6.7 Creating a New Software Fingerprint Request

Although, each monthly Product Recognition Update (PRU) release cycle identifies many new software applications, it is not practical to include every possible application that is released. Limitations include software being licensed, software that is not yet covered as part of our PRU focus, and software that is released by vendors that are not well-known. To bridge these gaps you can use the SWID (Software Identification) utility to collect the necessary metadata to create a new software fingerprint request.

If software is unrecognized after you deploy the latest PRU, you can use the utility to create a Software Identification (SWID) file of the unrecognized software and send it to the Novell Fingerprint Support Team zam_support@novell.com.

6.7.1 Working with the SWID Wizard

You can request a software fingerprint by using the SWID Wizard, which scans configured locations on a workstation and looks for information about a particular piece of software. The output files from this utility are then sent to Novell for inclusion in the monthly PRU releases.

The SWID Wizard can scan locations on a remote machine, but only if you are logged into both the machines. For example, if you are running the probe from machine A and are attempting to reach machine B, you must be logged into both machines with the same account.

Preparing to Use the SWID Wizard

  1. Before initializing the SWID Wizard, start each application you intend to run the SWID Wizard on.

  2. From the Help menu of each application, open the About screen and capture it as a screen shot.

  3. Save this screen shot as a bitmap file.

Using the SWID Wizard

  1. Download the SWID Wizard from the Novell Downloads Web site.

  2. Save the SWIDWizard.exe to a temporary directory.

  3. Browse to the temporary directory and double-click SWIDWizard.exe. The Software Identification Wizard is displayed.

    SWID Wizard - User Information Screen

  4. In the User Information dialog box, specify the following details:

    1. Company Name

    2. Email Address

    3. Path where the output files will be stored.

    4. Select Automatically return output file to Novell if you have Internet access from this machine, or deselect it if you do not. If the SWID needs to be stored locally rather than sent to the Novell Web site, ensure that the check box is deselected.

      The SWID is stored in the path you indicated in Step 4.c.

    5. Click Continue.

      SWID Wizard - Product Information Screen

  5. In the Product Information dialog box, specify the following details:

    1. Select either Local Machine or Remote Machine.

    2. Paths where you want to search for software.

    3. Product Name

    4. Version

    5. Language

    6. Edition

    7. (Optional) To add text strings to search for additional information about the application, click the Add Text button and the text in the Add Text dialog box.

      or

      Remove text strings by selecting one or more strings and clicking the Remove Text button.

    8. (Optional) Serial Number

    9. Browse to and select the screen shot file you created in Preparing to Use the SWID Wizard.

    10. (Optional) Provide comments as necessary.

    11. Click Continue.

  6. Verify your information and click Collect Product Info.

Posting the SWID File

After the SWID is generated, it is automatically posted to an FTP site, if you enabled the check box as indicated in Step 4.d of the User Information page. The SWID file along with the bitmap image can also be sent to zam_support@novell.com.

We monitor the FTP site and the zam_support inbox. When we receive a request we send an acknowledge to the customer mail ID that you provided in the SWID file. (See Step 4.b of the User Information page).

A SWID must be posted before the 20th of the month to be included in the current PRU. Requests posted after the 20th of the month are included in next month's PRU.

Verifying When New Software Is Included in the PRU

A new PRU is released on the first day of each month. A list of new software that has been fingerprinted for the month is posted at the FTP site.

You can also download the latest PRU from ZENworks Control Center. Click the PRU and access the Readme for <PRU Month Year PRU>.