Assessment Scan runs when a Software Update Policy is created or modified.

Products

• Patch Management Solution for Windows

Issue/Introduction

The Altiris Agent and the Software Update Plug-in (Patch Plug-in) is installed. The Client downloads the Windows System Assessment Scan (WSAS) package and runs the scan. The Patch Inventories are returned and processed to the database. The Compliance Reports display vulnerabilities. When the Software Update Policies are created for these vulnerable updates; they are configured to target the applicable computers, and when the Target Clients receive the policies, they run another scan.

This was found to have an adverse effect in environments that closely monitor Client-side processes and need to ensure that the scan does not run outside the WSAS Policy schedule.

Cause

This is functioning as designed; the product is ensuring that there have been no changes made in Client's inventory and vulnerabilities since the last scan run. This will allow for the Software Update Policies to target.

Resolution

Enhancement request drop-in provided for Patch Management 7.5 SP1 HF5 and 7.6 HF2; the scan will no longer run when a new Software Update Policy is created or modified and received by the targeted Client, and it will only run on the Client when the Software Update Cycle starts and when configured to do so per the WSAS Schedule.

Work through the following to implement the attached Enhancement PointFix (EPF):

1. Download the attached EPF for one of the two versions detailed above and decompress it to the same drive the ITMS is installed on the SMP Server.
   • Example: C:\Program Files\Altiris; the zipped folder would be decompressed at the root of the C drive
2. Open the unzipped folder; highlight the 'PFInstaller,exe' > Right-click > Run as Administrator.​
   

Advisory: This will not be retro-engineered for previous versions. If this behavior is requested; please review the upgrade process from the current version to PM 7.5 SP1 HF5 or PM 7.6 HF2. This will be part of the product code in PM 7.7.