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WMI Package Capture on SQL servers - Unlink issue

Hello Dear Community,

The issue we had within Flexera was that - when we navigate to the all inventory-->and try looking up specific SQL servers --> when we go to license tab--> we see  this "SQL Server unknown components - validate" . 

We worked with Flexera Support and got our professional services expert to help us with capturing WMI from SCCM via Flexera Packages.

We were given with a set of instructions to copy a specific folder on the beacon server and place on the SQL server that required WMI capture with execution of a command line for ndtrack with upload and server parameters enabled.

This brought in the WMI inventory and now the license tab shows 'SQL Server Enterprise Core - Lic/SA - SCE'

We now don't see the unknown component tag associated with the license name, since WMI is being captured.

Coming to the issue - This worked on a majority of the servers , however, few servers didn't bring this in. I have attached the snapshot - one for successful WMI and other for unsuccessful WMI  ( un-link did not happen)

I recently worked with my SCCM team and got the WMI packet capture using Flexera's package and running a command line - tested on the SQL servers and these servers are bringing in the WMI to unlink and link to the appropriate application  - the issue

Any help on this aspect would be much appreciated and would help me understand the cause for this.

 

Thank you

Abhilash M

(14) Replies
ChrisG
By Community Manager Community Manager
Community Manager

A common reason for SQL Server "unknown component" titles still being recognized even after the FlexNet agent has been used for inventory is that the relevant SQL Server WMI provider required to gather full details about the installed edition and components is either not installed or not operational on the computer.

To check whether the WMI provider is configured and running OK on a particular computer, execute the following command and inspect the output to see whether it returns any indication of an error (such as an “Invalid class” message). If the command succeeds, it will output ~100 lines of detail about the SQL Server installation.

wmic /namespace:\\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement<number> PATH SqlServiceAdvancedProperty

The “<number>” here will depend on the SQL Server version:

  • Blank = SQL Server 2005
  • 10 = SQL Server 2008/2008 R2
  • 11 = SQL Server 2012
  • 12 = SQL Server 2014
  • 13 = SQL Server 2016
  • 14 = SQL Server 2017
  • 15 = SQL Server 2019

If the wmic command does report an error, troubleshoot as appropriate based on the output received.

Executing a command like the following using local Administrator rights may (if the relevant files are installed) help to get the SQL Server WMI Provider configured to meet the dependency for the FlexNet inventory agent to be able to gather the required data:

mofcomp "%programfiles(x86)%\Microsoft SQL Server\<number>\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

The “<number>” here will depend on the SQL Server version:

  • 90 = SQL Server 2005
  • 100 = SQL Server 2008
  • 105 = SQL Server 2008 R2
  • 110 = SQL Server 2012
  • 120 = SQL Server 2014
  • 130 = SQL Server 2016
  • 140 = SQL Server 2017
  • 150 = SQL Server 2019
(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Hello Chris,

Thank you for taking your time in answering to my query. I will certainly work with my SCCM team to get this tested for the ones not reporting despite having the WMI ndtrack setup on the servers.

Will post the response soon!

Thank you

Abhilash M

Hello Chris,

I have worked with my SCCM team and they had a couple of clarifications on the work that needs to be done to rectify the WMI configuration on servers.

The following command : 

wmic /namespace:\\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagment<number> PATH SqlServiceAdvancedProperty

Returned the error (snapshot1). Can you please guide me in resolving this error, meanwhile I too will browse on the forums and on WMI related articles. Appreciate it a lot!

---------

The clarification requested is -upon execution of the second command : 

mofcomp "%programfiles(x86)%\Microsoft SQL Server\<number>\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

The SCCM engineering is concerned what changes could be incurred to the server's already configured WMI. 

This is the name of the mof file that the team said that exists on each machine  - 

"sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

Once the above compilation command is executed, the team is interested to know where to navigate to see the possible changes that were actually created from this command execution on the SQL server.

 

Thank you

Abhilash M

Apologies - I had a typo in the WMI namespace in the wmic command I gave, which will explain the error you received. Instead of:

wmic /namespace:\\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagment<number> PATH SqlServiceAdvancedProperty

the command should have been:

wmic /namespace:\\root\Microsoft\SqlServer\ComputerManagement<number> PATH SqlServiceAdvancedProperty

I will edit my previous post to correct this.

In terms of the impacts of running the mofcomp command, I wouldn't claim to have a whole lot of insight on that but don't feel it would be that risky. This appears to be a commonly recommend remediation step: if you do an Internet search for "mofcomp sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof" then you will find lots of hits.

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

@ChrisG  Thanks so much on the quick response, I will reach back with the results. 

I will look into the second command as suggested online.

Thanks much!

Abhilash 

@ChrisG 

Hi Chris, I am interested to know what namespaces and class names would be added to the mof file after the following command is executed and how to check the same for validation.

mofcomp "%programfiles(x86)%\Microsoft SQL Server\<number>\Shared\sqlmgmproviderxpsp2up.mof"

Thank you

Abhilash M

The following Microsoft SQL Docs content covering the SQL Server WMI Provider may provide the information you are looking for here: WMI Provider for Configuration Management

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Hi Chris,

 

The command console returned the following, any suggestions on why the command would have returned the "No instance found". The SCCM engineer speculates that this could be the case if there is no SQL instance installed.

But on Flexera there is this 'SQL Server  (unknown component) validate' license allocated.

Thank you

Abhi

The evidence that has been gathered and the files you're seeing on the file system indicates that there is some installation of SQL Server components on this computer, but the "No instance found" output suggests to me that there is no SQL Server instance installed on the computer that would require a SQL Server license.

Are you seeing anything that would suggest this conclusion is wrong?

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Yes Chris, these are all SQL servers with no actual SQL instances deployed, but however have some components housed. But is there a way to detach the SQL Server (Unknown Component) from this CIs?

Not sure how to enable non SQL server CIs to not have this (unknown component) issue.

Thank you

Abhi

Given that some SQL Server component is installed, it is right that FlexNet does report something as being installed. Are you thinking that it might be more appropriate if some other ARL application record apart from the "Unknown Component" one was getting recognized? Which ARL application record do you think would best represent the particular component that is installed?

You mentioned earlier in this thread that you have a license record set up covering the "Unknown Component" application. Depending on your specific workflow and what you're trying to achieve here, it may be helpful to mark the installation on this computer as exempted from requiring a license on the Consumption tab for that license.

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

Hi Chris,

I am confused why the remedy that Flexera recommended worked on majority of the servers and 20 servers did not show any unlinking with the older license (unknown component) and link to the one that others did. 

Not sure these fall under the exemption category, I would expect if no SQL server instances are found, then the change should atleast unlink from the current unknown component description license.

Any suggestions?

 

Thank you

Abhilash M

In relation to the comment "I would expect if no SQL server instances are found, then the change should atleast unlink from the current unknown component description license":

This is not necessarily the case. If no SQL Server instance is found, and the information gathered does not identify any other specifically known SQL Server component (as is the case with the computer you have been troubleshooting on), then the "unknown component" application record will continue to be recognized. This reflects the reality: there is some SQL Server component installed, but FlexNet has been unable to determine exactly what it is.

Where you able to consider the question I raised earlier: Which ARL application record do you think would best represent the particular component that is installed on this particular computer you have been troubleshooting?

(Did my reply solve the question? Click "ACCEPT AS SOLUTION" to help others find answers faster. Liked something? Click "KUDO". Anything expressed here is my own view and not necessarily that of my employer, Flexera.)

@ChrisG  Hi Chris, I am not sure what should the application that needs to be scanned I am a little concerned on that unknown component being shown on app tab, but I do prefer to get that un link to take place at the least. I am planning to deploy the agent so that those SQL servers could be inventoried through the agent which could scan applications much more effectively. Any comments?