Lesson 2: Creating computer groups to manage software per customer

Available from 9.2.2. To manage software and generate audit snapshots for each customer separately, create computer groups that represent the customers in BigFix Inventory.

Before you begin

If you created computer groups in the BigFix console, run an import to ensure that information about these groups is available in BigFix Inventory.

Procedure

  1. Log in to BigFix Inventory.
  2. Create a computer group that contains all computers on which software that is used by Bank ABC is installed.
    1. In the top navigation bar, click Management > Computer Groups.
    2. To create a computer group, click New.
    3. Provide the name of the computer group.
      For example, Bank ABC.
    4. Optional: Provide a description of the computer group.
    5. Specify criteria that must be met by the computers that belong to this group.
      If you created computer groups in the BigFix console, select Data Source Groups, in set, and select the proper BigFix computer group. In this case, select Bank ABC.

      Create Computer Groups window
      Restriction: The size of data returned by the specified filter cannot exceed 1 MB.
    6. 9.2.8 From the Type section, select Reporting.
    7. Select license metrics for which you want to calculate utilization in this computer group.

      Enabling subcapacity calculations for a computer group
    8. Specify the number of days for which the data is to be calculated.
      This number defines the default period for which the data that is show on the All Metrics report is calculated and up-to-date.


      For example, when you set the value to 30 days, and then display a report for the last 90 days, the report shows the following data:
      • If you display the report for a newly created computer group, the report shows values for the last 30 days and is empty for the rest of the period.
      • If you display the report for an existing group, the values might be outdated.
      In both cases, recalculate the data.
    9. To save the group, click Create.
  3. Create computer groups for the remaining customers.
  4. Optional: If you do not need a collective snapshot for all computers, but separate audit snapshots for each computer group, open the All Computers group, and clear PVU and RVU MAPC. Then, click Save.
  5. To make the computer groups available in BigFix Inventory, wait for the scheduled import or run it manually.
  6. Optional: If you give customers access to BigFix Inventory or when each customer account is managed by a separate person, create dedicated BigFix Inventory users, each with access to one computer group.
    1. To create a user, go to Management > Users, and click New.
    2. Select the role or roles that you want to assign to the user.
      Restriction: To ensure that each user has access to information only about computers that he uses, do not assign the user with the Administrator role. By default, this role has access to the All Computers group. Thus, a user who is assigned this role can view information about all computers in the infrastructure.
    3. Select the computer group to which you want the customer to have access.
    4. Choose the authentication method. If you choose Password, provide the password and confirm it.
    5. Click Create.

    Users who are dedicated for the computer groups.

Results

You created computer groups, each dedicated to one customer, and users who can access these groups. You can manage software and generate audit snapshots for each customer separately. You can also provide your customers with credentials to their dedicated users and allow them to manage software and generate snapshots on their own.