Overview of Audit Methods

Audit of computers and hypervisors

The following diagram introduces the methods that you can use to audit computers and hypervisors with Network Inventory. It also intends to help you understand which methods suit your environment best.

Direct Network Scan

The Direct Network Scan is a method of auditing LAN computers and discovering network devices either at your request or on a regular basis, without the need to deploy standalone audit agents. Built-in audit agents can audit multiple networked computers running Windows, Linux, or macOS simultaneously for up-to-the-minute audit snapshots.

Network Folder Audit

The Network Folder Audit is a method of LAN audit, based on using standalone audit agents. With this method you can audit networked computers on a regular basis. It involves two steps: the deployment of the Inventory Analyzer package to a centralized location, accessible by all networked computers (i.e. a network shared folder), and the automation of the Inventory Analyzer using domain logon scripts or scheduled tasks. Audit snapshots are stored in an intermediary repository on the same network share until they are processed by the Automation Server and imported into the database.

Network Inventory automatically reflects changes of the audit configuration made in the Network Inventory application in the configurations of its deployed audit agents.

Remote Audit (FTP or e-mail delivery)

The Remote Audit is a method of WAN audit, based on the deployment of standalone audit agents to a remote network. With this method, you can regularly audit offsite computers and remote networks that have no direct connection to the local network.

The Remote Audit method offers two deployment scenarios for audit agents:

1. Install the audit agent to every remote computer.
2. Deploy the Inventory Analyzer package to a centralized location in the remote network and automate the audit agent using domain logon scripts or scheduled tasks.

Depending on the way how audit snapshots are delivered to Network Inventory, the Remote Audit method comes in two modes: FTP delivery and e-mail delivery.

When using the Remote Audit method, there is no direct link between the Automation Server and deployed audit agents; this is why any configuration changes or updated versions of the audit agents have to be manually re-deployed.

Portable Audit

The Portable Audit is a method of auditing computers on locked-down networks and non-networked computers using standalone audit agents. Typically, the audit agent is deployed to a flash drive, which is used to audit individual computers manually. Audit snapshots are stored on the same flash drive and then uploaded into the Network Inventory database when you bring the flash drive back to a computer running the Network Inventory application.

Audit of Chromebooks

A Chromebook is a computer running the Chrome OS as its operating system. Network Inventory can identify Chromebooks using the Google Directory Audit method.

The Google Directory Audit is a method of auditing Chromebooks at your request or on a regular basis. When using this method, there is no direct link between the Automation Server and Google Chromebooks. All audit data is provided via the Google Admin API and loaded by the Automation Server to the Network Inventory database; that is why before auditing Chromebooks, you must enroll all your Chromebooks in the domain, configure your G Suite account and Google Admin SDK with the API access enabled.

INFO: For details on configuring G Suite account and Google Admin SDK, see Help: Google Directory Audit.

Audit of network devices

Network Inventory identifies and collects inventory data about networked printers, scanners, hubs, routers, and other devices via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

Related Information:

Compare Audit Methods