Note
The information in this topic applies only to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1.

The Configuration Manager client for Linux and UNIX supports hardware inventory. After you collect hardware inventory you can run view inventory in the resource explorer or Configuration Manager reports, and use this information to create queries and collections that enable the following operations:

Hardware inventory for Linux and UNIX servers uses a standards based Common Information Model (CIM) server. The CIM server runs as a software service (or daemon) and provides a management infrastructure that is based on Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) standards. The CIM server provides functionality that is similar to the Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI) CIM capabilities that are available on Windows-based computers. The CIM server installs as part of the client for Linux and UNIX. Microsoft developed the CIM server that is now available as open source through the Open Management Infrastructure (OMI) project. For more information about the Open Management Infrastructure project, see The Open Group website.

Hardware Inventory on Linux and UNIX servers operates by mapping existing Win32 WMI classes and properties to equivalent classes and properties for Linux and UNIX servers. This one-to-one mapping of classes and properties enables the Linux and UNIX hardware inventory to integrate with Configuration Manager. Inventory data from Linux and UNIX servers displays along with inventory from Windows-based computers in the Configuration Manager console and reports. This provides a consistent heterogeneous management experience.

Tip
You can use the Caption value for the Operating System class to identify different Linux and UNIX operating systems in queries and collections.

Configuring Hardware Inventory for Linux and UNIX Servers

You can use the default client settings or create custom client device settings to configure hardware inventory. When you use custom client device settings you can configure the classes and properties you want to collect from only your Linux and UNIX servers. You can also specify custom schedules for when to collect full and delta inventories from your Linux and UNIX servers.

The client for Linux and UNIX supports the following hardware inventory classes that are available on Linux and UNIX servers:

  • Win32_BIOS

  • Win32_ComputerSystem

  • Win32_DiskDrive

  • Win32_DiskPartition

  • Win32_NetworkAdapter

  • Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration

  • Win32_OperatingSystem

  • Win32_Process

  • Win32_Service

  • Win32Reg_AddRemovePrograms

  • SMS_LogicalDisk

  • SMS_Processor

Not all properties for these inventory classes are enabled for Linux and UNIX computers in Configuration Manager.

Operations for Hardware Inventory

After you collect hardware inventory from your Linux and UNIX servers, you can view and use this information the same way you view inventory you collect from other computers:

  • Use Resource Explorer to view detailed information about the hardware inventory from Linux and UNIX servers

  • Create queries based on specific hardware configurations

  • Create query-based collections that are based on specific hardware configurations

  • Run reports that display specific details about hardware configurations

Hardware inventory on a Linux or UNIX server runs according to the schedule you configure in client settings. By default, this is every seven days. The client for Linux and UNIX supports both full inventory cycles and delta inventory cycles.

You can also force the client on a Linux or UNIX server to immediately run hardware inventory. To run hardware inventory, on a client use root credentials to run the following command to start a hardware inventory cycle: /opt/microsoft/configmgr/bin/ccmexec -rs hinv

For information about machine policy, see the section Computer Policy for Linux and UNIX Servers in the How to Manage Linux and UNIX Clients in Configuration Manager topic.

Actions for hardware inventory are entered into the client log file, scxcm.log.