Another feature request

[tlarkin]

I also would like to add one more feature request to the web front end
of JSS. I think this is a reasonable and easy thing to add. When
viewing policy logs I would like the advance search feature of viewing
just the ones that had an error occur. For example, we pushed out a new
software package to all 5,000 clients. I don't want to sift through
5,000 machines that the package errored on. I want to be able to view
the log and organize it by if the package was successfully installed or
if it errored out. Then have the option to flush all machines that
failed from the log. Just to make it a bit easier and more functional.

Today I am looking at our logs on the JSS for a small web filter package
and we only have about 500 machines left out of 5,000 to be installed. However, this package requires a reboot so some of them have errored out
due to the user not rebooting or putting their macbook to sleep. So, I
would like to organize the log by clients that have errored out and just
flush all clients with errors.

Thoughts?

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[nick]

Tom,

I think this is a great feature request. I agree that with an environment of your size and scope, it can be quite a chore to have to sift through all policy logs to find errors.

Meanwhile, you can use the "Send email on policy execution error" notification so that when a policy error does occur, you can at least narrow it down a bit more by determining which ones erred out via sifting through an email inbox.

Thanks for the input and I will file this with development.

Nick Amundsen
Product Specialist
............................................................................
JAMF Software
1011 Washington Ave S. #350
Minneapolis, MN 55415
............................................................................
US Support (612) 216-1296
UK Support (020) 3002 3907

Minneapolis (612) 605-6625
............................................................................
http://www.jamfsoftware.com

[tlarkin]

I do have that option enabled, and the problem with that is I get lots
of emails every day, so I keep those emails from the JSS in my spam
filter and go in and clean them out every once in a while but I will get
100s of emails per a week with that.

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[tlarkin]

Also, to add to this request of the web front end (sorry for so many
feature requests, but as I am learning Casper with my 5,000+ wireless
client base, I am finding that some options are not available).

When browsing through inventory on the web front end I would like to
flag computers to install packages. For example I have a system right
now that will not pick up package. It is listed in the not yet
installed part of the package log. However, I have rebooted the thing
like 50 times and it is set to trigger on any, so a reboot should have
picked it up. Every other machine is pulling it down fine. I would
like the ability to force an install through the web interface.

Specific example would be, computer 0014 is flagged to install CS3 via
my policy I made. Now it is in the log as not yet installed, but the
user needs it right away. I can go into that policy log, search for
computer 0014 and via the web interface say install now. Click, done,
wash hands, repeat.

thoughts,

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351

[talkingmoose]

Hi Thomas!
On 1/31/08 11:03 AM, "Thomas Larkin" <tlarki at kckps.org> wrote:

The whole premise of the JSS and Casper suite is that the JSS passively
awaits for Macs to phone home and pick up instructions. No commands are ever
initiated from the JSS. I would prefer to see it stay that way.

If you have a machine that's not running a policy then attempt to run the
policy manually using the command line (enter "jamf help policy" in the
Terminal for details). I suggest using:

sudo jamf policy -action "login"

If something fails then you'll be better able to see why.

I see the same problem you're seeing every once in a while when one of our
admins in a different office has a Mac repaired and the motherboard has been
replaced. They don't think to tell me of this and the new MAC address does
not get changed in the JSS. Verify your Mac's MAC address in the JSS and see
if they match.

Hope this helps!

--

bill

William M. Smith, Technical Analyst
Digital Information Systems Support
St. Paul, MN
(651) 632-1492

[#6]

One more thing I would like to see. In the logs I'd like to see who
authenticated into Casper to perform imaging or install packages.

Cory Pratt
Systems Administrator
Bend-La Pine Schools

[ernstcs]

I think that I have also requested this in the past with JAMF because I need that trail if something went or was done wrong (so I can educate better).

I want Casper to log what it did when it's not run automatically and someone had to authenticate, both in the local jamf.log and as a log entry for that system in the JSS.

Craig Ernst
Systems Management & Configuration
----------------------------------
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Learning & Technology Services
105 Garfield Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone: (715) 836-3639
Fax: (715) 836-6001
----------------------------------
ernstcs at uwec.edu

[John_Wetter]

You can do this now by looking in the logs for a suspect computer and looking at the remote logs. Or, are you looking for a logging specifically of "what did this person do this day" type of logging?

-John

--
John Wetter
Technology Support Administrator
Technology & Information Services
Hopkins Public Schools
952-988-5373
john_wetter at hopkins.k12.mn.us

[#9]

The remote logs have it, but we use a flat image most of the time for our
imaging as it speeds up the process, so there aren't any packages that run
after the initial imaging. Autorun logs don't show who authenticated like
remote logs do.

Cory Pratt
Systems Administrator
Bend-La Pine Schools

[talkingmoose]

The Remote logs will show "who" did an activity on a machine, such as
On 2/5/08 8:29 PM, "Cory Pratt" <cory.pratt at bend.k12.or.us> wrote:
installing a package, but nothing currently shows who initially imaged a
machine either in the JSS or locally.

I suspect I have an overly zealous admin in one of our offices frequently
rebuilding Macs for the slightest problem but have no idea who it is. An
"imaging" log in the JSS would be handy. "Imaging" would be any installation
of an OS package.

Also, if the "Remote Logs" page would show a column for "who" instead of me
having to click into each log file then that would be more useful for me.

--

bill

William M. Smith, Technical Analyst
Digital Information Systems Support
Merrill Communications, LLC
(651) 632-1492

[ernstcs]

Correct, a manual image at the machine using Casper is only logged in JAMF.LOG on the local box (I'm pretty sure) and it won't tell you WHO did it. That's what I want to know. I'd also like it to tell me what configuration was selected if any as well as some events are tied to the configuration used.

Craig

[tlarkin]

Hey everyone!

OK, so the grueling task of inventory has fallen upon us with no set
system. Basically we have no centralized inventory it is all done over
spread sheets at every location. Not my idea, nor ideal in my mind but
it is what we go at the moment.

Here is what I would absolutely love, the ability to assign users,
assets, and building information to a particular laptop through the JSS.

For example, a user is issued a laptop at my work. They log in and
authenticate against the ODM, then some how casper client pulls that
information down and then logs it into the JSS. So, I can now search
the JSS inventory by user name and it can pull it all from our LDAP and
ODM. This would be done as a first time log in hook or something
similar, so that if other users end up logging into that machine only
the first user is actually assigned to it. Of course it can be changed
by logging into the JSS and manually adding a user account that way.

Then I would also like a place for notes, or tickets if you will, where
if lets say a user violates the AUP I can add a note to that computer
that they aren't to get their laptop back because of a violation. Or if
we send a laptop in for repair I can mark it in the JSS as out of our
network and out for repair. Then keep a total history of that laptop in
the JSS, like repair history, user history, what parts failed to see if
there is a trend or a repeat failing part in that machine, so on and so
forth.

I would like to totally abolish all spread sheets completely and do it
from web based solutions like the JSS. Then have the ability to export
it to a spread sheet, xml, pdf, whatever for those who have to have a
spread sheet.

Currently this is possible if I get another third party solution going
but not sure how the JSS inventory would export into another solution. So, I thought why not just add these features in and call it a complete
package. Plus, it would only help JAMF sell more copies since they
could also offer a help desk ticket type solution as well. I would
rather have one app do everything then have several apps for a few
functions.

Thoughts?

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell: 913-449-7589
office: 913-627-0351