We also need those users, which have not logged in on a client. We have Snow Inventory 5 and SLM 8.2. Snow Active Directory Discovery works fine, but focuses only on computer objects. How can we realize a full AD user import?
We also need those users, which have not logged in on a client. We have Snow Inventory 5 and SLM 8.2. Snow Active Directory Discovery works fine, but focuses only on computer objects. How can we realize a full AD user import?
Hi Eugen.Haertel,
Using custom fields it's possible to enrich data in your SLM Environment, this is possible for Users as well
I have described this in another topic for Computers.
Please take a look here, hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Burak
Hi Eugen.Haertel,
Another option would be to have a PowerShell script output the data from AD to a network share. Then setup the Snow Import Service to monitor that folder. When a file is placed in the folder Snow Import Service will automatically pick up and digest the data. This will allow you to keep the AD information in Snow License Manager up to date.
Hi Marc,
We do face the same challenge described by Eugen. From Snow Support I received the feedback that it is not possible to import new users with existing features such as Web Configurator.
That's why I wonder whether your proposed solution really imports new users or just updates the metadata of exiting ones:
I'd be great if you clarify that.
Thanks in advance.
Sven
Hi Marc,
As Sven told, we are not struggling with updating user information. We have a script in place helping us updating the user data (Name, mail adress,...) with AD user information.
But the Snow Import/ Web Configurator does not work for new users, which do not exist in SLM. However, these are the users I am interested in.
How do I get them into Snow?
Thanks
Eugen
Hello Eugen, could please explain what you want to archive by importing users, which do not log in?
My understanding the AD is always the signel point of truth for users. SLM is for licensing, that it shows users with relevance to licensing. So if all devices are connected to Snow you will get user data, if they use devices subject to licensing.
Maybe your answer helps to resolve.
Best wishes
Björn
Hi Björn,
From a licensing perspective it's pretty common that you have products which require you to consider indirect usages.
For instance external contractors or blue collar workers may have AD accounts but don't log on to devices directy.
Cheers,
Sven
Hello Sven, I am not aware of a situation yet, where it is reasonable to consider user-licenses (instead of devices licenses) for user, which do never login. Also connections via Terminal Server could be tracked via Snow or Snow Cloud connector. But ok, maybe there are cases.
In my opinion the AD is a database for user, who log in. If possible I would prefer to find a way to meter the indirect usage, than to import all from AD. Coping information to Snow does not bring additional value, but you loose the border between AD and Snow-data. But this is philosophy.
I am just curious about Eugens or your usecases of such user data.
Hi Björn,
We do have such scenarios:
#1 Time tracking application based on electronic cards and tokens.
#2 Warehouse application with access based on terminals and barcode scanners using generic Active Directory user accounts to check in and book out goods.
Although we wrote it in a generic style, those are real scenarios.
Best regards
Sven
Hi Björn,
from my perspective I need to register licenses to users which do not own a discovered client (hardware).
I have user-based licenses, which they own and I cannot (and do not need to) map the license to any consumption or installation. So I need to have the users in without any relation to hardware / computers.
Best regards
Markus
Hello Markus, I am understanding your use cause e.g. Home User Licenses like Autodesk. Nevertheless I have problems seeing the additional value of importing such users to SLM. Maybe there is if you have different licenses for one user.
What is you added value by importing users to SLM vs. using Excel?
Hello Björn
I cannot follow your thoughts.
It is important to align user-based licenses with users. Licenses for users are ordered before they are discovered.
In times of IDM, I do not want to do imports and exports by hand.
Excel leads to additional steps in our working procedure.
This is time-comsuming, buggy and inefficient.
Hello Markus,
I am a big fan of IDM. But I am not sure, if IDM benefits if you import such data. We do not import AD users to Snow, cause I am happy, that Snow show me an alternative, metered reality besides AD.
Why did I ask controversial question like "SLM vs. using Excel" if I don't use Excel?
In my opinion Snow follow the philosophy is to improve license management by a reality check. If I import data from other sources, which can not be metered by Snow somehow, it feels wrong to me.
As I recognize that people seem here to feel right about such import, I honestly would like to understand!
Unfortunately it still feels wrong to me to use user licenses/CAL in a context, where I can not validate who is accessing the device. I feel that Microsoft and Oracle might think in the same direction. Also I not sure, why I should apply licenses to users in Snow, before they are metered.
Sorry, for being so hell-bent on this point, but it makes sense to question the addition benefit, before you import data. Maybe changing the license type or setting up an connect is more beneficial as such import.
Hi Eugen,
to archive that, we realized it with different approaches. Things I used before:
a) via snowxml, using some sort of valid flat file
b) via sql server database, using our Active Directory User Discovery in SI 5
Both ways have their pros and cons and both ways requires custom filtering, username resolution and some sort of ruleset.
With that done, you can add data as Marc mentioned.
Best Oliver
Hi,
Is it possible also to utilize Web Configurator to as automated AD data import tool in SPE environment? We are looking into importing custom data to existing users and computers.
BR, Antti
Yes i hope i understand you correctly but we do this.
A customer create every week a user file with ad informations and he copies this file into a predefined folder. We configure this file with the web configuration tool to scan is a file into this folder and we copy this file to the SPE client.
Best
Lars
Hi Lars, thank you for the answer!
I do not have direct access to SPE platform except SMACC, so just to clarify, on Snow Service Provider Edition (SPE) platform (which has SLM & IM DBs) you set it for specific customer A by selecting it from drop-down menu, and specify customer-specific import folder, as below?
If this is the case how it's set up you just basically have FTP or something to copy the file on a schedule to this specific folder.
I'll just answer to myself, since I got informed by another colleague- it is doable just as stated.
Hi,
we use a special with a vpn and a sync procedure with 2 folder but can solve this also with a ftp access.
Thats not the problem.
I hope i could help you :-)
best regards
Lars
We had the exact same question until today.
Please note Oliver.Berger's answer above. We have received a solution that matches what he describes when contacted our account manager as recommended here.
Update: We implemented the solution that was provided and it has been successful. This is now part of the Data Update Job. Thumbs up to our account manager
Hi Eugen,
What we have been doing, pretty much right from the start using SLM, is to upload data into Snow.
This we do via an Excel spreadsheet (Snow import template). To be honest, it took some time/energy to have the spreadsheet initially set-up correctly. However, that is more because the data from ActiveDirectoy we use. This had to be mapped correctly prior to let it processed by Snow. It works nicely and is stable for a couple of years already.
Best regards,
Detlev Schigt