2.18.12 Managing assets in a multi-server configuration

In a multi-server configuration, you can use the higher management server to collectively manage the assets information managed by management relay servers. You can manage assets without omission by determining a management scope on which a management server is used to manage the assets.

Hardware asset information

When device information is added to a lower management relay server, the device information is reported to the higher management server. Upon notification of the device information, asset information related to the device information is registered in the higher management server.

Tip: If you want to send registration information of a USB device to the higher management server, setup is required on the lower management relay server. For details, see the description on setting up the management relay server in the JP1/IT Desktop Management 2 Configuration Guide.

Note that asset information edited by each management server is not reported to the higher management server and lower management relay servers. However, the following asset fields can be reported to the higher management server by applying the asset fields from the higher management server to the management relay servers under the local server:

Common Fields (Assets and Device Inventory)
Custom Fields (Hardware Assets), among those added by an administrator

When disposing of asset information, remove asset information relationships from the higher management server and lower management relay servers, and delete the device information. If deleting device information partially fails in the higher management server or lower management relay servers and device information becomes inconsistent among the management servers, manually delete the information on the management server on which the deletion failed.

Software information and contract information

Software information and contract information are not reported to the higher management server. Update the information on the management server at the top of the asset management scope.

Tip: A software dictionary must be registered for each management server.

Related Topics:

2.11 Managing assets

Organization of this subsection

(1) Applying asset field definitions to management relay servers under the local server

(1) Applying asset field definitions to management relay servers under the local server

In a multi-server configuration, you can apply the asset fields of the local server from any management server to the management relay servers under the management server. You can also edit the settings of the common fields applied by the higher management server or specify custom fields in each management server individually. To apply the asset field definitions to the management relay servers under the server, use the Asset Field Definitions view of the Settings module.

Note that if you edit the settings applied by the higher management server on a management relay server, the change will not be reflected to other management servers in the multi-server configuration.

The following figure shows how the asset fields are set to management relay servers under the local server.

[Figure]

The user entry start date and time, common fields, and custom fields for Hardware Asset Information can be applied to the management relay servers under the server. The user entry start date and time can be edited on the management server on which the fields are applied if necessary. The following table summarizes the common fields, and whether the custom fields for Hardware Asset Information can be edited on the application target.

Asset fields		If settings can be edited on the application target
Asset fields		Field Name	Item Name	Data Source	Description	Type	Restricting Input Characters
Common fields	Department^#1	N	Y^#2	N	N	N	N
	Location^#1	N	Y^#2	N	N	N	N
	User Name	N
	Account	N
	E-mail	N
	Phone	N
Custom fields	Custom fields (Hardware Assets)^#3	N

Legend: Y: Can be edited. N: Cannot be edited (only viewed)

#1: If the data type is either enumeration or hierarchy, and the field value is not set, the asset field definitions on the applying server are not applied to the management relay server under the server.

#2: Can be edited if the data type is either enumeration or hierarchy.

#3: Configurations on asset status and device type are not applied to the management relay servers under the local server.

Important: If you apply a custom field for Hardware Asset Information, custom fields for Hardware Asset Information that are not set at the application source are deleted from the custom fields for Hardware Asset Information at the application destination.

Tip: If the device information reported by a management relay server under the local server includes a device type that is not registered in the local server, the type is automatically added to the local server.

When applying the definitions fails

Applying the asset field definitions to the management relay servers under the local server fails in any of the following cases:

The asset field to be changed or deleted is used in the following settings on the application target.
- Filter condition
- Value of a custom field for Hardware Asset Information
- User-defined group condition
- User-defined security settings
- Automatic maintenance conditions for destination groups and IDs
The number of custom fields for Hardware Asset Information on the application target exceeds the upper limit.

The maximum number of fields allowed for each data type is as follows:
- Number type: 20 fields
- Date type: 10 fields
- Enumeration type: 20 fields
- Text type: 75 fields
Custom fields with the same name as the applying server were specified on the application target management relay server.
An error occurred in database accesses.
An error occurred in data communications among management servers.
A data file to be relayed is broken.
An I/O error occurred in a data folder or local data folder.

Tip: At the time of failure, applying the asset field definitions to the management relay servers under the local server is stopped.

Display order of the custom fields for Hardware Asset Information that are displayed in the Asset Field Definitions view

The custom fields for Hardware Asset Information applied from the higher management server are displayed in the Asset Field Definitions view of the Settings module in the order of the host name of the applying server. The fields applied by the same host are displayed in the order of the field names. The custom fields specified individually in each management server are displayed after the custom fields applied by the higher management server in the order of the definitions.

The following figure shows an example of how the custom fields for Hardware Asset Information is displayed.

[Figure]

Display order of the items in the End User Form view

The display order in the End User Form view is not applied to the management relay servers under the server. Fields applied by the higher management server appear at the bottom of the list. If multiple fields are applied, the items are displayed in order of field name. The order can also be changed on each management server.

Updating department and location on the application target

If asset field definitions are applied to the management relay servers under the local server and department or location values are updated on the application target, the group is also updated on the application target.

When a field value for departments or locations is added: A group for departments and locations corresponding to the added field value is added to the application target.
When a field value for departments or locations is changed: A group for departments and locations corresponding to the new field value is added to the application target. The group for departments and locations before the change remains the same.
When a field value for departments or locations is deleted: The group for departments and locations corresponding to the deleted field value remains the same on the application target.

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