Summary Screen as an Administrator

  1. Navigate to User Summary, this page shows the same data we looked at as a User 


  2. Note the Export button is enabled click on this, 
  3. The report is exported in a .TSV format, for example InventoryProductUsage_20200813120506.tsv, on the downloaded file click view in folder, and right click to open with notepad++
  4. Once reviewed, close the file
  5. You can also customize which of these fields are displayed on the page by using the Choose Columns control.

Lab Summary

In this lab we looked at the Inventory Application looking at the actions an Administrator can carry out. And associated CM Applications to Products and vice versa.

Next Page

Ex 4 - Tachyon v5.2 - Using - Using Inventory - The Device View