Applies To
Express Software Manager version 4.x or lower

Summary
The Express Software Manager Inventory client gathers software and hardware information. Typically, the Express Inventory client is installed onto the workstations, but it can also be run directly from a server. This alternate method is similar to the process used with Express 2000 version 3.6x. This technical note describes how to run the Express Inventory client from a server.

To scan a remote server from the Express Console machine, see Technical Note 1242.

Deciding Whether to Run the Client from a Server
The recommended method for deploying Express Software Manager is to use a login script that runs the client installation program, Exinst.exe, from a library on a shared network drive. Exinst installs the Express Inventory client (and, if purchased, the Express Metering client) onto the workstation. The client then automatically inventories a user's workstation according to the Inventory settings in Library Properties.

Alternatively, the Express Inventory client can be run directly from a server--without installing the client onto each user's workstation. Before you proceed, become familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of using this alternate method:

Advantages of Running the Inventory Client from a Server

• Only one small hidden file, Wrqexp.id, is written to each workstation. This file is used to identify the machine in the library. No application files are installed.

• This deployment method is similar to the method used with Express 2000 version 3.6x.

• The administrator has less control over when the inventory information is collected from the workstations. The inventory process only occurs when the client is called from the login script; therefore, the client cannot be started automatically or periodically restarted.

• The drive must remain mapped to the server to collect data from machines running Windows 3.x, Windows 95, or Windows 98.

• In Windows 3.1x, the login script will not continue until the Express Inventory client runs.

Deploying the Inventory Client from a Server
Before you can run Express Inventory or Express 2000, you must install Express Console and create a library on the server. Then you can secure the library files and run the Express Inventory client from the library.

Installing Express Console and Creating a Library
Run the Setup program to install Express Console and create a library on the server:

1. On the system administrator's workstation, run the setup program from the Express Software Manager CD. Beneath the Install options, select Software Manager and proceed through the Setup dialog boxes.

2. In the Express Software Manager Folder dialog box, enter a local path to install Express Console (the default path is C:\Program Files\WRQ\Express Console). Complete the installation. (Refer to Express Software Manager documentation for detailed installation procedures.)

3. Open Express Console. Use the Library Wizard to create a library on the server. If the Library Wizard does not open automatically, click New Library from the File menu. When the wizard is finished, a library folder is created.

4. The new library folder on the server contains a folder named Clients. In the Clients folder, create a text file named Hdc.ini that contains these lines:

Replace the text in angle brackets with the library path. For instance, if the library is on a server named Archer and the shared library directory is Express\Libs, the line would read

Applib.ini=\\Archer\Express\Libs

5. The default setting for a new library invokes the Express Inventory client to scan a machine for only 10 seconds (not the entire machine). To change this setting:
   1. Open the library in Express Console.

   2. On the File menu, click Library Properties, and then click the Inventory tab.

   3. Select the pertinent check boxes. To scan an entire machine at once, select the check box to Enable high impact gathering, and clear the check boxes that Stop high impact gathering.

File/Folder Name	User Permissions
Applib.ini	Read only
Applib.lib	Read only
Application library folder -- all files except Applib.ini and Applib.lib	Windows NT: Read, Write, Create, and Change Novell: Read, Write, Create, File Scan, and Modify
Clients folder -- all files	Read only

Running the Inventory Client
Once the library is created and secured, follow these steps to deploy the Express Inventory client.

1. Modify the login script to point to the Express library location. You can append the command line with optional switches. For instance, if you want the Express Inventory client to initiate the BIOS rollover and leap year tests, add the -By2k switch. See your Express documentation for more information about using a login script and the optional switches.

Here is an example of syntax that can be used with Windows NT:

Net Use W: \\Archer\Express
W:\WRQ\Clients\exinv16.exe -By2k -L

Note: Do not include a line that deletes the drive mapping.

2. After users log in and the Express Inventory client runs, you can view the information. In Express Console, open the Tools menu, point to Library, and click Update Database.

The Express client inventories the machine and creates a unique i*.inv file, which is stored in the library folder on the server. You must update the database to move the information from the i*.inv files into the database, where it can be viewed in Express Console or Express Reports.

At this point, the Express Inventory client has gathered preliminary information. The client is designed to gather inventory data incrementally to reduce network impact. Successive database updates are necessary to gather the information needed to identify the inventoried applications.

Note: The database updates can be automated by Express Library Manager, a Windows NT service that is available with Express Software Manager. See your Express documentation for details.

3. In Express Console, open the Tools menu, point to Application, and click Application Wizard. Use the wizard to configure the recognized applications.

Note: To configure all of the high-confidence applications at once, multi-select (hold the Shift key while clicking) the applications. Then click the Accept button.

4. Click Next to configure the unrecognized applications (additional executable files). Express Metrix recommends configuring the low- and medium-confidence applications one at a time. If you skip these files, the reports for Year 2000 application compliance will not contain information about these applications.

5. After you configure (or skip) the files, click Finish until the Application Wizard closes.

6. In Express Console, open the Reporting menu and click Reports. The first time you run reports you must link to the Express.kb, which by default is installed in the Express Console directory on the system administrator workstation (C:\Program Files\WRQ\Express Console\Express.kb).

7. In Express Reports, select the Year 2000 compliance or Inventory report you want to view.

Related Technical Notes

1242	Gathering Inventory on a Remote Server from the Express Console 4.x - 5.x Machine
1571	Running Express Software Manager 6.0 Inventory Client from a Server
9991	Express Software Manager Technical Notes (5.x or lower)