Run the UAM agent in USD hint mode - Explanations and Details

Products

• CA Client Automation - IT Client Manager
• CA Client Automation

Issue/Introduction

By default the command "caf start amagent args -HINT" is executed every hour on the agents (via the caf scheduler task "Run the UAM agent in USD hint mode") :

But what is the purpose of this command ?

Environment

Client Automation - All versions

Resolution

The command "caf start amagent args -HINT" checks if the following file is present :

C:\Program Files (x86)\CA\DSM\Agent\units\00000001\usd\uamsoftwarescanner.hint

or on Linux 

/opt/CA/DSM/Agent/units/00000001/usd/uamsoftwarescanner.hint

 

 

If this file is present, a AM Software Inventory is executed and the file uamsoftwarescanner.hint is deleted.

The file uamsoftwarescanner.hint is created when a new SD Package is successfully installed.
So "caf start amagent args -HINT" is useful to refresh the Software Inventory when a new SD Package is installed.

This command does not execute a AM Hardware Inventory, only a AM Software Inventory when the flag file uamsoftwarescanner.hint is found

See : Run the UAM agent in USD hint mode Policy Group

Run the UAM agent in USD hint mode Policy Group
The Run the UAM agent in USD hint mode policy group folder contains a job that runs the asset management agent in USD hint mode at regular intervals. This job specifies that the asset management agent check for cues, or "hints," from the software delivery agent plug-in that new software has been installed and that the asset management agent should subsequently re-scan for software. Using the CAF Scheduler: Repeat policy, you can specify how often to check for a hint from the USD agent plug-in.

Additional Information

• Creation of file uamsoftwarescanner.hint could be enabled/disabled by a configuration settings in the configuration policy applied on the agents :

DSM/Software Delivery/Agent/Signature Scan: Hint software scanner

 

• In TRC_AMAGENT*.log (in INFO level) we could see this line when "caf start amagent args -HINT" is executed but file uamsoftwarescanner.hint is not found

amagent |amagent |SVCSPECS.CPP |000463|INFO   | Launched in Software Delivery hint mode, but no hint file found. Exiting.

When file uamsoftwarescanner.hint is found following line appears :

amagent |amagent |SVCSPECS.CPP |000463|INFO   | Software Delivery hint file found. Forcing any applicable software inventory configurations to be run.