A software signature defines the attributes of a software application, such as the main executable file name, other associated files, size range, version range, creation, and modification dates of the software. All these attributes of a software signature uniquely identify a software application. Software signatures in asset management are created as software definitions. You can create software definitions for a product, release, patch, suite, suite component, or virtual application image. By default, asset management provides predefined software signatures covering the most widely used software in the IT industry.
Note: You cannot modify the predefined or CA Provided signatures.
Other than these predefined software signatures, you can also create new software signatures for discovering the licensed software you use or you can add new releases or patches to existing product definitions. Creating the software definitions at the domain level displays the discovered software information at the domain level only. However, if you create it at the enterprise level, the discovered software information is shown and is usable at both the levels—domain level and enterprise level.
You can create the following type of signatures:
Defines the basis for a software definition. It is only a container component. It comprises of releases, suites. A product by itself does not have any meaning without any of these components. For example, Microsoft Outlook 2000 is a product. A product definition has only the version information.
Includes a specific release of software. Release definitions can be created only for the products. For example, Microsoft Outlook 2000 SP2 is a release.
Includes the fixes for a release. Patches can be created only for releases. For example, Q303833 is a patch for Microsoft Outlook 2000 SP2 release.
Includes a software suite that comprises various individual and integrated products. For example, Microsoft Office. A suite definition can be created only for the products.
Includes the individual product in the suite such as Microsoft Word. This definition can be created only for the suites.
Defines the basis for a virtual application image software definition. As CA cannot provide software definitions for recognizing virtual application images in the Content Download service, the DSM administrator must create these virtual application image definitions.
When the agent runs, it scans the computer for the specifications given in the software signature and recognizes the software only if all the specifications are met.
|
Copyright © 2013 CA.
All rights reserved.
|
|