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KACE Systems Management Appliance 14.0 Common Documents - KACE Service Desk Administrator Guide

About the KACE Service Desk Getting started
Configuring the appliance
Requirements and specifications Power-on the appliance and log in to the Administrator Console Access the Command Line Console Tracking configuration changes Configuring System-level and Admin-level General Settings Configure appliance date and time settings Managing user notifications Enable Two-Factor Authentication for all users Verifying port settings, NTP service, and website access Configuring network and security settings Configuring session timeout and auto-refresh settings Configuring locale settings Configuring the default theme Configure data sharing preferences About DIACAP compliance requirements Configuring Mobile Device Access Enable fast switching for organizations and linked appliances Linking Quest KACE appliances Configuring history settings Configuring Content Security Policy
Setting up and using labels to manage groups of items Configuring user accounts, LDAP authentication, and SSO Deploying the KACE Agent to managed devices Using Replication Shares Managing credentials Configuring assets
About the Asset Management component Using the Asset Management Dashboard About managing assets Adding and customizing Asset Types and maintaining asset information Managing Software assets Managing physical and logical assets Maintaining and using manual asset information Managing locations Managing contracts Managing licenses Managing purchase records
Setting up License Compliance Managing License Compliance Setting up Service Desk Configure the Cache Lifetime for Service Desk widgets Creating and managing organizations Importing and exporting appliance resources
Managing inventory
Using the Inventory Dashboard Using Device Discovery Managing device inventory
About managing devices Features available for each device management method About inventory information Tracking changes to inventory settings Managing inventory information Finding and managing devices Registering KACE Agent with the appliance Provisioning the KACE Agent Manually deploying the KACE Agent Using Agentless management Adding devices manually in the Administrator Console or by using the API Forcing inventory updates Managing MIA devices Obtaining Dell warranty information
Managing applications on the Software page Managing Software Catalog inventory
About the Software Catalog Viewing Software Catalog information Adding applications to the Software Catalog Managing License assets for Software Catalog applications Associate Managed Installations with Cataloged Software Using software metering Using Application Control Update or reinstall the Software Catalog
Managing process, startup program, and service inventory Writing custom inventory rules
Deploying packages to managed devices
Distributing software and using Wake-on-LAN Broadcasting alerts to managed devices Running scripts on managed devices Using Task Chains
Patching devices and maintaining security
Using the Security Dashboard About patch management Subscribing to and downloading patches Creating and managing patch schedules Managing patch inventory Managing Windows Feature Updates Managing Dell devices and updates Managing Linux package upgrades Manage quarantined file attachments
Using reports and scheduling notifications Monitoring devices
Getting started with monitoring Working with monitoring profiles Managing monitoring for devices Working with alerts
Using the Service Desk
Configuring Service Desk Using the Service Desk Dashboard Managing Service Desk tickets, processes, and reports
Overview of Service Desk ticket lifecycle Creating tickets from the Administrator Console and User Console Creating and managing tickets by email Viewing tickets and managing comments, work, and attachments Merging tickets Using the ticket escalation process Using Service Desk processes Using Ticket Rules Run Service Desk reports Archiving, restoring, and deleting tickets Managing ticket deletion
Managing Service Desk ticket queues About User Downloads and Knowledge Base articles Customizing Service Desk ticket settings Configuring SMTP email servers
Maintenance and troubleshooting
Maintaining the appliance Troubleshooting the appliance
Appendixes Glossary About us Legal notices

Example: Import license data from prepared spreadsheets

Importing asset data using CSV files

Prepare asset data before importing
Example: Import license data from prepared spreadsheets

You can import asset data, such as software license data, using CSV (comma separated value) files.

Prepare asset data before importing

Verify that asset data is appropriate and formatted properly before importing it.

1.
Define the basic fields for your assets. If you use product names, make sure they are useful and help to identify the asset. See Adding Software assets.
2.
Add header rows to your data. In the Asset Management component, columns without headers are referred to by their column number, so using column header rows can make it easier to identify data.
3.
Verify that all columns map to equivalent Asset Fields in the Asset Type.
Asset Types include default fields, such as Asset Name, Purchase Order Number, and Vendor, but you can add custom asset fields if necessary. See About adding and deleting asset fields.
Tip:
 
TIP: To view default fields go to the Asset Detail page. See Customizing Asset Types.
4.
Decide what field or fields to use for the primary key (PK) for the imported assets.
Primary Keys are the fields, or combinations of fields, used as unique identifiers for assets being imported. When assets are imported, the appliance uses Primary Keys to determine whether to update an existing record or create a record. You can select one field, or a combination of fields, as the PK.
5.
Save the spreadsheet as a CSV file, in a location you can access from the Administrator Console.
Example: Import license data from prepared spreadsheets

You can import license data from prepared CSV files.

This example describes how to import License assets for Software Catalog inventory, either as a one-time import, or a scheduled import using a file from a network share. The example shows only the fields that are required for License asset import. You can add additional files, such as unit cost, publisher, product keys, and so on to meet your information management needs.

If you want to assign the imported assets to an Asset Subtype, add the subtype before you import the assets. See Add Asset Subtypes and select Device Detail page preferences.

1.
Create a file in a spreadsheet program such as Excel.
2.
Add the following columns and rows. The first row is a header column:

Asset Name

License Count

License Mode

Includes Maintenance

Applies to Software Catalog

Software Title 1

100

Enterprise

Yes

Software Title 1

Software Title 2

150

Enterprise

Yes

Software Title 2

Software Title 3

200

Enterprise

Yes

Software Title 3

Software Title 4

500

Enterprise

Yes

Software Title 4

3.
Save the file in CSV format.
The values in each column are separated by commas. For example: Software Title 1,100,Enterprise,Yes,Software Title 1
4.
Go to the Upload File page in the Import Assets section:
a.
Log in to the appliance Administrator Console, https://appliance_hostname/admin. Or, if the Show organization menu in admin header option is enabled in the appliance General Settings, select an organization in the drop-down list in the top-right corner of the page next to the login information.
b.
On the left navigation bar, click Asset Management, then click Import Assets.
◦
If one or more asset import operations are scheduled, the Import Assets list page appears, listing the import operations. To import assets from an CSV file, click Choose Action > New to start the Import Assets wizard.
◦
If there are no scheduled asset imports on the appliance, the Import Assets wizard appears.
5.
In the Import Assets wizard, select one of the following options:

Option

Description

Upload an Asset Import CSV file

Select this option to complete a one-time asset import from a CSV file. Then, click Browse or Choose File, then select the CSV file.

Schedule an Asset Import

Select this option to perform multiple asset import from a CSV file located on a network drive, at selected time intervals. Then, provide the following information:

•
Select Asset Import File Transfer Protocol:
◦
Samba: Select this option to access the file using the Samba protocol, and provide the following information:
▪
Enter the UNC path to the Samba share: Type the directory path to the CSV file.
◦
FTP: Select this option to access the file on an FTP server, and provide the following information:
▪
Enter the FTP Server hostname or IP address: Type the host name or IP address of the FTP server.
▪
Enter the FTP sub-directory if one exists: Type the directory path to the CSV file on the FTP server.
◦
Secure FTP: Select this option to access the file on a secure FTP server, and provide the following information:
▪
Enter the Secure FTP Server hostname or IP address: Type the host name or IP address of the secure FTP server.
▪
Enter the SFTP full path: Type the directory path to the CSV file on the secure FTP server.
•
Asset Import CSV file name: Type the name of the CSV file that you want to import.
•
Credentials: Select the credential that you want to use to access the specified network resource. Any credentials that are defined in the appliance appear in the list. For more information, see Managing credentials.
6.
If the CSV file contains a header row, as it does in this example, select the File Header Row check box, then click Next.
7.
Scheduled asset imports only. On the Asset Import Selection Schedule page that appears, create a schedule for importing the CSV file.
a.
In the Asset Import Schedule Name field, type the name that you want to assign to this schedule.
b.
Select Enable Asset Schedule.
c.
In the Schedule section, specify the import schedule, as required.

Option

Description

None

Run in combination with an event rather than on a specific date or at a specific time.

Every n hours

Run at a specified interval.

Every day/specific day at HH:MM

Run daily at a specified time, or run on a designated day of the week at a specified time.

Run on the nth of every month/specific month at HH:MM

Run on the same day every month, or a specific month, at the specified time.

Run on the nth weekday of every month/specific month at HH:MM

Run on the specific weekday of every month, or a specific month, at the specified time.

Custom

Run according to a custom schedule.

Use standard 5-field cron format (extended cron format is not supported):

* * * * *
| | | | +────────day of week (0-6)(Sun=0)
| | | +────────month (1-12)
| | +────────day of month (1-31)
| +────────hour (0-23)
+────────minute (0-59)

Use the following when specifying values:

•
Spaces ( ): Separate each field with a space.
•
Asterisks (*): Include the entire range of values in a field with an asterisk. For example, an asterisk in the hour field indicates every hour.
•
Commas (,): Separate multiple values in a field with a comma. For example, 0,6 in the day of the week field indicates Sunday and Saturday.
•
Hyphens (-): Indicate a range of values in a field with a hyphen. For example, 1-5 in the day of the week field is equivalent to 1,2,3,4,5, which indicates Monday through Friday.
•
Slashes (/): Specify the intervals at which to repeat an action with a slash. For example, */3 in the hour field is equivalent to 0,3,6,9,12,15,18,21. The asterisk (*) specifies every hour, but /3 restricts this to hours divisible by 3.

Examples:

•
15 * * * * Run 15 minutes after every hour every day
•
0 22 * * * Run at 22:00 every day
•
0 0 1 1,6 * Run at 00:00 on January 1 and June 1
•
30 8,12 * * 1-5 Run weekdays at 08:30 and 12:30
•
0 2 */2 * * Run every other day at 02:00
8.
On theAsset Type Selection page that appears, complete the following steps:
a.
In the Asset Type drop-down list, select License.
b.
In the Asset Subtype drop-down list, select Productivity.
* 
NOTE: In this example, the Asset Subtype, Productivity, has been added to the License Asset Type. The Subtype drop-down list is empty if you have not added subtypes for the License Asset Type. During import, all assets are assigned to the selected subtype.
c.
Click Next.
The Mapping page appears.
9.
In the CSV Fields drop-down list, select the fields that correspond to the appliance Required Standard Fields and Required Asset Fields. The mapping of these fields depends on the contents of your CSV file and the Asset Type. For the example in this section, use the following values:
◦
Asset Name=Name
◦
Location=Location
◦
Asset Status=Asset Status
* 
NOTE: If you do not specify this mapping, the default status that is associated with the selected Asset Type is assigned to each imported asset entry.
◦
License Count=License Count
◦
Applies to Cataloged Software=Software Catalog
◦
License Mode=Mode
* 
NOTE: You cannot import Asset Assignee values unless the imported Asset is a Device.
10.
Select the PK check box next to the Asset Name field.
* 
NOTE: Primary Keys are the fields, or combinations of fields, used as unique identifiers for assets being imported. When assets are imported, the appliance uses Primary Keys to determine whether to update an existing record or create a record. You can select one field, or a combination of fields, as the PK.
11.
If the assets you are importing use barcodes, in the Barcode Fields area, indicate how you want to import the barcodes.

Option

Description

Update asset barcodes with selected

Check if the barcodes supplied in this area already exist, and if they do, update them. If they do not exist, they are created for the specified assets.

Replace all asset barcodes with selected

Replace the existing barcodes with the specified barcodes.

Barcode Data

The field in the CSV file that contains the barcode. There can be only one barcode of the same type per asset.

Barcode Name

The field in the CSV file that contains the barcode tag. Barcode numbers are always unique, they cannot be shared between multiple assets. However, it is possible for an active asset to share a barcode with an archived asset.

Barcode Format

The field in the CSV file that contains the barcode format. For example, UPC-A, Code 11, or UPC-E.

12.
Click Preview to verify the data on the Confirmation page.
13.
One-time imports only. Complete the following steps.
a.
Click Import to complete the import process.
The Result for Asset Import page appears.
b.
Click Done to return to the Assets page.
14.
Scheduled imports only. Complete one of the following steps:
◦
Click Save to save your newly created scheduled import. The Import Assets list page appears, showing the scheduled import entry in the list.
◦
Click Run Now to import assets from the CSV file, and to save your scheduled import settings.
The Import Assets list page appears.

When the import is complete, the assets appear in the Assets list. If the titles of the software matched titles in the Software Catalog inventory, the assets are associated with the inventory items and you can view them on the Software Catalog Detail page for the items. The progress bar on the top of the page shows the completion of the task.

Managing License Compliance

Managing License Compliance

View License Compliance information for Software Catalog applications
Reclaim unused software licenses
Update software License Compliance information manually
Customize license usage warning thresholds
View License Compliance and Configuration information

You can track the number of software licenses that have been purchased, the number in use on managed devices, and the number that are available. This type of tracking helps you to ensure that your company complies with software license requirements.

For example, if you have 100 licenses for the Adobe® Creative Suite, you might want to know how many of those licenses are actually being used on managed devices. In addition, you might want to know when 80 or 90 percent of those licenses are in use so that you can increase license capacity if necessary. You can customize license usage warning thresholds to track license compliance.

View License Compliance information for Software Catalog applications

View License Compliance information for Software Catalog applications

To ensure that your organization has the correct licenses for installed software, you can view License Compliance information on the License Compliance list and on the License Compliance Dashboard widget. The License Compliance list shows all the software license information you have added through License assets, as well as information from the Software Catalog about applications that require licenses.

•
The Agent-managed devices in your inventory have software applications that are available in the Software Catalog.
•
You have specified the number of seats available to installed Software Catalog applications as License assets, and you have specified the license mode. See Add License assets for Software page inventory.
•
You have established warning thresholds for license usage in the appliance or organization general settings. See Configure Admin-level or organization-specific General Settings.
1.
To view complete license compliance information, go to the License Compliance page:
a.
Log in to the appliance Administrator Console, https://appliance_hostname/admin. Or, if the Show organization menu in admin header option is enabled in the appliance General Settings, select an organization in the drop-down list in the top-right corner of the page next to the login information.
b.
On the left navigation bar, click Asset Management, then click License Compliance.
* 
NOTE: Information on the License Compliance list is updated every day after the appliance daily backup is complete. If the list is empty, either there are no applications in the Software Catalog inventory, or the information on the page has not been updated. In addition, if all the variances show negative numbers, which indicates that there are more installations than license seats, verify that you have added License assets for the applications. See Add License assets for Software Catalog inventory.
2.
To force the appliance to update License Compliance information, click Update Now above the list on the left. Depending on the number of applications in inventory, this process might take a few minutes.
Tip:
 
TIP: When you click Update Now, the appliance updates the data for each of the items on the list. However, when you click the Refresh button above the list on the right, the appliance simply redisplays the information already collected. It does not obtain new license usage information.
Information on the License Compliance page includes:

Column name

Description

Name

The name of the application.

Publisher

The name of the application publisher.

Installed

The number of application installations on Agent-managed devices.

Licensed

The number of seats remaining under the license.

Variance

The difference, if any, between the number of license seats available and the number of application installations. A negative number indicates that the application has been installed on more devices than the license allows, and therefore it is out of compliance.

Used Last 90 Days

Used Last 60 Days

Used Last 30 Days

The number of application installations that have been launched in the previous 90, 60, or 30 days. A dash in this column indicates that metering is not enabled for the application.

* 
NOTE: To obtain accurate usage information, metering must be enabled for the application and for the devices on which the application is installed. See Enabling and configuring metering for devices and applications.

Not Used Last 90 Days

Not Used Last 60 Days

Not Used Last 30 Days

The number of application installations that have not been launched in the previous 90, 60, or 30 days. A dash in this column indicates that metering is not enabled for the application.

* 
NOTE: To obtain accurate usage information, metering must be enabled for the application and for the devices on which the application is installed. See Enabling and configuring metering for devices and applications.

Coverage

The license type. License types include:

•
Upgrade: The installed application has been upgraded from an earlier version (requires a maintenance agreement).
•
Downgrade: The installed application is using a license for a later version (requires downgrade rights).
•
Original: The installed application is using a license that matches its version number.
•
None: The application is installed without a license.

Platform

The operating system on which the application runs.

Edition

The name of the edition related to the application, such as Professional Edition or Standard Edition.

3.
To sort the list, click View By, then select a view.
You can view applications by Product, such as Microsoft Office, or by Product and Edition, such as Microsoft Office Professional and Office Standard. For example, if you wanted to see all editions of Microsoft Office applications under one heading, you could select Product in the View By drop-down list. The Licensed column shows the number of seats available to all applications in the Microsoft Office group. To show Microsoft Office applications by edition, select Product and Edition in the View By drop-down list. The Licensed column shows the number of seats available to each edition of Microsoft Office.
Tip:
 
TIP: When a group, such as Office, is collapsed to show only the top-level item, a warning icon is displayed to the left of the Name column if any item in the group has a negative variance or is using more seats than the license allows: .
4.
To view the License Compliance widget, click Home on the left navigation bar to go to the Admin-level Dashboard page.
Tip:
 
TIP: If the License Compliance widget is not visible, click Customize in the upper right to install it. See Customize Dashboard pages.
5.
To view or change information about the number of seats available under a license, go to the detail page for the License asset. See View assets and search for asset information.

Reclaim unused software licenses

Reclaim unused software licenses

Appliance administrators can set a policy that allows cataloged software to be uninstalled based on how frequently specific software applications are used on user devices in order to acquire underutilized software and re-use it where needed.

You have an option to reclaim licenses for a specific software application that is not used in the last 30, 60, or 90 days, or all associated licenses.

1.
Navigate to the License Compliance page:
a.
Log in to the appliance Administrator Console, https://appliance_hostname/admin. Or, if the Show organization menu in admin header option is enabled in the appliance General Settings, select an organization in the drop-down list in the top-right corner of the page next to the login information.
b.
On the left navigation bar, click Asset Management, then click License Compliance.
2.
In the Name column, expand the name of the application, and select a version of the software license that you want to reclaim, as required.
* 
NOTE: You can only reclaim licenses for a single software version at a time. Selecting multiple versions results in an error.
3.
To reclaim licenses for the software version, choose Choose Action > Reclaim Sofware, and select one of the following options, as required:
◦
Not Used Last 30 Days
◦
Not Used Last 60 Days
◦
Not Used Last 90 Days
◦
All
The Managed Installation Detail page appears, allowing you to create a process that removes the installation of the selected software item from the associated end user devices .
4.
Create a new Managed Installation, as required. For more information, see the following sections, as applicable:
◦
Create Managed Installations for Windows devices
◦
Create Managed Installations for macOS X devices
◦
Create Managed Installations for RPM files
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