Gert-Jan Kosterman asked a question.
How to get the version numbers of the Snow created .jar files?
I would like to know the version numbers of the Snow .jar files (sijs.jar, sios.jar and snowmiddlewarescanner.jar) installed on a device running the Snow agent. Is this information available somewhere in SLM or Inventory? Nb.: we don't scan for .jar files. But since it are Snow created jar files I would expect Snow to pull that information with the agent somehow like they do for their own created Snow PowerShell scripts. Any idea how to get that version information?
Hi Gert-Jan,
Unfortunately we don't support that at the moment.
However, you are welcome to post an idea on our idea board.. maybe based on the following info...
How to Get the Version Number of a JAR File (javaxt.com)
Hi Detlev,
thanks. I will create an idea for this.
Regards,
Gert-Jan.
@Detlev Eufinger​ Oops: it looks like there is one already 😉 SIAW: collect .jar files and their metadata as Software | Ideas Board (snowsoftware.com)
I added a referral to this item as well.
Hi @Gert-Jan Kosterman​
Unfortunately as Detlev mentioned this is not possible in Snow yet. I created a ticket on this in February, but finally got this answer:
As of now we do not recognize .JAR files from windows agent and as a result we can not identify the SIJS or SIOMS applications even though they exist in cross-platform . For Linux it is not an issue as the Snow agent collects .JAR files and send it back to us to recognize .The Snow Agent team will soon develop the functionality to recognize the .JAR files for Windows OS and once we get the data the recognition should trigger . However we do not have a timeline of the release now .
I hoped with Sijs.jar 2.01 Snow added some coding to the jar that writes something that can be used for recognition. But they told me that was not possible.
It really is strange, that Snow cannot recognize their own software !!
What I can tell you is following:
Snow told me, when you use the report All Java applications and there add the column "Security level" you will see "N/A" for version 1 and "HIGH,MEDIUM or LOW' for version 2.0 (but no difference to version 2.01)
But I need to say the report "All Java applications" is still incomplete and do not show all collected data.
In the database you can see it in [SnowInventory].[inv].[ClientStorageData
select cv2.hostname, cv2.ClientVersion, cv2.SiteName,cs.* from [SnowInventory].[inv].[ClientStorageData] cs
left outer join SnowInventory.inv.DataClientView2 cv2 on cv2.ClientId=cs.ClientId
where cs.ScriptName = 'SnowInventoryJavaScanner'
--and ScriptRunUTCTimeStamp > '2021-04-25'
@Detlev Eufinger​ I do not understand why we as customers do need to add this as idea. It is basic for SAM to know versions! And it is strange, that we as customers do need to remind Snow of that basic requirement.
@Carola Iberl​ thanks for your reply. And we also have the same experience as you: the report "All Java applications" is still incomplete and do not show all collected data.
And we also do not understand that Snow is not able to at least properly recognize their own software even if it are .jar files and we have to create an idea for this to make this possible. To be sure we have all the Snow versions running which we decided to use in our environment we need this Snow .jar information too. Not just the agent version or Snow PowerShell script versions but also the .jar files since more and more Snow .jar files are added for specific recognitions.
@Detlev Eufinger​
I already commented this on the IDEA 1839 but want to second it here to give information whats currently 'wrong' with the agents (missing) capabilties on identifying jar info/version.
>>​
In LM you can report on agent-version, agent config-name, etc to control on how your rollout of a new agent is doing and/or at what state your agent estate is.
The snow agents are the most essential part of the whole LIMA-effort and 'garbage-in/garbage-out' theorem does apply to the max. So you have to have a close eye on what is deployed and actively reporting in.
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Now, that a functional agent consist of more components than just the agent binary of version x.y.z (in detail: added SIOS, SIOMS, SIJS, SIOHWS) you MUST know, control, and QA your estate in that regard as well !
Guess what?: You Can't !! Snow is NOT able to collect and report on those essential parts of it's onw agent.
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It was possible for Linux with SIAL v6.1 (with SIAW up to v6.8.2 still NOT able to collect/report on those - jar based - components).
Now SIAL seems to have taken a step backward as well. ( see e.g.: https://community.flexera.com/s/article/issue-linux-agent-sial-6-4-detects-less-jar-files-compare-to-sial-6-1-0-using-the-same-configuration-the-same-account-and-on-the-same-machine?tabset-1909e=2 )
​
I really can't believe that snow is not able to fully inventory/report on its own (very essential) software components.
It's not just a 'glitch' - An essential part of QA-ing the basis of all your data for all you efforts you base your work, analysis and decisions on is just MISSING. That's a huge and severe issue!
Handling this as an IDEA seems totally inappropriate for me. That should be a number one priority for PM.
<<
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Hi snowtom,
If you would like to have a new funktion that is not currently in the application portfolio, we must follow the specified procedure.
That means:
1 Create an idea in the idea board and vote
2 Our product ambassadors evaluate the idea
3 If there is a positive rating, the idea is passed on to product management
4 Evaluation of the implementation in terms of effort and feasibility
Maybe you can also attend here Feed Detail (snowsoftware.com)
and ask your questions!
I'm joining the AMA session today so I just posted the question. Curious what will be the answer 😉
@Detlev Eufinger​ i have to object on your comment that we are 'asking for _new_ functionality.
Thats not missing 'new' feature, It's a total FAIL in following a well thought design strategie and in delivering what snow is intended and advertising for.
So citation from @Carola Iberl​ holds true: " I do not understand why we as customers do need to add this as idea. It is basic for SAM to know versions! And it is strange, that we as customers do need to remind Snow of that basic requirement."
​
I would even go further: Some PM and/or developer who 'designed' this 'fail' into the agents by totally ignoring the snow 'vision', snows 'value claims', snows 'strategic aims' and the 'delivery promise' given by marketing, should have a serious warning talk by upper management that he is endangered in loosing the job.
Don't try to sell this as a 'feature request' which we as customers must politely ask for by following some 'ideas process'.
It should be immediately escalated as a "Ooops we failed and we should take immediate action to prevent loss of reputation in our customer base (or even worse: giving our competitors some silver bullets to shoot at us."
Please explain as to why snow designed for and took care about beeing able to report on the agent and e.g. the PS1-script versions, but decided to NOT to report on new Agent-components (e.g. the JARs). I really cant imaging a valid answer that is convincing me that this was a well thought design decision.
The snow agents are the most essential part of the whole LIMA-effort and 'garbage-in/garbage-out' theorem does apply to the max. So you have to have a close eye on what is deployed and actively reporting in.
Now, that a functional agent consist of more components than just the agent binary of version x.y.z (in detail: added SIOS, SIOMS, SIJS, SIOHWS) you MUST know, control, and QA your estate in that regard as well !