Another component, 10-Strike Network Inventory Client (further referred to as "client"), is available for inventorying computers currently disconnected from the network (as well as computers that cannot be accessed with WMI , and for whatsoever reason the polling through agents doesn't go through).
Download the Network Inventory Client Archive
How to Install and Configure Clients
Extract the files from the installation archive on the computer to be polled.
In the NIEClientCFG.exe application, you can define and configure groups of data to be gathered (the less data you have, the faster the client will complete the job), and select the folder where the data will be stored.
If you place the data folder on the administrator's computer running 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer or on a public server, you can make the program automatically import the data from the folder on startup. By default, it gathers all groups of data; the data is stored in the "CFG" subfolder of the application's working folder folder.
Gathering Data
To launch the polling, run the file NIEClient.exe and wait for the application to complete.
Importing Data Manually from Offline Computers
Copy the files with the inventory data to the computer running 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer. Now, select the menu "Data - Import..." and then select the files you just copied from the computer not connected to network. Wait for the data import routine to complete.
Importing Data Automatically from Online Computers
With the client application, you can set up the following routine for gathering data from computers connected to network (when using WMI and agents is impossible).
1. On the administrator's PC running 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer:
a) Create a folder for storing imported data and open the shared access to it from client computers (instead of using the administrator's computer, you can do the same on server).
b) In the program settings, on the "Collection Information" tab:
- Select the checkbox "Import client data from the folder on the program startup".
- Select the folder you have created for the automatic data importing.
2. On the computers to be polled :
a) Install the client application by extracting the content of the installation archive.
b) Run NIEClientCFG.exe and then set:
- Path to the data folder.
- Groups of data to be gathered (the less data you have, the faster the client will complete the job).
- Select the "Launch the client on Windows startup" setting.
Pros of working with clients:
- Polls computers automatically on boot and startup. Does not require administrator's attendance (when the folder is located on a server) and the running of the main application module when polling. Can "catch" computers running rarely, dump data from computers not connected to the network.
Cons:
- Elevated load on user computers when starting up. However, it can be reduced by polling selected groups of data only.
- Users can hinder the polling by removing the client application from the automatic startup or by closing the client application window (however, the window can be hidden).
- Fresh information cannot be obtained at any moment on demand.