Automatically Generate/Download Reports from Smart Groups

[jriv]

I was hoping someone out there has a solution for automatically generating, download or sending out reports from Smart Groups. I looked into JSS Report Downloader but it's not compatible with JSS v9.97.

Thank you!

[mm2270]

From Smart Groups? Or from saved Advanced Searches? I have something I've worked on that uses the API to pull the latter, but not the former. Could it be done to pull Smart Groups with the API? Sure, but in most cases, people have wanted a way to automate generating saved search reports. That is in fact what the JSS Report Downloader did, when it worked.

[jriv]

Hi @mm2270 , this will definitely work in my case. Is this creation something you can share with me?

Thanks!

[mm2270]

Hi @jriv Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, it is something I can share with you, but I have some questions. Was the plan to use a standalone app or script that could do this on demand, without needing to log into the JSS to run reports? Or was the intent to have something automated on some specific schedule to pull a report or reports, and possibly do something else with them?

Both are possible to do, but the latter is a more complicated process to get set up, but not impossible.
As for the former, I already have a standalone app, which was built using Platypus as the development platform, that can take API credentials and other info and use that to give you the option of running already saved advanced computer searches and converting them to csv format. Note that as it's designed it will only work with computer reports, not mobile device ones. This is only because we don't use Jamf Pro for mobile device management so I have nothing to work against for testing.

I do have the template of a script that could be used on say, a Mac server to automate pulling reports and possibly emailing them to contacts when done. I just haven't really worked out the details on how to do the automation piece.

[jriv]

Hi @mm2270 , The automated way with the ability to send out would be ideal and what I was originally looking for. However, I don't know how to use the API so I was ready to settle on something that can just pull reports. If you've got some instructions on how to configure the automated solution, I don't mind doing some work to get it working. I do have to be honest and tell you that I have minimal scripting experience. Thanks, again!

[mm2270]

Sure. Let me dig out the script and see if I can add a little more polish and finalizing to it to make it into something easy to use. I know the script works if things are set up correctly because i used it not so long ago. What I'm not certain of is whether it will continue to work once JAMF Pro 10 is out. Right now the script uses an API resource that may end up deprecated in favor of the newer resource in the JSS that serves the same purpose. There are reasons I'm using the older resource over the new one but it's too much to get into right now.

[apanages]

Hey @mm2270 would you be able to share this script with me as well please. I would like to be able to have an automated process where csv files are created from either a SmartGroups or Advance Searches and saved on a network share with no user interaction. From the network share I would have Splunk pull that data in for reporting purposes.

Thank-you.

[mm2270]

Hi folks, I'm right in the middle of some projects here, so my time is a little limited right now, but as soon as I get some time I will take another look at just the standalone script version of this, clean it up, make sure it still works on at least JSS 9.99 and then post it to my github page so anyone can get it. I'm thinking by around the end of this week or early next I should be able to post it up there.

[apanages]

@mm2270 Awesome! Thank-you for all your help. It's much appreciated.

[apanages]

Hey @mm2270, I was wondering if you had a chance to work on the updated script? I know you are busy and appreciate the help.

[isra_elmahdi]

@mm2270 would love to see this as well! Hope things have calmed down for you!

[avail]

Another vote for @mm2270 's script :)

[allanp81]

Are you doing this from a Windows client or Mac? I've done something similar using Powershell that utilises the API to check and pull lists of machines based on certain conditions.

[mm2270]

Hi everyone. Sorry I've never released this script/process. I'm a little hesitant to release it simply because, as I mentioned in a much earlier post up top, it's using an API resource that Jamf has labeled as deprecated, and I can't even be sure it still exists in the latest versions of Jamf Pro. I'm going to get a test version spun up, or a cloud instance on the beta track to see if it's still there. Because it might disappear at any time, the script seems like its EOL to me. Unfortunately the API resource that is replacing it is much harder to use to get a clean exported report from. I will see if I can make some time over the next few weeks to look closer at it to see it its possible to adapt the script to use that instead, but I'm not hopeful.

What would be best is if Jamf would actually allow us to schedule automated report generation and sending them to a dist email list. I honestly can't understand why they haven't put any effort into this yet. Or, if they have, they've been pretty silent about it. See this Feature Request from 2012, still "Under Review", still no word from Jamf if this will ever happen.

[ThijsX]

@allanp81 Willing to share that Powershell script? Thanks!