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Configuring software recognition rules

A recognition rule identifies a single software product or a suite. Each rule consists of one or more conditions connected with AND logic, meaning that the product is recognized when every condition of it is satisfied.

A condition can use information either from the Windows registry, a Linux package management system, the Mac OS System Profiler tool, or from the software files (such as .exe, .dll, .ocx files).

Rules with file conditions can identify software products that are not automatically recognized, such as software distribution files which don't leave any data on the system. To apply those rules with file conditions, Inventory Analyzer has to be configured to scan software information in files, too. For details, see Audit Profiles - Software Discovery.

You manage recognition rules on the Recognition Rules tab of the Software Product [Product Name ] window.

NOTE: The Auto Added field appears marked for the software recognition rules added automatically when the Inventory Server uploads the audit data. Auto-added software recognition rules differentiate only product major releases to keep Software Catalog uncluttered. When minor releases are important, you must change the auto-added Recognition Rule by replacing the asterisk (*) in the default value of the Product Version field with the minor release or update identifier that you want to distinguish. Once you have introduced any changes to an auto-created software recognition rule, the Auto Added field gets cleared.

To add a new rule for a software product:

  1. On the Recognition Rules tab, click New. The Software Recognition Rule [Rule Name ] window opens.

  2. If you want the rule to be enabled, select the Enable check box.

  3. Add as many conditions for identifying the product as follows (conditions are connected with AND logic):

    • To add a condition based on the registry information, click Add > Registry Condition on the Module menu, and create the condition as described in Creating registry conditions.

    • To add a condition based on the file parameters, click Add > File Condition on the Module menu, and create a condition as described in Creating file conditions.

    • To add a condition based on the custom registry key value, click Add > Custom Registry Key Condition on the Module menu, and create a condition as described in Creating custom registry key conditions.

  4. Click OK.