Inventory software on Linux
Inventory
For hardware inventory in Windows systems, opsi uses Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and reads the client software from the registry. On Linux, the software data is read from the distribution's package manager. Hardware inventory relies on boot image methods.
Functions
Like i-doit, opsi is also based on the ITIL standard and offers further options that go far beyond the actual inventory process: They include automated operating system installation, patch management, software deployment, and – as an add-on – user profile management. A software inventory feature rounds off the package. Cofunded extensions are EUR2,200 (~$2,300) each, license management and an Nagios integrated agent can be added to the software. An image backup routine is also available as a cofunded option for about the same price.
The opsi interface provides all the necessary information in different tabs; groups, directories, and clients are visualized in a list view on the left in the program window. Context-sensitive information is available in the right panel of the window. A reporting function queries the acquired inventory data, sorted by category, and processes the data. A CSV converter is also in place (Figure 4).
Open-AudIT
From Australia's Opmantek [15], Open-AudIT is one of the less well known IT inventory solution packages in Europe. The program requires a LAMP environment on Linux – as do both the other packages discussed in this article – and is available as an installation script of 35MB, which you can download from the Internet.
Like the other inventory programs, Open-AudIT will not currently run on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus), because it is designed for PHP 5.x. Moreover, Open-AudIT requires a 64-bit operating system. In our lab, I was able to install Open-AudIT on Ubuntu derivatives such as Zorin OS 9.0, however. To use the web interface, make sure that the browser supports HTML5.
In addition to the community version, which only has a basic feature set and does not include any support, there is also an Enterprise variant, which is designed for organizations of various sizes depending on the subscription model. Customers also have access to commercial support service in the Enterprise version.
The prices for the Enterprise versions vary, as a function of the number of node objects, between $250 per year (up to 100 nodes) and $800 per year for a maximum of 500 nodes (US$). For large companies with an even larger infrastructure, individual packages can be put together on request. Node means a complete device, such as a workstation, but not a single component, such as a hard disk or a processor.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
NVIDIA Released Driver for Upcoming NVIDIA 560 GPU for Linux
Not only has NVIDIA released the driver for its upcoming CPU series, it's the first release that defaults to using open-source GPU kernel modules.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 24.07 Released
If you’re into rolling release Linux distributions, OpenMandriva ROME has a new snapshot with a new kernel.
-
Kernel 6.10 Available for General Usage
Linus Torvalds has released the 6.10 kernel and it includes significant performance increases for Intel Core hybrid systems and more.
-
TUXEDO Computers Releases InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen9 Laptop
Sporting either AMD or Intel CPUs, the TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 is an extremely compact, lightweight, sturdy powerhouse.
-
Google Extends Support for Linux Kernels Used for Android
Because the LTS Linux kernel releases are so important to Android, Google has decided to extend the support period beyond that offered by the kernel development team.
-
Linux Mint 22 Stable Delayed
If you're anxious about getting your hands on the stable release of Linux Mint 22, it looks as if you're going to have to wait a bit longer.
-
Nitrux 3.5.1 Available for Install
The latest version of the immutable, systemd-free distribution includes an updated kernel and NVIDIA driver.
-
Debian 12.6 Released with Plenty of Bug Fixes and Updates
The sixth update to Debian "Bookworm" is all about security mitigations and making adjustments for some "serious problems."
-
Canonical Offers 12-Year LTS for Open Source Docker Images
Canonical is expanding its LTS offering to reach beyond the DEB packages with a new distro-less Docker image.
-
Plasma Desktop 6.1 Released with Several Enhancements
If you're a fan of Plasma Desktop, you should be excited about this new point release.