In specific IT environments, you might encounter Windows-based systems that are intentionally isolated or situated behind robust network security measures. These configurations often render them inaccessible to your primary BMC Atrium Discovery and Dependency Mapping (ADDM) appliance, hindering comprehensive infrastructure visibility.
This is where the invaluable standalone Windows scanning tool steps in. Designed for these exact scenarios, this utility empowers you to conduct discovery operations on these isolated Windows systems effectively. Imagine deploying ADDM capabilities directly from a USB drive plugged into the target Windows host, enabling you to meticulously inventory all assets residing on that system – regardless of network accessibility. The tool diligently gathers crucial data from these network-isolated Windows computers and neatly packages it into scanner files, ready for integration with your ADDM system.
Think of the standalone Windows scanning tool as the perfect companion to the existing UNIX scanner scripts, extending your discovery reach to even the most secluded corners of your IT infrastructure.
While this tool doesn’t offer the real-time, interactive pattern execution of a full Windows proxy for in-depth data collection, it bridges a critical gap. It ensures that your BMC Atrium Discovery system holds comprehensive data even about these otherwise unreachable hosts, facilitating the synchronization of this vital information into your BMC Atrium Configuration Management Database (CMDB). Once data collection is complete on the target host, the generated data files are simply and securely uploaded to your ADDM appliance for processing.
Important Note:
It’s crucial to understand that the standalone Windows scanner is designed for targeted, manual data collection of a core dataset from Windows hosts specifically within isolated or secured networks. It is not intended to be a substitute for a fully functional Windows proxy. Its capabilities are focused on gathering essential host, process, and package details through WMI queries, and it does not capture supplementary information such as NIC registry details necessary for complete NIC discovery.
Accessing and Downloading the ADDM Scanning Tool
Getting your hands on the standalone Windows scanning tool is straightforward. It’s distributed as a convenient .zip archive, ready to be deployed on the target system or a portable storage device like a USB drive. This archive contains everything necessary to perform a scan of the Windows system independently, eliminating any need for a direct connection to the BMC Atrium Discovery appliance during the scanning process itself.
Here’s how to download the tool:
- Navigate to the Discovery tab within your ADDM interface.
- Locate and click on Tools.
- Within the Standalone Windows Scanner section on the Discovery Tools page, find and click the Download link situated at the bottom.
- Extract the downloaded .zip file to a designated directory on a writable USB flash drive or another suitable removable media.
Supported Platforms for the ADDM Scanning Tool
The standalone Windows scanning tool boasts broad compatibility across a range of Windows platforms, ensuring its applicability in diverse environments:
- Windows XP
- Windows Server 2003
- Windows Server 2003 R2
- Windows Vista
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows Server 2008 R2
- Windows 7
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows Server 2012 R2
- Windows 8
- Windows 8.1
Utilizing the ADDM Scanning Tool Effectively
Important Consideration:
The standalone Windows scanning tool relies on the 32-bit Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 runtime DLLs to function correctly. These are typically pre-installed on most Windows operating systems, regardless of whether the OS is 32-bit or 64-bit. However, in minimalist or custom Windows installations, these runtime DLLs might be absent. In such cases, you’ll need to manually install them using the 2008vcredist_x86.exe installer included within the Standalone Windows Scanner .zip archive.
The standalone Windows scanning tool is designed for portability, operating directly as a console application from an external flash drive. To initiate a scan:
- Insert the USB flash drive containing the tool into the target Windows host system and access its contents.
- Review and adjust command options if necessary. For example, specifying the target IP address (if known) is recommended to prevent potential IP address conflicts in scan file naming.
- Locate and double-click the
tw_windows_scanner.exefile. This action will launch a command window, and the tool will immediately begin the process of collecting system data. The command window will display informational messages during data collection, similar to the example output below:
U:> tw_windows_scanner Output file is results192.168.1.1.scan Collecting Host Information ... DONE Collecting Interface Information ... DONE Collecting Process Information ... DONE Collecting Service Information ... DONE Collecting File System Information ... DONE Collecting Package Information ... DONECustomizing Command Options for the ADDM Scanning Tool
By default, the generated scan files are named based on the IP address of the Windows system being scanned (specifically, the lowest IP address identified by the tool, excluding the localhost address 127.0.0.1). To prevent accidental overwriting of existing scan files, especially when scanning multiple systems, you can leverage the command options detailed in the table below to customize the tool’s behavior.
| Command Option | Description |
|---|---|
--id XXX |
Allows you to explicitly set the name of the scan file to resultsXXX.scan. Without this option, scan files are automatically named based on the host’s first listed IP address, potentially leading to naming conflicts if the same IP is encountered across different scans. |
--target IPADDR |
Specifies the exact IP address to be scanned. Refer to Changing the IP Address to be Scanned for detailed information. |
-x, --overwrite |
Instructs the tool to overwrite any existing scan file if a file with the same name already exists in the output directory. Use this option with caution to avoid unintended data loss. |
-q, --quiet |
Suppresses the display of informational messages in the command window during the scan process. This can be useful for automated scripting or when a cleaner output is desired. |
--wmi-timeout |
Enables you to adjust the default WMI timeout duration (which is set to 2 minutes). Increasing the timeout may be necessary in environments with slow WMI responses. |
Specifying the IP Address for Scanning with the ADDM Scanning Tool
In certain uncommon situations, the IP address automatically detected by the tool (the lowest IP after excluding localhost 127.0.0.1) might not accurately represent the intended target system – for example, in scenarios involving VPN connections. While rare, this can lead to errors and tool termination. To proactively address this, you can explicitly designate the desired IP address using the --target IPADDR option when running the tool.
Furthermore, the --target IPADDR option extends the tool’s versatility. It allows you to scan other systems remotely, provided your user account possesses the necessary administrative privileges (typically Administrator rights). This capability is particularly advantageous for scanning isolated subnets efficiently. By deploying the tool on a single computer within the subnet, you can collect data from all reachable systems within that subnet, streamlining the discovery process.
Uploading Collected Data to Your ADDM Appliance
Once you have successfully gathered data from the target Windows systems using the standalone scanning tool, the final step is to upload this data to your central ADDM appliance for processing and integration. This data transfer is facilitated using the Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) utility. You will need to use SCP to securely transfer the generated scan files to the appliance, logging in as the designated upload user.
For detailed guidance on uploading scanner files to your ADDM appliance, please consult the documentation section on Loading a scanner file onto the appliance. This resource provides step-by-step instructions to ensure a smooth and successful data import process.
After the data is uploaded to the appliance, BMC Atrium Discovery will automatically process it, incorporating the newly discovered information into your CMDB and enriching your overall IT infrastructure visibility. For a broader understanding of scanner files and their role within ADDM, refer to the comprehensive documentation on Standalone UNIX scanning.
