Adding Network Folder Audit Sources

To add a Network Folder Audit Source to a Site, follow these steps:

INFO: For details, see Overview of Audit Methods.

1. In the Sidebar, right-click the Site and select Properties from the pop-up menu. The Site [Site Name] dialog box opens.
2. Click New > Network Folder. The Network Folder Audit Source [Source Name] dialog box opens.
3. Type in a name for the Audit Source.
4. Under Deployment, deploy the Inventory Analyzer package to a network share as follows:
   1. Click Location to bring up the Shared Folder Location dialog box.
   2. Type in the UNC path to the network folder or click Browse and select one from the folder tree.
   3. In the Shared Folder Location dialog box, click OK. Alloy Discovery creates subfolders under the specified network folder and populates the Shared Folder, Audit Data Folder, and the Log Folder fields.
   4. Click Folder Permissions to bring up the Folder Permissions dialog box.

      

5. Set permissions as follows:
   • To apply the minimally necessary permissions for the Inventory Analyzer to operate, click Set minimum necessary permissions. This settings creates the most secure environment for the shared folder.

     INFO: For details, see Minimally Necessary Permissions.

   • To enable full access permissions to the Everyone group, click Set maximum permissions. This setting provides the least secure configuration. Any user on the network is allowed to access the shared folder and perform whatever actions the user wants. For this reason, we recommend that you apply the minimally necessary permissions as described above.
   • You may want to individually fine-tune security settings for the shared folder and its subfolders. To access all the properties of a folder, click the ellipsis button in the Shared Folder, Audit Data Folder, or Log Folder filed and configure folder security on the Security tab of the folder’s property sheet.
   • Click OK to return to the Network Folder Audit Source [Source Name] dialog box.
6. Select an Audit Profile for the Audit Source from the Audit Profile list.

   If you do not have Audit Profiles yet, click the ellipsis button in the Audit Profile field, click New in the Select Audit Profile dialog box, and then follow the instructions on creating Audit Profiles.

   INFO: For details, see Configuring Audit Profiles.

7. Select the audit mode for auditing computers:
   • If you want the Inventory Analyzer to display a start screen prompting the user to confirm the audit and optionally enter some additional information about the user and/or their computer, select Interactive Mode from the Audit Mode list.
   • If you want the audit to start automatically without requiring any input from the user, select Silent Mode from the Audit Mode list.
   • You can combine interactive and silent mode and select Interactive Once from the Audit Mode list. The audit will run interactively only for the first run. Information collected during this interactive session will be saved for subsequent audits that will run silently.
8. The Network Folder Audit runs as you automate it. Typically, the automation scenario triggers the audit each time when the user logs on to the network.

   INFO: For details, see Automating the Network Folder Audit.

   You can reduce the frequency of the audit by specifying a period in the Run Interval field. If you want to run the audit each time the automation scenario triggers it, select the Each Run value.

9. If the Use separate run interval for software and file scan check box is available, you can set an individual period for scanning computers’ hard drives.

   The hard drive scan may take a significant time, and you may want to run it less frequently. To set a different schedule for this time-consuming operation, select the Use separate run interval for software and file scan check box and specify the scan schedule.

   NOTE: The Use separate run interval for software and file scan option appears when the Audit Profile has at least one of the two options for the hard drive scan enabled: you have set the Inventory Options > Software Discovery option to Discover installed software and recognize software in files, or you have enabled the Inventory Options > File Scan option.

   

10. The Network Folder Audit is typically started when the user logs on. If you want to ensure that any resource-intensive tasks that may take place at logon are finished and the initialization is complete, click the Options tab and specify the Audit Delay interval in minutes.
11. By default, Alloy Discovery checks the Network Folder Audit Source for new audit snapshots every hour and uploads the audit data if new snapshots have arrived. If you want to change this setting, specify another Upload Interval on the Options tab.
12. By default, Inventory Server reflects changes of the Audit Profile in the configurations of its deployed audit agents automatically. If you want to update the deployment package manually, click the Deploy Now button on the Options tab.

    

13. Click OK. The Network Folder source appears in the list of Audit Sources.

    NOTE: In case a Network Folder Audit Source is configured successfully, it is represented by the network folder icon . If the Inventory Server cannot access the source (for example, when the shared folder is unavailable), the red flag icon appears.