I’m going crazy and my head is racing at 1000 km/h.
I’ve recently been looking for applications to take inventory of equipment, and although there are free applications (WinAudit), I find it very complex since it offers a lot of information and the other applications are paid.
I’m thinking about creating an add-on to take inventory of Microsoft equipment. Something basic and that takes inventories in English (since I don’t know how to translate it), although as I’m writing this, a way is coming to me…
The idea is to create an add-on that, through a menu, configures everything related to it. Once configured, you can download the “exe” with a “json” file with the configuration, and then send it to a local or shared folder to centralize them.
The display will be via “html” and then everyone can export it to PDF according to their preferences.
I’m also considering allowing it to be viewed from the IPFire console.
Unifi tries to make inventories of the equipment but fails in about 30% of the cases because it mixes up MAC adressess and known vendors, from what is actually in the network.
Lansweeper has so far worked 99% for me, some slight corrections and its scanning method seems to be among the best you can get for free, no I have not tried Observium yet, not been able to get the setup to work.
IPFire does not really scan your hardware that way, it does not tell you if you have a Windows computer or an Xbox on a specific IP, you name your own devices and use that to recognize them, as far as I have seen anyway.
I think it would be great to have that as an addition, but it better get it right, since Unifi is not doing it right and it seems to be a rather complex thing to do.
Once configured, the “Inventory.exe” file is always the same. What changes is the “config.json,” which changes depending on what you specify. You download the JSON + EXE to a Windows computer or a server, and you centralize the inventories using the AD User Login Script and configure a network path. (I think so.)
Since I speak Spanish I see everything as you do and it looks ok.
The thing would be how it collects the information about the Windows clients and how it could be expanded to, in effect, monitor devices on entire networks. Only monitoring Windows has limitations.
I have
6 Windows computers
2 virtual Windows
3 Ipads,
2 Samsung Tablets,
2 android phones,
3 Iphones,
a TV,
a Satellite box,
2 AP’s,
2 servers running Linux as host OS, and Linux as Guest OS
an alarm system
solar cells
All are somehow connected to the network, - and are in IPFire - why should I monitor my Windows machines only, and from IPFire, when - an example - Lansweeper picks all my devices with few issues?
So I think the idea has merit, but only if expanded to more device types and you may need to think about the additional space required for it, plus eventual logging and CPU/RAM load.
Such an add-on working with IPFire might make sense, however, there are a few prerequisites in the specifications:
Multi-platform : The agent must be able to run on Windows, Linux, Android, Mac, etc.) as @sec-con points out ; If not already studied, extending the inventory to network devices that do not have your agent would be an added value.
Multi-language : In this community project, English is not an option; it’s mandatory and must be the default language (porting the GUI to English later can be complicated; it needs to be done now).
Appropriation, appealing and motivating for the greatest number of community users : Again, the English language is not optional, same for the screenshots you share (even if the function is easy to guess).
Automated operation/update : The agent must be able to run automatically, without account or user dependencies (i.e., via the system account and as a service).
Agent Design : Do you design and compile the agent (inventory.exe) or do you use a maintained solution ? Windows agent compatibility (32/64 bit, OS version) ?
Interaction with the inventoried machine : In fleet management (I imagine this is the goal of this add-on), the improvement, correction, and standardization of machines (remote deployment) is an action as important as the inventory itself. Would IPFire (the server ?) be capable of performing it, and is it designed to do so ?
Network - Scope of client inventories : From what I understand, the client produces an inventory file that it sends via the local network or VPN to the server (IPFire or other). What about all remote devices that don’t have a VPN ? Does the inventory file injection have to be done manually ?
Portability and sustainability of the solution : Whether at the agent level (evolution of technical information, patches, and OS updates) and at the server level (many IPFire add-ons were developed and subsequently abandoned because they were not supported by successive IPFire upgrades), what is the situation ? Who will handle future updates/developments (agent and server components) ?
While the purpose of this add-on is to manage IT assets, migrating to this solution should only be done if it’s sustainable (the add-on must be able to function perfectly for several years), because you don’t need to change Inventory tool every month…
Roberto, you’re looking to invest in a wonderful project. Your idea is commendable, your approach is courageous, and it seems to me that a community audit and strict specifications must be carried out without delay so that your work can evolve and thrive.
No, the point is, I made a small script with HTML, JSON, and PowerShell, packaged everything into an .exe, and I was wondering if it was worth including.
My programming knowledge is very limited, and I do what I do thanks to outside help, haha, a thorn in my side.
It was an idea. Maybe it doesn’t make much sense and goes beyond the scope of IPFire’s intended purpose. Best regards, and thanks anyway.
Personally, I find the idea appealing from a global perspective (without reporting as much information per machine), because IPFire’s DHCP server and WIO modules have a somewhat similar approach.
When you shared your project with us, I thought you were imagining a more universal scope/scalability.
In any case, for monitoring a small fleet of Windows machines with IPFire, it would be great !
