Full inventory name is not reporting in Flexera

[avi0408]

Hello Flexera,

We have noticed that the correct inventory name is not reporting in Flexera.

Example - Actual inventory name - mazl009713112166 ; name coming in FNMS - mazl00971311216 (Last character missing).

We have observed thisissue for many inventories (some have last 2 characters missing). 

How can we fix this issue as this is affecting the FNMS adoption report.

~PFA - ndi (where DNS hostname is different from computer name in WMI). We need the hostname in Flexera (Windows OS)

Thanks,

Awadh

Flexera Tech Consultant

Anheuser Busch Inbev

[durgeshsingh]

Its not an issue from flexera. Its Windows limitation. 

The maximum size of the host name and of the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is 63 bytes per label and 255 bytes per FQDN. Windows doesn't permit computer names that exceed 15 characters, and you can't specify a DNS host name that differs from the NetBIOS host name.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/identity/naming-conventions-for-computer-domain-site-ou

[ChrisG]

I expect you are running up against the NETBIOS computer name length limit of 15 characters. (Or more strictly, the limit is actually 16 characters, but Windows reserves the last character in a computer name for the "$" character to distinguish computer accounts from user accounts).

While I think DNS names can be longer, the I expect name you're seeing gathered in inventory here is an accurate representation of the NETBIOS name for this computer. Unfortunately I can't think of any effective & reliable way to gather anything but the NETBIOS name for the computer here.

[mfranz]

I do see the DNSHostName in the "Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration" WMI class. I mean, you could in theory customize the inventory adapter to use the DNSHostName (if available), but I am not sure if you would be doing yourself a favor with that.

[JJacildo]

Hello @avi0408 there is a workaround with the Windows Hostname limitations. There is the following switch called "MachineName". You can test this by running the following command on the Windows device with Agent installed:

ndtrack -t Machine -o MachineName="MyComputerName"

Although in the WMI class, it shows the truncated hostname (15 characters) the MachineName is what will be used after NDI is imported into FNMS.

And if this workaround is viable for you, this parameter can be set within that device's registry entry within [Registry]\ManageSoft\Tracker\CurrentVersion

For more details please refer to this link below:

https://docs.flexera.com/fnms/EN/GatherFNInv/index.html#SysRef/FlexNetInventoryAgent/topics/PMD-MachineName.html

I hope that helps.

[avi0408]

Hello @ChrisG 

Got the point that In all inventory - names are displayed from hardware class (netbios names)

As per your the updates in this thread, windows (netbios names) has a restriction to display names until 15 characters due to which complete inventory name is not coming in FNMS

We checked in inventory database for DNSHostnames as per the resolution provided by Flexera Support.

table "Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration" in inventory database

here, we got the data in column DNShostname with complete inventory name.

We need Flexera's help to provide a query which will create a custom report in FNMS with  name "All Invnetory DNS Hostname"

- Mainly having two columns -

1. Name in All Inventory
2. Its corresponding DNSHostname
   

   Thanks,

   Awadh

[mfranz]

USE FNMSInventory

SELECT DISTINCT
	c.ComputerCN InventoryName
	,hv.Value DNSHostName
FROM Computer c
JOIN HardwareObject ho
	ON ho.ComputerID = c.ComputerID
JOIN HardwareClass hc
	ON hc.HardwareClassID = ho.HardwareClassID
		AND hc.Class = 'Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration'
JOIN HardwareValue hv
	ON hv.HardwareObjectID = ho.HardwareObjectID
JOIN HardwareProperty hp
	ON hp.HardwarePropertyID = hv.HardwarePropertyID
		AND hp.Property = 'DNSHostname'

[avi0408]

Hello @mfranz 

Thank you so much for the query. Is it possible to add DNS hostname custom column in All inventory table so this data will be available in FNMS UI.

Thanks,

Awadh

[mfranz]

You could create a custom field and have a business import update that field on a regular basis (using the SQL above).