JP1/Software Distribution can search for new clients that were added during a specific period of time on the basis of the dates when the hosts were registered for the first time with the central manager or relay manager. By periodically searching for newly added clients, you can achieve thorough management including job execution and registration into host groups.

The following figure shows an example of managing the new clients added within a specified time period:

Figure 9-6 Example of managing the new clients added within a specified time period (1/2)

Figure 9-7 Example of managing the new clients added within a specified time period (2/2)

The figure below shows an example of managing newly added clients every 14 days (biweekly). To manage newly added clients at a specific interval, specify as shown in this example.

Figure 9-8 Example of managing newly added clients every 14 days (biweekly) (1/2)

Figure 9-9 Example of managing newly added clients every 14 days (biweekly) (2/2)

When you periodically execute a job that obtains inventory information and there is a client that does not actually exist registered in the system configuration information, the date and time when the inventory of the client was last updated remain without being updated because the job has never executed.

By searching for the dates and times when the inventory information was last updated, you can identify clients whose inventory information could not be obtained over a specified period. Such clients are probably unneeded resources, so you may want to delete from the system configuration information.

The following figure shows an example of deleting from the system configuration information clients whose inventory information has not been obtained for at least six months.

Figure 9-10 Example of deleting clients whose inventory information has not been obtained for at least six months

Operations using host IDs sometimes result in duplicate clients in the system configuration because the host IDs are regenerated in the following cases:

• JP1/Software Distribution Client (client) is re-installed on a PC whose hard disk was replaced
• JP1/Software Distribution Client (client) was uninstalled without the uninstallation being reported to the higher system, and then was re-installed
• A PC was replaced and a new JP1/Software Distribution Client (client) was installed

If duplicate clients with different host IDs are registered in the system configuration, jobs may not be executed on the correct client.

In such a case, you can delete the duplicate host from the system configuration information by searching for them and deleting the one with the older update date/time.

The example shown in the following figure searches for clients that have different host IDs but the same MAC address, IP address, or host name, and then deletes them from the system configuration information:

Figure 9-11 Example of deleting clients that have different host IDs but the same information, such as MAC address, from the system configuration information