Archiving Client files on the BigFix Server

You can collect multiple files from BigFix clients into an archive and move them through the relay system to the server.

This allows the BigFix Administrator to automatically log data from specific managed computers.

To do this, a new component called the Archive Manager has been added to the BigFix Client which can collect files periodically or on command. It passes the resultant compressed tar-ball to the Upload Manager on the BigFix Client. The Upload Manager has an input directory that queues the files for uploading.

The Upload Manager performs one upload operation at a time, moving the data in manageable chunks to reduce network traffic. It sends these chunks to the nearest BigFix relay or server, where the PostFile program reassembles the chunks back into the original file.

PostFile then passes the file up the chain, to the next BigFix relay or to its ultimate destination at the BigFix server. It again uses the Upload Manager to slice the file into chunks and send them on to the next PostFile program in the hierarchy. When the file finally arrives at the BigFix server, it is saved in a special directory location based on the ID of the client computer. Along the way, both the Upload Manager and the PostFile program can alter the chunk size or throttle the upload speed to smooth out network traffic.

For information about configuration settings related to these components, see Archiving client files.