• Bios
• Operating system
• Drives
• Processor
• Installed Software
• Services
• Shares
• Etc….

Try this new WMI Tool that is easy to install and use, retrieve information at a click of a button. No configuration required!

Download SYNC Pro Scout here

Release notes:

* Fixed DBNULL to string casting exception with invalid AD Entries

* If dnshostentry is not available, it uses name, if that is not available, it gives an info message indicating invalid ad entry instead.

* Added extra null checks in ad scanner just in case

* Changed Feedback tool tip to also let the user know they can get updates from the website

SYNC Pro Scout System Requirements:

• .Net Framework 3.5 (From Microsoft)
  • Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows XP^*
  • Processor: 400 MHz Pentium processor or equivalent (Minimum); 1GHz Pentium processor or equivalent (Recommended)
  • RAM:96 MB (Minimum); 256 MB (Recommended)
  • Hard Disk: Up to 500 MB of available space may be required
  • CD or DVD Drive: Not required
  • Display: 800 x 600, 256 colours (Minimum); 1024 x 768 high colour, 32-bit (Recommended)
  • Processor:
    • CPU Speed: A 3GHz processor or equivalent is recommended. Slower configurations should work, however scanning results could take longer to process.
    • Amount of CPU Cores: A Dual-Core CPU is recommended. SYNC Pro Scout has been optimised to take advantage of multiple threads running simultaneously. Additional CPU cores provide for faster machine discovery as well as scan result processing.
    • Display:
      • Resolution: 800 x 600, 256 colours (Minimum), but colours and won’t display optimally); 1024 x 768 high colour or 32-bit (Recommended).
      • RAM:
        • Single Machine Scan: A minimum of 64MB free RAM is recommended.
        • IP Range Scan: A minimum of 128MB free RAM is recommended for a network of +-20 online machines. (Benchmark based on a range of 255 IP addresses where only 20 machines were online)
        • Domain Scan: A minimum of 128MB free RAM is recommended for a network of +-20 online machines. (Benchmark based on a domain controller containing 162 machine entries addresses where only 20 machines were online )
        • Network: (Optional^**)
          • Adapter: A Local Area Network Connection (Wired or Wi-Fi) is required to perform scans remotely on network machines from a central location. High-Speed network adapters will provide faster machine discovery.
          • Supported Protocols: Only TCP/IPv4 is currently supported for IP range scans. Please ensure that networked machines are correctly configured for network access for optimal results.
          • Internet access is not required. An Internet connection is only needed for downloading updates and providing feedback and questions to our support teams.
          • ** If no network is available the application can still perform all of the scans for the machine it is installed on.

• Important notes and Fixes:
• All versions prior to and including V1.0.020

* If the SYNC Pro Scout Error Log reports an “Invalid Class” during an “Add/Remove Programs” scan, the targeted machine is missing optional non-standard components.

• Please note that the latest version of SYNC Pro Scout (V1.0.022) uses a new, more efficient and compatible scanning mechanism providing more valuable reliable results.

The SYNC Pro Collector can be set up to detect virtual Devices, extended hardware and usage settings.  You can allow the SYNC Pro Collector to detect virtual machines, to collect extended hardware information, to collect software usage data, capture every document  title printed, determine if the usage tool should be executed on the users machines and also to set how many days data should be kept. The print usage is particularly helpful in cost reduction through the monitoring and subsequent reduction of unnecessary printing.

The following usage reports are available within SYNC Pro Inventory Manager:

1.       Usage per Device: Software Usage broken down by machine

2.       Usage per Application: Software Usage broken down by application

3.       Printer Usage per Device: Displays the windows spooled print jobs per machine

4.       Printer Usage per Date: Displays the windows spooled print jobs per date and machine

5.       Last Known Printer Use:  Report details the printers installed and their last known date of use.

If usage has been set up and activated, these reports are available within Classic View (Tree View).

Machine function is one of the Extended Information categories. A machine function such as Domain Controller, User Workstation or File Server etc. can be linked to a device making it easy to see the function of computers within the organization.  Additional machines functions can be added as required.

Machine locations, Business Units as well as Suppliers can be captured and linked to computers. In addition to this, Ownership Type (e.g. company owned, third party, contractor etc.) and Management Groups (e.g. core infrastructure, third party outsourced and centrally supported workstations) can also be assigned to machines.

The Extended Information therefore brings another dimension to the grouping functionality which was discussed in a previous blog post. Machines can be organized into multi-levelled groups which can also be based on the Extended Information discussed. For example, machines can be grouped according to Location and then on the next level subdivided by ownership type and subsequently on Operating System and also Service Pack.

The second and new gropuing view  is simply named “Grouping”. It allows system users to set up multiple grouping levels. Levels can be set up based on distinct fields or derived from field values or even derived formulas based on field values.  This can be done base on either Machine Information (e.g. chassis type, service pack & subnet mask etc.) or  based on Management Information (e.g. machine function, machine location, business unit etc.)

An example of how this could be used is  to first  create a  parent level group can be created based on the Machines Location e.g. Johannesburg, Cape Town etc.

Then a child level then could be created based on the Chassis Type thus grouping machines into Notebooks, Desktops etc. In this way the user could see the Chassis Type breakdown per Location.

The grouping possibilities are endless as multiple grouping levels can now  be created by the user.  In the next blog we will focus on the different types  of  Extended Information that can be  linked to machines  – this is also used to group machines in the Grouping View.  Please download the demo version of SYNC Pro Inventory Manager  to have a look at the new grouping functionality.

During the next couple of weeks I will be focussing on some of the new releases available in this version.

The first one – is the ‘Archiving and Reinstating feature’. The ‘delete a computer’ feature in the previous version  has been replaced with this new archive functionality. Archived computers will be visible in  the archive configuration view and will not use up  a licence \ seat count.

Once a computer is archived,  it can either be reinstated  (thus increasing the number of licences \ seats used). If an archived computer is re-detected during an import, the machine will be automatically be reinstated.

If the user wishes to permanently remove a computer then they should first archive the machine and then and then use the Remove completely function. This will delete the file on the server so the device cannot be imported again.

This added functionality give the SYNC Pro Inventory Manager user the option to store historical information regarding machines no longer active on the network without using up a seat \ licence.

Let us know what you think of this new feature!

There is no effect on current users who have larger domains, and existing maintenance programs will continue to cover upgrades, telephonic and VPN support. Users of sites which have under 1000 seats who elect to use the above option will need to purchase the upgraded product, when necessary. We will continue to upgrade the product, as we operate in a dynamic environment where software vendors continuously upgrade their products and we need to source the appropriate information for our client base.

In the services division, we will, in future, provide deployment packages of our own product suite as well as SCCM, the Microsoft operational and asset management product. In addition, licensing services are available for both our product suite and Microsoft’s SCCM and can be managed by uploading the required data (INF files) to our licensing team for analysis and reporting purposes. Use of the software identification database for purposes of classification of installed software and license-ability will be included in the licensing service. Project services for clean-up of IT environments, removal of redundant software, identification of under-utilised software and user profiling, are also available. ScanTrack is fully equipped to offer a full SAM service model, giving clients monthly health checks, indicating changes in environment, as well as quarterly license status reports, where required. Results can be posted on our website using password protection.

On the product side, a full suite of products is available, including SYNC Pro Inventory Manager, SYNC Pro License Manager, SYNC Pro Asset Manager and SQL Organiser. SYNC Pro Inventory Manager is the first module to be released via the web with secure online purchasing, other SYNC Pro Product Suite modules will follow. We wish to ensure that all clients are happy and if there are any queries related to our new direction, please don’t hesitate to contact us at +27 12 663 2064.