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Asset Management Agent (AM Agent) installation

Technical requirements​

  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 or higher - for Agent installation

Installation​

tip

Before you start installing the Agent, read the Scan method setection page, which will tell you more about using the Agent.

Installation can only be performed by a user with computer administrator privileges.

  1. On the stations on which you want to install the Agent, run the AlvaoAssetAgent.msi.
  2. The installation wizard will open on the screen. On the page Settings, enter the installation parameters. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

If the installation went correctly, there is a folder C:\Program Files\ALVAO\Asset Management Agent on the disk where the Agent executables are stored. A system service named ALVAO Asset Management Agent X.X.X must exist on the system.

Installation parameters​

  • APIURL - address of the REST API.
  • AUTHCODE - agent authentication code.

Example parameter settings in a silent installation - the agent authentication code is 1234:

msiexec /i AlvaoAssetAgent.msi /quiet APIURL="https://contoso.onalvao.com/AlvaoRestApi" AUTHCODE="1234"
warning

For successful installation, it is essential to run the script with administrator rights

tip

You can also change the Agent settings additionally by running the Agent as an application (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\ALVAO\Asset Management Agent\Agent.exe) and using the Settings option.

note

If you have any problems with the installed Agent, the log file that the Agent generates when it runs might help to solve them. Log generation is disabled by default. You can turn it on by running AMAgent.exe from the application directory. On the first page, select Settings and on the next page, check the Generate log file option. Set the log detail to Detailed. The service log will then be stored in the agsvc.log file.

warning

If you set the log file detail to Detailed, the agent will generate a large amount of data to the log file and the scan rate will be very slowed down. Setting it to Detailed is therefore only recommended for troubleshooting and is not recommended for use in normal operation at all.

note

If you want to use the Agent on Windows 95/98/ME operating systems, you need to install Agent version 5.0!!! - for more information, please refer to the manual for version 5.0 (ep.chm), which can be found in the installed Computer Records 5.0 application. Also on Windows 2000 you must use Agent 5.10 and lower. For Windows XP you must use Agent 10.0.

Installation via GPO​

If you install Agent via GPO on a 32-bit OS, use the following ADMX 32b file and ADML 32b file to set up communication with Alvao REST API. Place the ADML file in the localization files folder (e.g., en-US folder for Windows in English).

Automatic update​

The agent checks for new version on the Alvao Server on its start, or restart, and then once a day.

note

When diagnosing potential auto-update problems in Agent, turn on detailed log. When updating, the Agent will first download a new installation package to the Update sub-folder of the folder where the Agent is installed (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\ALVAO\Asset Management Agent). In the same folder after installation you will find the installation log AMAgent_MSI_upgrade.log.

Setting up an autonomous agent​

In the basic configuration, the agent contacts the Alvao REST API every 2 hours to determine if it should perform a computer discovery. If the Agent fails to send a discovery, it tries again after 15 minutes. These values can be changed by creating values in the registry of the computer on which the Agent is installed:

Value nameTypeDefault value
ScheduleUpdateIntervalMinutesREG_DWORD120
DetectionUploadRetryIntervalMinutesREG_DWORD15
  • 32 bit OS: SOFTWARE\ALC\ALVAO Asset Management\Agent
  • 64 bit OS: SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\ALC\ALVAO Asset Management\Agent

Diagnosing issues​

Exception text or error code from the Agent will help in diagnosis. It can be found as follows:

  1. Run in the Agent directory installation file AMAgent.exe .
  2. A window will appear where you select the Settings option. and press the Next button.
  3. On the General tab Enable the Write log to file option and select Status and errors for the detail.
  4. Confirm the setting change with OK.
  5. Restart the Agent service. The Agent immediately tries to connect to the Alvao REST API.
  6. In the Agent installation directory, locate the agsvc.log and open it, for example, in notepad.
  7. Look for the line [CheckDetectSchedule] calling WS end with error: ... in the log. Either the exception text or the error code follows.

Exception returned by Alvao REST API, e.g., authentication error, computer not in DB, etc.

The error code may indicate a problem with secure communication. In this case there should be a numeric error code. Details of the error can then be found on the Microsoft learn site. If the error is in the communication then it will usually be a 12xxx code, which can be found on this page.

Command line​

Agent allows you to run from the command line with the specified parameters. In this chapter you will find a detailed description of all command line parameters.

Parameters:

  • /dd - instant scan of the device on the computer where the Agent is running. (works only together with the /df parameter)
  • /dsw - instant software scan on the computer where the Agent is running. With this switch, full scan is performed, including files on all hard drives without exceptions. (works only together with the /df parameter)
  • /dssw - instantly scan software on the computer where the Agent is running. With this switch, normal software scan is performed. (works only together with the /df parameter)
  • /df - performs selected types of scan (parameter /dd, /dsw, /dssw) and saves the resulting scan files to the directory from where the Agent is running or to the folder specified after the /f.
  • /f [path] - output folder where the scan files will be saved (parameter /df). If this parameter is not specified, the path specified in the Agent settings (the Settings option after starting the Agent from the Windows Start menu) is used.
  • /l [file] - the agent will generate a log to the file specified after the parameter.
  • /v [number] - logging detail will be set to the specified level (only works with the /l parameter). Levels: 0 = Status and errors, 1 = Normal, 2 = Full.
  • /s - the agent will start covertly, i.e. no information window will be displayed on the screen.
  • /h - a help window for command line parameters will be displayed.
tip

If you want to do a full software scan and skip some disks or paths, you need to run the agent without the command line and set the software scan parameters correctly in the wizard.

Example​

We want to run the Agent so that it immediately performs device scan and normal software scan and saves the scan files to the D:\Scan folder.

AMAgent /dd /dssw /df /f D:\Scan
note

If you use the Agent to create scan files, the file names will be automatically created by the computer name and by adding the suffix _SW for software scan and _HW for device scan.

For example: for a computer named STANDAPC, the Agent will create the files STANDAPC_SW.cxm and STANDAPC_HW.cxm.