Applies To
Express Software Manager version 6.2

Summary
Express Software Manager version 6.2 is a comprehensive tool that can inventory your site's hardware and software assets, monitor application usage, and help you make strategic decisions about managing your desktop hardware and software assets. This technical note explains how to install the Express Software Manager components and evaluate the primary features on a small scale.

With the evaluation copy of Express Software Manager, you can use Express Inventory and Express Meter to gather data from 25 workstations for 30 days.

Overview of Express Software Manager
This document explains how to install Express Software Manager version 6.2 components and evaluate the primary features on more than one workstation.

Before You Install
Express Software Manager version 6.2 must be installed on a machine running Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows Terminal Services (Windows 2000 or greater, with or without MetaFrame). You must have Administrator privileges on your machine to install Express Software Manager and to run Express Administrative Console and Express Reports Console.

Step 1: Download and Install

1. Download an evaluation copy of Express Software Manager version 6.2 from the Express Metrix Web site:

http://www.expressmetrix.com

2. To start the installation, double-click the executable, Esm620.exe. (If you downloaded the zipped version, run Setup.exe after unzipping the file.)

Note: You may be prompted to restart your workstation if the Microsoft Installer requires updating or has not been installed. If Setup does not automatically restart, locate and double-click Setup.exe to continue.

3. Follow the prompts and select Administrator (Typical) as the Setup type. Accept the default installation settings and follow the prompts to finish installing. Restart the workstation if prompted to complete the installation.

1. On the server where you want to place the library, create a shared folder (for example, “Express”) and give all users Change rights to the share (Read, Write, Create, and Modify).

2. Start Administrative Console (the administrative interface): click the Start menu, point to Programs, and Express Software Manager 6.2. Click Administrative Console.

3. The Library Wizard will start automatically. When prompted to choose an SQL data source, accept the default, and click Next. Accept the default login ID (sa) and enter the password you provided during setup, then click OK.

4. In the Full library path field, enter the UNC path \\<machine_name>\Express\EvalLib (replacing <machine_name> with the actual name of the machine where you created the Express share). Click Next. Click Yes when asked if the folder should be created. If a warning displays regarding a long path name, click OK. (This warning appears if the machine name does not conform to 8.3 naming convention.)

Note: If the machine where the share is created is a Windows XP, 2000, or NT workstation (as opposed to a server), you will be limited to a maximum of ten workstation connections to your library.

5. In the Configuration Key dialog box, select the Create an Evaluation Library check box. Clear the Install Express Client on this Workstation check box unless you wish to have the client automatically installed on the Administrative Console workstation. Click Next.

6. Review the Library Features dialog box and click Next. Give your library a meaningful name, click Next, and click Next again in the Metering Options dialog box. Clear the Review Evaluation and Deployment instructions check box and click Finish.

• Log into the workstations with administrative rights and run Exinst32.exe from the \Clients folder of the library created in Step 2 above. Use the verbose switch (-v):

\\<machine_name>\Express\EvalLib\Clients\Exinst32.exe -v

or

• Add Exinst32.exe to a login script:

\\<machine_name>\Express\EvalLib\Clients\Exinst32.exe

Note: If end-users do not have administrative rights to their workstations, you will need to install the Client Install Manager Service and configure the Applib.ini file in the library to specify the machine running the service. See the Online Reference for further information on installing the service and configuring the Applib.ini file.

Using Express Reports Console

1. Have users run and use a variety of applications on the workstations where the Express client was installed. This will provide some usage data for the reports.

2. In Administrative Console, choose Library from the Tools menu, and select Update Database.

Note: If you have closed Administrative Console, restart it. If the Auto-added Files Detected dialog box displays, click Cancel to dismiss it.

3. Click the Add menu option and choose High-confidence Applications. When prompted, click Yes to configure all high-confidence applications.

4. Choose Reports from the Reporting menu. You will be prompted to update and synchronize the database. You can click No here because you have just updated the database (though clicking Yes will do no harm). Express Reports Console will open. Open a folder in the Reports pane to see the available reports. Double-click the desired report or select it and choose View current report from the View menu.

Express Reports Console provides an easy way to navigate between reports. Here are a few reports that are meaningful with data from several machines:

Software Inventory by Machine: In the left pane of the Express Reports window, double-click Inventory to expand it. Expand the Software folder and double-click Software Inventory By Machine. The Software Inventory By Machine report shows which configured applications are installed on the workstation.

Unconfigured Files by Machine: In the left pane of the Express Reports window, double-click Administrator Tools to expand it. Expand Application and double-click Unconfigured Files by Machine. The Unconfigured Files by Machine report shows all of the files that are on the machine, but are not part of the configured applications.

Machine Properties: In the left pane of the Express Reports window, double-click Inventory to expand it. Expand Hardware and double-click Machine Properties. The Machine Properties report shows machine hardware information such as the processor speed, RAM, NIC Address, and drive details for the machine.

Application Statistics by Library, Machine: In the left pane of the Express Reports window, double-click Usage-Meter and Control to expand it. Expand Application statistics and double-click Application Statistics By Library, Machine. The Application Statistics By Library, Machine report shows configured application usage statistics grouped by library and machine. Note: This report will only show data if the Express Metering client has been installed.

Web-based reports require additional configuration. For details on installing and configuring web reports, see Technical Note 1579.

http://support.expressmetrix.com

Email: support@expressmetrix.com

• For additional information about evaluating Express Software Manager, see the Evaluation page on the Express Metrix web site:
  http://eval.expressmetrix.com

• For information about purchasing Express Software Manager, contact your Express Metrix business partner or our sales department:
  Email: sales@expressmetrix.com

• The Express Knowledgebase is updated regularly for Maintenance Plan subscribers. You will get the latest version when you buy; contact our sales department if you would like to use the latest knowledgebase for your evaluation:
  Email: sales@expressmetrix.com

Related Technical Notes

1560	Understanding the Inventory Process in Express Software Manager 6.x
1579	Installing Express 6.2 Web Reports
9989	Express Software Manager 6.x Technical Notes