Asset Management

How To: Configure Software Metering for Asset Management

Cireson Asset Management Software Metering allows you to pull Software Metering data from SCCM into the SCSM CMDB via the use of a new connector type. This Software Metering data can then be seen on Software Assets and used to determine Available Count in place of Install Count. This allows you to only count software licenses that are used as opposed to counting every installation that might be a part of your standard desktop image. The following instructions will walk you through how to setup Cireson Asset Management Software Metering.

Prerequisites 

To configure Software Metering please follow these steps:

Step 1: Configuring an Asset Management Software Metering Connector

To configure the Asset Management Software Metering Connector to obtain Metering Data from SCCM, perform the following steps:

  • Navigate to Administration\Connectors
  • Select “Create Connector” on the Tasks menu, and select "Asset Management Software Metering Connector"
  • Asset Management Software Metering: Create Connector

Select / populate the following fields within the Administration settings:

General

  • Connector Name - The name of the connector
  • Management Pack (for workflow only) - Select an existing unsealed Management Pack to store the connector workflow, we suggest creating a new Management Pack to store these that is not used for any other purpose and this can be done by clicking "New..."
  • Workflow log path (accessible from Workflow Server) - The folder path, accessible on the Workflow Server via the Workflow Account, to write the connector logs to
  • Maximum age in days to count as software use - The maximum number of days in the past to pull software metering data from that counts as "used" software for Asset Management purposes in your organization
  • Maximum workflow running time in seconds - The maximum time, in seconds, that the connector workflow can run for. The default is 2 hours 40 minutes. You only need to increase this if your workflows are taking longer than this interval

SCCM Database Details

  • Use this connector  to update usage data on Software Assets only - For this connector, do not check this option as this option will be explained later in step 6
  • SQL Server (or SERVER\Instance) - Enter the SCCM SQL server name that houses the site database that you want to pull metering data from
  • Database - Enter the site database name.
  • Use SQL Server Authentication instead of Windows Authentication - Check this option to specify SQL Server logon credentials instead of using Windows Authentication
  • Username - SQL username
  • Password - SQL password
  • Click "Test". If the connection was successful, you may click "Next"

To use Windows Authentication, the current user must have read access to the configured database for the test to work so you can proceed. Also, when the connector runs, the Workflow Account must have at least the same rights.

To use SQL Authentication, this must be enabled and configured on the SCCM SQL Server.

Workflow Schedule

Configure the schedule for when you would like your connector to run, either a Daily or Frequency based schedule

Click "Create" to create your connector

A summary page is displayed showing success or any error messages

Step 2: Obtain the metered filename from SCCM

To identify the appropriate Software Metering data from SCCM, perform the following steps (in this example we will use Microsoft Office 2013):

  • Open the SCCM Console
  • Navigate to Assets and Compliance \ Software Metering
  • Find "Microsoft Office 2013 - msoia.exe - 15.0. (65535)" and double-click
  • The metered filename is taken from the "File name" field

As in this example, make a note of "msoia.exe" for future reference.

Step 3: Configure a Software Asset for Software Metering

To configure the Asset Management Software Metering data for a particular Software Asset, perform the following steps:

In this example, we will configure a Software Asset called "Microsoft Office 2013" for Software Metering:

  • Open the SCSM Console
  • Navigate to Configuration Items \ Software Assets
  • Edit the Software Asset "Microsoft Office 2013" and enter "msoia.exe" into the "Software Metering Filename" field

Note: when configuring a Software Asset for Software Metering, the Version Pattern is still matched against the Version as seen in SCSM Software Items. It is not matched against the Filename version as seen on the SCCM Software

  • Make sure that "Exclude this Software Asset from Software Metering" is not ticked on the "Software Metering" tab
  • Click OK to save the Software Asset.

Note: You can also configure metered filenames within Software Pattern Bundles.

Step 4: Run the Software Metering Connector

To initiate the Cireson Asset Management Software Metering Connector, either way for the schedule for the connector to run or perform the following steps:

  • Navigate to Administration \ Connectors
  • Select your Cireson Asset Management Software Metering Connector
  • Initiate the "Synchronize Now" task

Note: You can examine the status in the Connectors view and/or the workflow log path you configured for results

  • When the Software Metering Connector workflow runs for this type of connector, Software Assets are only processed if:
    • "Exclude this Software Asset from Software Metering" is not checked
    • "Software Metering Filename" is configured

Step 5: Examine the Software Asset

To examine the results of the Software Metering Connector, and relationship to associated Software Assets, perform the following steps:

  • Navigate to Configuration Items \ Software Assets
  • Open the Relate Software Asset and look at the "Software Metering" tab

Note: We can now see that within the last 30 days, Microsoft Office has been used on two PCs, 1 user has used the software on SCCM01 and 2 users have used the software on PC01B.

We can open the Metering Data instances to see more information

Note: We can now see which users have used this Software. If this Metering Data came via a match from a Software Bundle, the pattern name will be shown under "Software Pattern Name". Notice how "Last Updated" and "Usage Count" on the Software Asset are blank? This is because we now need to create a 2nd connector that is used to update this information on Software Assets. We only need one of this type of connector. This is because we might have multiple connectors pulling in metering data. We can allow these to run and schedule our single connector to run later to update Software Assets from this combined data in one process.

If you only require one connector to pull metering data from SCCM, you still need to create this 2nd connector.

Step 6: Create an Asset Management Metering Update Connector

To create an Asset Management Metering Update Connector, follow the same procedure as for Step 1 to create a Software Asset Management Metering Connector except for the following step:

  • On the "SCCM Database Details" page, check "Use this connector to update usage data on Software Assets only" and click "Next"
  • Click "Next", configure a Schedule and Create the connector
  • Run the connector with the "Synchronize Now" task

Note: When the Software Metering Connector workflow runs for this type of connector, if "Exclude this Software Asset from Software Metering" is checked on any Software Assets, all current metering data is removed and "Last Updated" and "Usage Count" are cleared

"Last Updated" and "Usage Count" are now completed. "Usage Count" is the number of PCs the software has been used on, not the total number of users who have used the software on these PCs. If a PC appears more than once in the list (probably due to a Software Pattern Bundle configuration) then the PC is counted only once, unless "Count every match per device and subtract from available count" is checked on the Software Asset.

Once you have configured all of your Software Assets that you want to use for Software Metering, under "Administration\Settings\Cireson Asset Management Settings", on the "Software Asset Update Workflow" tab, you may want to consider enabling the option "Use Usage Count instead of Install Count to calculate Available Count (unless excluded)".

Step 7: Forcing an SCCM Server to update Metering Data

To force the SCCM Server to update Application Metering Data, perform the following steps (this process can be especially useful when testing Software Metering):

  • Download and install the SCCM 2012 Toolkit from here onto an SCCM SQL Server: http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=29265
  • Start a Metered application on a PC
  • Force the Software Metering Usage Report Cycle to start using either the SCCM Right-Click tools in the SCCM console or from the PC itself using the SCCM Control Panel applet
  • On the SCCM SQL Server, from the toolkit, run:
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\ConfigMgr 2012 Toolkit\ServerTools\runmetersumm.exe
  • This will update any outstanding metering data immediately into the specified database.
  • In the SCSM Console, you can then run your Asset Management Software Metering Connectors