Client Management Suite

Wondering if there is a way to create computer filters based on an external list of PC's?

Essentially, we have a CMDB that holds all of our PC's and it's searchable/sortable by any parameter I want. So, I want to grab all the PC's that are in a certain region..I can grab those by serial number but, then I have to manually find them in Altiris and create the filter.

There's got to be a better way?

Do you have assets by location setup (requires AMS or ITMS)?  Then you can query all the machines in the given "branch of the tree" or asset location for each regions you want to report on.

Unfortunately, we do not AMS here. We utilize Altiris almost exclusively for software rollouts and patching. I dabble with some application monitoring as well but that's all part of the basic suite.

Create a custom data class with the fields that you want  and import the data from that CMDB using a Import export rule on a regualr basis.  match that data on serial number or to append it to each computer record.  You can then query on that to create your filters.  I have done similar for a CMDB in service now:

here is what it looks like in a computer record in resource manager:

 

Alternatly if all you want to do is create filter from a bunch of serial numbers.  just write a sql query that matches for Serial number IN and provide that list of serials you can put hundreds of serials in there at once if you need;

SELECT
   [vri2_Computer].[Guid] AS [_ItemGuid],
   [dca4_AeX AC Identification].[Hardware Serial Number] AS [Serial Number]

FROM
   [vRM_Computer_Item] AS [vri2_Computer]
      LEFT OUTER JOIN [Inv_AeX_AC_Identification] AS [dca4_AeX AC Identification]
         ON ([vri2_Computer].[Guid] = [dca4_AeX AC Identification].[_ResourceGuid])
WHERE

   [dca4_AeX AC Identification].[Hardware Serial Number] IN (
   
   'Serial1',
   'Serial12',
   'Serial3',
   'Serial4',
   'Serial5',
)

 

You can import a csv list of names directly into a filter. Another way is to create a "Linked Server" in the SQL server used for Symantec to your CMDB database then you can create Filters in Symantec that are SQL based that directly query the CMDB database.

Andy,

 

Do you have documentation on importing with the CSV?

Not unless its in the Symantec Management Platform user guide. Create a csv file with just the names of the PCs you want to import. If you are in the Activity Center/Enhanced Console View select the filter you want to add the PCs to, Add explicit criteria > Include list if not already there or select it if it is then click the icon to the top right of the right hand pane. Browse to your csv file and that's it. Otherwise go to Manage > Filters. Select the filter you want to add to, click Edit and then click the icon to the right of the "Resources included in this filter..." line. Again, browse to your csv file and import. I've had problems trying to get a csv file to import over the network, if you have problems make sure the csv file is local to the computer the console is on.

Hi,

depending on your infrastructure you could maybe go for an dynamic sql filter selecting the PC's by subnet, as you said you want to group them by region?