Software license model in 8.0 prevents user with limited access to create Software Licenses for permitted Locations

Products

• Asset Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

ITMS 8.0 introduced new Software Licensing model and new license creation dialog has replaced the classic "Edit-Create Resource" page. New page does not have an option for the user to create license  and select covered location simultaneously. This affects users Location-based access to create software licenses and see them later.

In researched example, 7.6 system was hardened via Location based scoping to the Asset  Management Solution in order to allow the Location "manager"  to create/edit Software Licenses without being able to see or edit licenses from other locations. After upgrade to 8.0, even if the user checks the box “Edit advanced settings after saving” the license will be saved, but the user will not be able to see it or edit it because he doesn’t have access to the license (it’s not in his location). License created witll be assigned to the Default Location, where the user has no access.

Same as above actual also for software purchases created with licenses.

Environment

ITMS 8.0

Resolution

Symantec Engineering has released the cumulative fix for Asset Management Solution that resolves the issue for both license and purchases.

You can get full list of latest cumulative fixes for ITMS 8.0 on https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.INFO4241.html  
The fix will be merged into upcoming ITMS 8.1 as well.

 

FIX INSTALLATION REQUIREMENT:

Asset Management Solution version 8.0 HF5
“Altiris.Asset.Web.dll” version - 8.0.2228.0

 

HOW TO INSTALL THIS POINTFIX

1.    Extract files from the archive to the NS hard drive.
2.    Make sure PointFix is extracted not to Altiris install directory (or any subfolder to it)!!!
3.    Execute PFInstaller.exe under user with administrative privileges.
4.    Accept UAC (User Account Control) prompt, select "Install Files". Old files will be replaced with the new ones. Log.txt will be created at the same location where PFinstaller is.

 

Additional information:

After point fix applied user should be able to modify License Resource items created by himself. To avoid potential errors on license item save, check that user have also access to following resource item types:
1.    Software Purchase
2.    License Rule

Also there is one more thing what needs to be considered beside Licenses and Purchases during their creation, e.g. License Rule.

It is mandatory to grant «Read\Write» permissions to all «License Rule» resources for each scoped Asset user role.

By doing that, these users will be able to create and see software licenses and purchases for products scoped by their locations. Meantime, only one License Rule can be defined for given Software Product. In case if Software Product will have a license rule defined, then next user who will try to create new license for the same product, will have that rule automatically populated in the "Create Software License" page once same product will be selected. If he decides to change it, it will be automatically changed for all other licenses as well.

Symantec development is looking for options to allow different license rules for the same product in one of the next releases.

 

NB! Fix will work for all licenses to be created after it's install. Licenses that were created and assigned to the Default Location, needs to be corrected manually by admin user.