Overview
Basic Operation
The scan module is a windows application program (.exe) that runs in user context and - with default configuration - produces an output file (scan file) per invocation.
The scan file is a compressed .xml file which contains information that is later imported into the central OctoSAM Inventory database.
Minimum Impact Philosophy
The scan module was designed to give you maximum flexibility on how to deploy it in your network and to minimize the impact on your existing configuration and management tools.
Octoscan2 can happily run in parallel with all your established management tools.
The scan process uses only standard mechanisms provided by the Windows environment. The scan module works completely disconnected from the central server. There is no communication between the server and the scan module, which makes it easy to install the scanner even in complex organizations with high security requirements.
Another benefit of this architecture is that you don’t have to license your database server for each scanned Machine in the network as you typically have to with connected agents.
The scanner executable, Octoscan2.exe is completely self-contained. There are no dependencies on external libraries or runtime environments other than the Windows operating system itself. Octoscan2 has no dependency on the .net framework.
The Octoscan2 executable is digitally signed by Octosoft AG. Depending on your environment and security requirements you might want to digitally sign Octoscan2.exe with your own code security certificate.
Also, there is no communication with the end user and no visible activity on the user’s desktop. On the other hand, the scanner does not attempt to hide itself from the system tools such as task monitor. It’s just an ordinary windows application running in the logged-on user context.
Open File Format
The produced scan file is a compressed .XML file which is human readable and can be transformed through XML tools if required.
The provided Octodump utility can be used to decompress .scan files into human readable .xml files or to compress scan.xml files into .scan files.
Scanner Source License
The source code of the scanner can be licensed for local modifications or in environments with very high security requirements.
Custom registry and file scanning can be implemented through configuration and/or custom versions of the scanner. Contact us with your specific requirements.
Supported Operating Systems
| Octoscan2 Version | Minimum Windows Version Required |
|---|---|
| 1.9.6 | Windows XP / Windows Server 2003 |
| 1.9.7 | Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 |
| 1.9.8 and later | Windows 7 SP1 / Windows Server 2008 SP2 or 2008 R2 SP1 |
Choosing the Output Folder
The output folder for scan files should be on a system powerful enough to accept the potentially large number of generated scan files at peak logon time.
If possible, the folder should be on a highly available system (cluster).
The output folder is best placed in a subdirectory on the same share from which the scanner gets started. When using GPO to start the scanner, using the same share handles all possible network failures gracefully without user impact. If the scanner is started from a network location different to the configured OutputFolder, you have to make sure that the network is up and running before starting OctoScan2.
Network Prerequisites
For best results, all machines in your network should have synchronized clocks. Otherwise date and time information in the inventory can be unreliable.