Lenovo ThinkPad G40 Series Service manual

IBM System Information Center
Administrator’s Guide
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IBM System Information Center
Administrator’s Guide
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Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the information in
Appendix C, “Notices,” on page 95.
First Edition (October 2004)
© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2004. All rights reserved.
US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract
with IBM Corp.

Contents
About this guide . . . . . . . . . . .v
Who should read this guide . . . . . . . . .vi
Additional information . . . . . . . . . .vi
Chapter 1. About the System
Information Center program . . . . . .1
Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
The System Information Center program . . . .1
The System Information Gatherer program . . .1
Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Chapter 2. Installing the System
Information Center program on a server .5
Installation requirements . . . . . . . . . .5
Server requirements . . . . . . . . . . .5
System Information Center console . . . . . .6
Installing and configuring a Windows server . . .6
Installing Windows 2000 Server . . . . . . .6
Installing Windows Server 2003 . . . . . . .6
Disabling Internet Information Services (IIS) . . .7
Installing the System Information Center program . .7
Quick installation . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Custom installation . . . . . . . . . . .9
Securing your network with Secure Sockets Layer
(SSL) security . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Chapter 3. Installing the System
Information Gatherer program . . . . .15
Minimum requirements . . . . . . . . . .15
The client computer . . . . . . . . . .15
Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Considerations for installing the client agent . .16
Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Performing an attended installation . . . . . .17
Permanently installing the client agent . . . .17
Temporarily using the client agent . . . . . .18
Performing an unattended installation . . . . .18
Setting up an unattended installation from a
shortcut . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Performing an unattended installation from a
command line . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Chapter 4. Using the System
Information Center program . . . . .21
Understanding user accounts and functions . . .21
Creating accounts . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Creating the primary Administrator account . .23
Creating user accounts . . . . . . . . .23
Setting user account privileges . . . . . . .24
Registering an asset . . . . . . . . . . .24
Registering a remote asset . . . . . . . .24
Registering an asset connected to the network . .25
Performing other basic functions . . . . . . .26
Chapter 5. Performing System
Information Center advanced functions .27
Working with tasks . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Creating a task . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Editing a task . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Running a task . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Working with reports . . . . . . . . . . .32
Generating a common report . . . . . . .33
Creating a custom report . . . . . . . . .34
Generating a custom report . . . . . . . .35
Sending a specialized e-mail . . . . . . . . .36
Sending an e-mail to all users . . . . . . .36
Sending an e-mail to a selected user or users . .36
Reprocessing the database . . . . . . . . .37
Working with the ISIC.PROPERTIES file . . . . .37
Editing the ISIC.PROPERTIES file . . . . . .37
Exporting information using the System Information
Center program . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Importing information into a database . . . . .41
Performing other advanced functions . . . . . .42
Chapter 6. Problem solving . . . . . .45
Recovering when the System Information Center
program is not running . . . . . . . . . .45
Using log files to solve a problem . . . . . . .45
Viewing the server status to solve a problem . . .46
Improving server performance to solve a problem 46
What you need before calling IBM . . . . . . .47
Setting up the Trusted Sites zone . . . . . . .47
Chapter 7. Getting help and support . .49
Using the documentation and help system . . . .49
Using the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Contacting a System Information Center technical
expert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Obtaining support . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Appendix A. Modifying the
ISIC.PROPERTIES file . . . . . . . .51
Template of field information . . . . . . . .51
Example: ISIC.PROPERTIES file . . . . . . .51
Appendix B. Using database
information . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Asset and user information tables . . . . . . .79
Internal system tables . . . . . . . . . . .88
Appendix C. Notices . . . . . . . . .95
Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 iii

iv

About this guide
The IBM
®
System Information Center program is an IBM ThinkVantage
™
Technology aimed at helping enterprises reduce costs by providing efficient ways
of managing asset information. With this program, you can effectively manage
assets and details regarding each asset without using a large resource-dependent
client application. Assets that can be managed include servers, desktop computers,
mobile computers, and options such as monitors, printers, uninterruptible power
supplies (UPS), and tape drives.
This guide offers information on the following areas:
v Installing the System Information Center program
v Preparing your IBM and non-IBM assets for the IBM System Information
Gatherer program installation
v Creating separate User, Super-User, and Administrator accounts and
understanding the functions each user account can perform
v Performing advanced functions
v Solving problems
v Getting support
This
guide also supplements the System Information Center help system, which
provides step-by-step instructions on how to perform specific tasks within the
program.
This guide is organized as follows:
Chapter 1, “About the System Information Center program,” on page 1 introduces
the System Information Center program, providing an overview of features and
design details.
Chapter 2, “Installing the System Information Center program on a server,” on
page 5 contains a list of installation requirements and instructions for installing the
System Information Center program.
Chapter 3, “Installing the System Information Gatherer program,” on page 15
instructs how to install the client portion of the System Information Center
program through either an attended or an unattended installation process.
Chapter 4, “Using the System Information Center program,” on page 21 explains
how to create user accounts (User, Super-User, and Administrator) and information
about each account, how to register an asset, and other basic functions.
Chapter 5, “Performing System Information Center advanced functions,” on page
27 details how to customize the System Information Center program to work with
tasks, reports, and e-mails and how to reprocess the database, export, and work
with the ISIC.PROPERTIES file.
Chapter 6, “Problem solving,” on page 45 describes what to do if the System
Information Center program displays poor performance.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 v

Chapter 7, “Getting help and support,” on page 49 explains how to get support for
the System Information Center program and describes the scope of the support
that is available.
Who should read this guide
The IBM System Information Center Administrator’s Guide is intended for
administrators, system engineers, network administrators, and customer engineers
who need a flexible and affordable asset-inventory management tool that does not
require a large client application.
To successfully install the program and perform Administrator account level tasks,
the following skills are necessary:
v Ability to install and configure the Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server
2003 operating systems.
v An understanding of how SQL-compliant databases store information.
v Ability to follow detailed instructions on configuring files to customize aspects
of the System Information Center program so that it fits your enterprise
environment.
Additional information
You can obtain additional information about the System Information Center
program from the following web site:
http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?Indocid=MIGR-56187
This IBM System Information Center Administrator’s Guide might be updated
periodically. The updated versions will be made available at this Web site.
vi

Chapter 1. About the System Information Center program
The System Information Center program provides ways for you to efficiently
manage asset inventory and details regarding each asset. Asset information is
gathered on client computers and delivered to a central built-in database provided
with the program. Or, information can be manually entered for non-personal
computer assets. After the information is entered in the database, you can
manipulate it and view it to generate a variety of reports or to perform a
multitude of tasks and advanced functions.
This chapter describes the following information about the System Information
program:
v “Components”
v “Architecture” on page 2
v “Features” on page 3
Components
The System Information Center program consists of two major components: the
IBM System Information Center program and the IBM System Information
Gatherer program. Each component has prerequisites for the System Information
Center program to run correctly.
The System Information Center program
The System Information Center program resides on a Web application server and
populates a database with information provided by the client agent (also called the
System Information Gatherer program). The program also renders information
provided by the client agent in a Web-based graphical user interface (GUI) where a
variety of functions (including generating reports, tasks, and specialized e-mails)
are performed.
Three types of user accounts can use the System Information Center program:
User, Super-User, and Administrator. Each user account has its own privileges,
with the Administrator having the most comprehensive authority. For details about
creating user accounts and the functions related to each account, see Chapter 4,
“Using the System Information Center program,” on page 21.
The System Information Gatherer program
The System Information Gatherer program (also called the client agent) scans
computer assets (such as desktop, mobile, and server computers) for important
hardware and software information as well as for client security settings. In
addition, the client agent scans for other IBM ThinkVantage Technology
deployment information. ThinkVantage Technologies are predominantly software
innovations delivered through the IBM ThinkPad notebook and ThinkCentre
desktop computer brands. ThinkVantage Technologies make computing simpler
and safer by helping protect data, reduce costs, and increase user productivity. The
client agent also gathers a rich set of hardware information, including client
network name, serial and model number, processor type and speed, device drivers,
BIOS level and settings, network settings, and memory information.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 1

The client agent can be permanently installed on a client computer by
downloading it from the Web, from the System Information Center program CD,
or from the System Information Center program menu structure. Or, it can be
temporarily used when a User uploads asset information to the database. The
client agent can also be activated from the client using a command-line interface.
Information is added to the database either when Users initiate a scan or when
Administrators create schedules that perform periodic scans of one or more assets
across an enterprise. A scan can be performed without requiring any changes to
the client computer; however, the client agent must be permanently installed on
the asset to perform a scheduled scan. In cases where a client computer is
disconnected from the network during a scheduled scan, the most recent scan will
be uploaded upon re-connection.
Note: For each license of System Information Gatherer purchased, you may install
and use one (1) copy of System Information Gatherer. Any machine on which
System Information Gatherer is installed must have a separate Proof of
Entitlement. Your System Information Gatherer license constitutes one (1) System
Information Gatherer Proof of Entitlement. Additional System Information Gatherer
Proofs of Entitlement for non-IBM systems may be purchased separately from IBM.
All IBM PCs automatically include such an authorization. Your PC invoice
constitutes your System Information Gatherer Proof of Entitlement for that system.
For additional information, refer to the License Information included with the IBM
International License Agreement for Non-Warranted Programs. You will be given
an opportunity to view this license and agree to its terms during the installation
process. You also can view this license from the Help menu of the administrator’s
console.
Architecture
The following figure shows the architecture of the System Information Center
program after you install it (see Chapter 2, “Installing the System Information
Center program on a server,” on page 5). The System Information Center program
uses Apache Tomcat and an embedded SQL-compliant database such as the IBM
Cloudscape
™
database, both of which rely on Java
™
SDK. The Microsoft
®
Windows
®
Server operating system (OS) is the foundation for the entire
architecture. If you choose to enable e-mail functions provided by the System
Information Center program, the following figure illustrates how an e-mail SMTP
(Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server interacts with the System Information
Center. The SMTP server requires a server operating system; however the Java
component is optional. An SMTP server is not included as part of the System
Information Center program.
IBM System Information Center program
Server OS
JAVA SDK
Apache Tomcat IBM Cloudscape database
Server OS
JAVA
SMTP
Figure 1. The System Information Center program architecture after installation on the left; on
the right, the architecture of the optional e-mail server
2