- Introduction
- Home
- Asset Scan
- Scan Methods
- Windows Domain Scan
- Network Scan
- Individual Device Scan
- Bulk Scan
- Scanning WAN Environment
- Scanning Roaming User Devices
- Schedule Scan
- Endpoint Central for Agent-based Scan
- Asset Scan for Fresh AE Installation
- Asset Scan for AE Installation without Endpoint Central Integration
- DAsset Scan for AE Installation with Prior Endpoint Central Integration
- Agent Configuration
- Agent Deployment
- Remote Control Tools
- Credential Library
- Credential Library Telnet/SSH
- Credential Library SNMP V3
- Credential Library Remote Session
- Identifying Uniqueness of Workstation
- Asset Scan Details
- Scanning Printers, Routers and Switches
- Scanning VMWare Hosts
- Scanning Solaris and AIX machines
- Ports used during scan
- Scan Settings
- Exclude IP or Device from Scan
- SCCM Integration
- SNMP Configuration
- UEM Products Integration
- Web Remote
- Asset Scan FAQs
- Setting Up AssetExplorer
- Asset Mannagement
- Softwares
- Organization Details
- General
- Automation
- Developer Space
- Mobile App
- Asset Management
- IT Assets
- Adding IT Asset
- Adding Bulk of IT Assets to Group
- Assigning Bulk of IT Assets to Department/Site
- Modifying Bulk IT Assets State
- Change Scan Credentials for IT Assets
- Viewing IT Asset Details
- Copy Resource
- Attach Asset
- Attach Component
- Attach Document
- Assigining User/Department/Asset
- Adding New Workstation
- Changing Workstation As Server
- Viewing Workstation Details
- Copy Workstation
- Print Preview of Workstation Details
- Modify Type
- Adding Software
- Importing Workstation Details from CSV
- Components
- Non-IT Assets
- Microsoft 365
- Configuring Asset Depreciation
- IT Assets
- Software Asset Management
- Groups
- Barcode
- Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
- CMDB API
- Purchase Order
- Purchase Order Configurations
- View Purchase based on Filters
- Creating New Purchase Order
- PO Approval Process
- Ordering PO from Vendor
- Receiving Purchase Order Items
- Reconcile Purchased Workstations
- Adding Invoice details and Notifications
- Adding Payment details and Notifications
- E-mailing the Owner
- E-mailing the Vendor
- Editing PO
- Printing PO
- Canceling PO
- Deleting PO
- Closing PO
- Contracts
- Reports
- Integrations
- Appendix
Agent-based scanning for AE customers without prior Endpoint Central installation
With the AssetExplorer 6900 release, agent-based scanning for Windows, Linux, and Mac machines is introduced. This feature is provided by ManageEngine Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central). So, all existing customers migrating to builds above AE 6900 must deploy ME Endpoint Central for scanning Windows, Linux, and Mac machines in their environment. They will also need Endpoint Central agents installed in the remote machine. The following document captures the steps to deploy Endpoint Central and its agents in AE setups that have no prior Endpoint Central installation.
Note for customers already using any other UEMS products other than ME Endpoint Central
If any of the following ME products are installed and used in your environment, we recommend you contact our support before proceeding with this installation for configuring changes in asset inventory.
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Patch Manager Plus On-Premise/Cloud
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Remote Access Plus On-Premise/Cloud
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Device Control Plus
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Vulnerability Manager Plus
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Patch Manager Plus Cloud
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Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central) Cloud
Feature changes related to scanning from AE 6900
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Support for scanning Windows machines using WMI has been removed.
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Support for scanning Linux and Mac machines using SSH/Telnet has been removed.
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All Windows, Linux, and Mac machines can be scanned only by installing Endpoint Central agents in remote machines.
About Endpoint Central
Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central) is a robust unified endpoint management system. It comprises features like Patch Management, Software Deployment, Endpoint security, OS imaging, and deployment, etc. Agents from Endpoint Central improve AssetExplorer' asset scanning functionality by fetching complete hardware details during the scan as well as maintaining the uniformity of data fetched across Windows, Linux, and Mac machines. Endpoint Central agent integration also avoids the need to have two agents for users who already have integration between ServiceDesk Plus (or AssetExplorer) and Endpoint Central.
Features from Endpoint Central for existing customers of AE migrating to AE 6900 versions
i. Agent-based inventory of Windows, Mac, and Linux machines
ii. Warranty information for devices
iii. Remote control for Windows, Mac, and Linux machines
iv. Auto upgrade of agents to newer versions
Other features from Endpoint Central for existing customers of AE who migrate to AE 6900 versions and later purchase AE UEM Remote Access Plus Add on
a). Chat *
b). Wake-on-LAN *
c). Announcement (supported in ServiceDesk Plus and not supported in AssetExplorer) *
d). System manager *
No, the inventory and remote control functionalities for Windows, Linux, and Mac machines and warranty information of devices are the only features provided for AE customers through Endpoint Central after deployment of Endpoint Central agents. However, as Endpoint Central gets installed in trial edition for the first 30 days, all Endpoint Central functionalities like patch management, OS deployment, etc can be performed from the Endpoint Central console. After 30 days, the Endpoint Central version will get converted to a free edition and all Endpoint Central functionalities can be performed for only 25 assets and 1 technician. However, the Endpoint Central will cater to all AE functionalities like inventory or remote control for the number of nodes and technicians purchased in AE when the operations are performed from AE.
Prerequisites for Endpoint Central installation
Endpoint Central can only be installed on a Windows machine. If AE is installed on a Linux machine, then Endpoint Central has to be installed manually on another Windows machine and integrated with AE under Admin >> Integrations >> DesktopCentral. As Endpoint Central is installed within the AE folder, a minimum of 1 GB of free space is required.
If Endpoint Central is purchased separately, please refer here for detailed hardware requirements based on the number of assets purchased.
Ports used in Endpoint Central
Server
|
Port |
Purpose |
Type |
Connection |
|
8383 |
For communication between the agent and the Endpoint Central server
Source: Agent
Destination: Endpoint Central server
|
HTTPS |
In bound to server |
|
8027 |
The notification server port is responsible for communicating on-demand operations from the server to the agent. |
|
In bound to server |
Tools and Remote Control
|
Port |
Purpose |
Type |
Connection |
|
8444 |
For Sharing remote desktops, System Manager, Chat |
HTTP |
In bound to server |
|
8032 |
For transferring files |
HTTP |
In bound to server |
|
8443 |
For Sharing Remote Desktops, System Manager, Chat |
HTTPS/UDP (for voice & video chat) |
In bound to server |
|
8031 |
For transferring files |
|
In bound to server |
Database supported by Endpoint Central
OS supported by Endpoint Central agents
Endpoint Central agents can be installed on machines with the following OS
Windows OS
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Windows 11
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Windows 10
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Windows 8.1
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Windows 8
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Windows 7
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Windows Vista
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Windows XP
Windows Server OS
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Windows server 2019
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Windows server 2016
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Windows server 2012 R2
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Windows server 2012
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Windows server 2008 R2
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Windows server 2008
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Windows server 2003 R2
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Windows server 2003
Mac
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10.7 Lion
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10.8 Mountain Lion
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10.9 Mavericks
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10.10 Yosemite
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10.11 El Capitan
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10.12 Sierra
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10.13 High Sierra
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10.14 Mojave
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10.15 Catalina
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11.0 Big Sur
Linux
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Ubuntu 10.04 and later versions
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RedHat Enterprise Linux 6 and later versions
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CentOS 6 and later versions
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Fedora 19 and later versions
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Mandriva 2010 and later versions
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Debian 7 and later versions
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Linux Mint 13 and later versions
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Open SuSe 11 and later versions
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Suse Enterprise Linux 11 and later versions
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Pardus 17, and 19
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Oracle Linux Server 6, 7, and 8
Steps for switching to Endpoint Central agents
Previously, AE agents were supported only for Windows OS, from the 6.9 version of AE, Endpoint Central is being used for agent-based scan for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Therefore, users are requested to switch to Endpoint Central agents.
Below are the steps for switching to Endpoint Central agents.
Step 1: Downloading and installation of Endpoint Central
Endpoint Central gets installed with PGSQL as the default database. Click here for detailed steps for moving Endpoint Central to MSSQL.
Silent Installation
Endpoint Central (formerly Desktop Central) can be silently downloaded and installed with a click of a button from Admin > Agent Configuration. For downloading Endpoint Central, access to the internet would be required from the server machine. When Endpoint Central gets installed successfully, AE is informed about the successful installation and agents will be available for download with AE.
Manual Installation
If internet connectivity is not available from the server machine or if it takes more than 90 minutes for the Endpoint Central to get successfully installed, then the process will be timed out accordingly and a prompt for manual installation of Endpoint Central will be shown. In the case of manual installation, the product can be downloaded (in EXE format) and installed.
Installing Endpoint Central if the AE server runs on Linux OS
Endpoint Central can be installed only on a Windows machine. So, if the AE server runs on Linux, clicking on "Download and Install" from the Agent Configuration page will prompt a download link. Endpoint Central can be downloaded (in EXE format) and installed on a separate Windows machine. Here, auto integration of AE and Endpoint Central would not happen and so integrating Endpoint Central into AE has to be done from under Admin > Desktop Central Settings.
Step 2: Configuring the Agent settings
Before downloading the agents and deploying them on the machines, it would be appropriate to configure certain agent settings so that these configurations are bundled into the agents. These settings can be configured from under Admin > Agent configurations.
NAT configuration for scanning roaming user devices
Certain users in the organization will be traveling periodically and their laptops may not be available in the corporate network for scanning. In order to scan such laptops which have the agent installed, public IP has to be configured for agents in these devices to reach the Endpoint Central server. Click here for more details on how to configure public IP for scanning.
Click here for more details on how to configure public IP for scanning.
Endpoint Central Agent - Endpoint Central Server secure communication
By default, the Agent-Server communication will happen through HTTPS (Encrypted) communication. These steps enforce trusted HTTPS communication between agent and server. These configurations can be enabled under Agent security settings.
Enable certificate-based authentication for agent-server communication
Enabling this option would have the agent-server communication with client certificate authentication. Enabling this option in AE would in turn enable this setting in Endpoint Central too. Click here for more details on the procedure.
Enable agent-server trusted communication
Before enabling this setting, it is required that a valid third-party SSL certificate is applied in Endpoint Central. Click here for steps to configure SSL certificate in Endpoint Central, this has to be done only from the Endpoint Central console.
Note: Once this setting is enabled it cannot be disabled again as the agents will fail to communicate with the server again. Enabling this setting would enable it in Endpoint Central too and have the agent-server communication to be trusted. Click here for the detailed procedure.
Step 3: Ensure ports used by Endpoint Central are open
The ports used by Endpoint Central are mentioned above in the document. All the ports are inbound to the server and would be used by the agents residing in the remote client machines to reach the server. These ports have to be opened up in the firewall where ever required.
Step 4: Downloading Endpoint Central agents for Windows, Linux, and Mac machines
Once Endpoint Central is successfully installed and integrated with AE, then Endpoint Central agents for Windows, Linux, and Mac will be available for download from Admin > Agent configuration page.
Step 5 : Replacing AE agents with Endpoint Central agents in Windows machines
Uninstallation of AE agents and installation of Endpoint Central agents for Windows machines can be performed as a single step by configuring a GPO in Active Directory. Endpoint Central agent for Windows can be downloaded from Admin > Agent Configuration. It would be in zip format and contains DesktopCentralAgent.msi and DesktopCentralAgent.mst files.
You can replace the ServiceDesk Plus Windows Agents with Endpoint Central Agents by executing the ReplaceAgents.vbs as a GPO in Active Directory. The Agents will be replaced once the machines boot up.
Follow the below steps to configure a GPO in Active Directory.
i.Create a network share (e.g,\\MyServer\MyShare).
ii. Download and extract the Windows Agent zip file.
iii. Save the DesktopCentralAgent.msi and DesktopCentralAgent.mst files in the network share.
iv. From your Domain Controller, click Start >> run >> enter gpmc.msc and click OK. If gpmc is not installed in your Active Directory, install gpmc and proceed.
v. Right-click the domain and select Create and Link a GPO and specify a name for GPO.
vi. To install Agents in only select client computers, follow these steps:
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Select the GPO and click the Scope tab.
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Click Add in the Security Filtering section.
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Click Object Types in the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box.
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Select the specific computer Object Types and click OK.
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Specify the computer names, click Check Names, and click OK.
vii. Right-click the GPO and click Edit.
viii. Select Computer Configuration>>Windows Settings>>Scripts and right-click Startup and click Properties.
ix. Click Show Files and drag and drop the ReplaceAgent.vbs(downloaded above) to this location and close.
x. In the Startup Properties dialog box, click <strong>Add.</strong>
Browse and select the ReplaceAgent.vbs script.
xi. Specify the script parameters as mentioned below and click OK
DesktopCentralAgent.msi DesktopCentralAgent.mst
xii. Click OK to close the Add a Script dialog box and the Startup Properties dialog box
xiii. Close the Group Policy Object Editor and Group Policy Management dialog box.
The agent will be installed automatically when the client computers start.
Step 6 : Uninstalling Windows AE agents
If step 4 above is not followed and step 6 is followed during the installation of Windows agents, then the old AE agents will still remain in the remote client machines. Follow the below method to uninstall the AE agents.
You can uninstall the ServiceDesk Plus Windows Agents by executing the UninstallAgent.vbs
Follow the below steps to configure a GPO in Active Directory
-
Create a network share (e.g,\\MyServer\MyShare).
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Download and place UninstallAgent.vbs
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From your Domain Controller, click Start >> run >> enter gpmc.msc and click OK. If gpmc is not installed in your Active Directory, install gpmc and proceed.
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Right-click the domain and select Create and Link a GPO and specify a name for GPO.
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Right-click the GPO and click Edit.
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Select Computer Configuration>>Windows Settings>>Scripts and right-click Startup and click Properties.
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Click Show Files and drag and drop the UninstallAgent.vbs(downloaded above) to this location and close.
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In the Startup Properties dialog box, click <strong>Add.</strong>
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Browse and select the UninstallAgent.vbs script.
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Click OK to close the Add a Script dialog box and the Startup Properties dialog box
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Close the Group Policy Object Editor and Group Policy Management dialog box.
The agent will be uninstalled automatically when the client computers start.
Step 7 : Other methods for deploying Endpoint Central agents in Windows
Below are the other methods to deploy Windows agents through the Active directory and for machines in a workgroup. To be followed if Step 4 is not performed.
Installing Windows agents using GPO Scheduler (Note: This step will be helpful in WFH environments where the agents get deployed after the users get their laptops connected through VPN in a corporate network.
Installing Windows agents using startup script in ActiveDirectory
Installing Windows agents through GPO lightweight tool
Step 8: Imaging a Windows computer with a Endpoint Central agent
Endpoint Central Agent has a unique ID that represents the machine with its name and system details. If more than one Endpoint Central Agent is identified with the same ID, the details listed in ServiceDesk Plus will be overwritten. This will end up listing details of only one computer though there are several computers with the same ID. So in order to avoid this issue, follow the steps mentioned below to image a computer with Endpoint Central Agent on it.
a). Install Endpoint Central Agent on the computer which is to be used for imaging.
b). Download Agent by accessing the Assets module and selecting Download Windows Agent (or) go to Admin > Agent Configuration > Download Windows Agent.
c). Save and Download this script and store it in the system that is supposed to be imaged.
(running this script will block the Endpoint Central Agent from communicating with the Endpoint Central Server)
d). Rename the .txt file as .vbs file
i. Open the command prompt as administrator and navigate to the folder where the above script is stored.
ii. Execute the script as: cscript.exe dcagentPreImage.vbs
(example : E:\Downloads>cscript.exe dcagentPreImage.vbs)
Now your computer is ready to be imaged with Endpoint Central Agent, for deployment.
Endpoint Central Agent in the newly imaged computers will contact the Endpoint Central Server only if they are renamed.
Step 9: Deploying Endpoint Central agents in Linux
Below are methods of agent deployment in Linux machines and for imaging a Linux machine
Installing Linux agent using Linux agent installation tool
Step 10: Deploying Endpoint Central agents in Mac
Below are methods of agent deployment in Mac machines and for imaging a Mac machine
Step 11: What if Remote AE servers are used?
Remote AE servers are used in WAN environments wherein all the remote machines are not reachable from the central AE server. From AE 6.9 version, Endpoint Central has to be downloaded and installed in the AE remote servers also for scanning Windows, Linux, and Mac machines. A separate Endpoint Central installation would not be required if the Endpoint Central agents deployed in the remote sites are reachable with the central AE server. It is highly recommended not to install Endpoint Central in AE remote servers as remote control and other tools will not work for machines managed in remote servers from the central server, only inventory of these machines would be pushed from the remote server to central servers. Please check here for the ports that need to be configured in the firewall for agent-server communication.
Step 12: Procedure for AE running with Fail Over Service(FOS) enabled
If FOS is configured for AE, it will work for Endpoint Central too but only if it's installed in the same folder as AE and that the AE is installed on a Windows machine.
Click here for more details on FOS with Endpoint Central installation.
Agent - Server communication in Endpoint Central
Operations such as scanning a device, taking remote control of a device or tools action from AE is performed in the remote machines through Endpoint Central server and Endpoint Central agents.
The Endpoint Central agent communicates with the Endpoint Central server immediately after its installation in the remote machine and posts the inventory data. The Endpoint Central agent communicates with the Endpoint Central server through HTTPS during system startup and every 90 minutes thereafter till the system is shut down, gets the actions to be performed in the remote machine, and executes it. This 90 minutes policy is majorly used for any asynchronous operations like schedule scan, any agent configuration changes, etc.
Endpoint Central agents also establish a session with the Endpoint Central server through TCP for getting notified for actions that have to be executed on demand like Scan Now or remote control.
Is agent server communication secure?
By default, the Agent-Server communication will happen through HTTPS (Encrypted) communication. These steps enforce trusted HTTPS communication between agent and server. These configurations can be enabled under Agent security settings
Enable certificate-based authentication for agent-server communication
Enabling this option would have the agent-server communication with client certificate authentication. Enabling this option in AE would in turn enable this setting in Endpoint Central too. Click here for more details on the procedure.
Enable agent-server trusted communication
Before enabling this setting, it is required that a valid third-party SSL certificate is applied in Endpoint Central. Click here for steps to configure SSL certificate in Endpoint Central, this has to be done only from the Endpoint Central console.
Note: Once this setting is enabled it cannot be disabled again as the agents will fail to communicate with the server again. Enabling this setting would enable it in Endpoint Central too and have the agent-server communication to be trusted. Click here for a detailed procedure.
Agent resource utilization
All the below data are predicted from a single agent machine. Disk space will be consumed up to 1GB (approximately) from the agent installed drive.
|
Agent Process |
Running application name |
Bandwidth consumption(approximately) |
CPU consumption(approximately) |
Memory (RAM) consumption (approximately) |
|
At Agent Idle state |
dcagentservice.exedcondemand.exedcagenttrayicon.exe(Running separateapplication for eachlogged on user)(For windows andMac)[ Above 3 are everrunning processes ] |
1 Kbps |
0-2% |
11 MB |
|
Refresh policy(90 mins once -without any deployment) |
dcconfig.exe |
4KB |
0-2% |
6MB |
|
Inventory scan(At Scheduled time in server) |
dcinventory.exe |
2MB |
17-20% |
14MB |
|
Agent Upgrade(Applying PPMand If agentversionchanges) |
dcconfig.exe AgentUpgrader.exe |
20MB |
2-5% |
3MB |