BigFix
From RiceFamily Wiki
Contents
- 1 Sites
- 2 Subjects
- 3 Items to Remember
- 4 Tutorials and Training Material
- 5 Items to investigate further
- 6 Integrations
- 7 Diagnostics
- 8 Current Issues
- 9 Remote Site Relay Hardware
- 10 History
- 11 Relevance
- 12 I Want to ...
- 13 Content
- 13.1 Utilities
- 13.2 Documentation
- 13.3 Diagnostics
- 13.4 DSA Server
- 13.5 Performance
- 13.6 Utilities
- 13.7 Logging Documentation
- 13.8 Client
- 13.9 Service Now Items of Note
- 13.10 OS Deployment
- 13.11 REST API Content
- 13.12 IBM AIX Support in BigFix
- 13.13 Custom Content Creation
- 13.14 Interesting items
- 13.15 Documentation
- 13.16 WebUI Documentation
- 13.17 IEM Component Articles
- 13.18 Tools that might be useful
- 13.19 Pages about odd information
- 14 Projects
- 15 Support Links
- 16 Notes
Sites
Subjects
Items to Remember
- How will IBM BigFix Patch address new servicing models for Windows 7 and 8.1?
- KB0024021
- TASK1728858 - Relay Refresh with X3250 and RS140's.
- RITM1309391 - Decommission request for DEMO & CON1
- BigFix WebUI
- RITM1518487 - New DMZ Relay
- RITM1518488 - New DMZ Relay
- Root Server Hardware Specs - Discussion about running in a VM
- TASK2593699 - Requesting Service Account for WebUI DB access.
- TASK2597919 - Requesting Service Account SQL access required for WebUI functionality based on documentation from IBM.
- RITM2013089 - SSL Request for Test Environment
- RITM2118451 - Restore Firewall rule for Relays in DMZ (restoring access from Internet on port 52311)
- 7Zip 18.05 x64 Update
- PRJ0064377 - Relay Project
- KB0029526 - DHTS Work Instructions on Clearing/Resetting a BigFix Relay
- RITM2240495 - Technical Bridge request for DNS change as part of the switch from Physical to Virtual BigFix servers.
- Using DSA to replace a BigFix Server
Tutorials and Training Material
Items to investigate further
- https://github.com/jgstew/tools/blob/master/CMD/install_bigfix_universal.bat
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/using-and-understanding-the-inspector-guides/17850
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/9-5-2-problem-with-detecting-restart/17643/13
- CVE Dashboard
- One Computer - List of its Properties
- Permissions to cancel an Action - RESTAPI to stop an action.
- Managing Pending Restart and Automatic Restart of Endpoints
- Advanced Server Configuration Items
- Password Restictions
Integrations
- BigFix Integration with IBM Workload Scheduler (IWS)
- BigFix CVE Dashboard
- BigFix Command Line
- BigFix and Microsoft SCOM
Diagnostics
- http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS6MER_9.2.0/com.ibm.tivoli.tem.doc_9.2/Platform/Web_Reports/c_adding_a_datasource.html?cp=SS6MER_9.2.0&lang=en
- http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS6MER_9.2.0/com.ibm.tivoli.tem.doc_9.2/Platform/Web_Reports/c_deploy_standaloneWR.html
- http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS6MER_9.2.0/com.ibm.tivoli.tem.doc_9.2/Platform/Web_Reports/c_configuring_AD_web_reports.html
- http://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SS6MER_9.2.0/com.ibm.tivoli.tem.doc_9.2/Platform/Web_Reports/c_post_LDAP_upgrade_steps.html
Current Issues
- WMI Select with a Where clause
- BigFix on Embedded Windows Devices
- ILMT Needs to be upgraded
- Making an Action Relevant after a particular day of week
- IBM BigFix Inventory
- Microsoft Windows Patching
- Software Distribtuion
- IBM BigFix Relay Maintenance
- Linux Based Relays Going Off-Line
- Microsoft Delta Updates
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/autopkg-integration-for-mac-os-x/11590
Remote Site Relay Hardware
I need to spec out hardware for Relays to place at "Remote" locations. These systems don't need to have massive processors or tons of RAM, they just need a decent network connection, and they need to be cheap.
After a little Googling I found these systems ...
- Lenovo RS140 - $746.10
Our Facilities Manager doesn't like them because they don't have Dual Power Supplies. My thought is "that's fine", I plan to use them in an N+1 configuration for each location anyway. If there is even dual power available at a location, we can always connect the even numbered units to one leg of power and the odd numbered units to the other leg of power. If power fails at a site, my guess is most of the workstations will go with it, and there won't be a huge need for the Relays ANYWAY.
The Solutions
It looks like it's going to be a combination of both the RS140 and the X3250 from Lenovo.
- Lenovo RS140
- Low Cost
- Mountable in 2 post rack systems (TelComm Racks)
- Single Power Supply
- Lenovo X3250-m5
- Low Cost
- Mountable in standard server racks
- Dual Power Supplies available as an option
History
The search for inexpensive rackable computers with Dual Power Supplies until I can convince someone it's a bad idea.
- Dell PowerEdge R420 (Cannot locate on Dell's Web Site)
- Dell PowerEdge R330 - $1,385.40 - Configured with No OS, No RAID, 500GB SATA Drive, Dual Power Supplies and 8GB RAM.
- [1] - "Ribbed for your viewing pleasure!" External Cooling vanes. Not Rack mountable and very expensive. Not an option, but funny!
- ABMX rack mountable server - $1,238 with dual PS, 8gb ram, and 500gb hd
- ABMX Rack mountable servers
- Wall Mount Rack
Relevance
- Relevance Question: List out all relevant fixlets for a Computer Group
- Action Parameter to define IP Address
- string values of selects "MediaLoaded from Win32_CDROMDrive" of wmi
- Examples of Relevance From IBM
- IBM BigFix Session Relevance
I Want to ...
- Enable SAML 2.0 under BigFix
- Improve Performance
- Uninstall software that's not being used
- Ensure that the BigFix client and Communications are secure
- Efficiently use BigFix to patch a brand new Computer
- Know How BigFix works
- Change where the BigFix Console stores it's Cache data
- View information about BigFix managed computers
- Install the BigFix client on Windows
- Install the BigFix client on Windows from the DMZ or Outside the Network
- Install the BigFix client on OS X
- Install the BigFix clinet on OS X from the DMZ or Outside the Network
- Install the BigFix client on Linux
- Install the BigFix clinet on Linux from the DMZ or Outside the Network
- Create a Patching Baseline for the Citrix Servers
- Create a Patching Baseline for the Monthly Microsoft patches
- Change the Owner property for the BigFix Client
- Parse CSV with Regular Expressions and Tuples
- Deploy the BigFix Client to a number of remote computers
- Determine how the BES Client knows there is something to do?
- Determine how long a Computer has been in BigFix
- Determine what the 'external' IP address of a computer is
- Read data from both branches of a 64bit Windows system
- Restart a Win2012r2 Core server
- Monitor BES Relays
- How to disable NotBIOS on Windows computers
- Generate Random Numbers
- Stagger Action Start Times AND Content Downloads in BigFix
- Run PowerShell Scripts from BigFix
- Work with Windows Scheduled Tasks from BigFix
- Install SSL Certs on the WebUI Server
- Improve BigFix Server Performance
- Deploy an Action the user can trigger or that will start on a schedule
- Best Practices for Managing Baselines
- How does BigFix determine if a reboot is required (Windows)
- Detect Apple OS X WDE Encryption Status
Content
Utilities
Documentation
- List of most helpful BigFix links
- WebUI Server Settings Definitions
- IBM BigFix Relay Optimization in Large Environments
- BigFix Quick Reference Page
- BigFix Bare Metal OS Deployment
- How to create a Windows Software Install Fixlet from scratch
- Developer BigFix Documentation
- Server Automation
- IBM BigFix Videos
- BigFix Inventory - Managing VM managers
- Videos related to IBM BigFix
- Managing VM managers
- DSA replication is failing with named instance databases
- IBM BigFix 9.5 Documents in PDF
- Strings from BESRelay.exe that look like settings
- Strings from BESClient.exe that look like settings
- BFI RESTAPI Documentation
- BigFix Docs in PDF
- List of Unicode Characters in Latin Script
- Unmanaged Assett Scan Importer
- Unmanaged Asset Scanner Documentation
- What does the Send Refresh on the right click menu of a computer do in the BigFix Console?
- Common Relevance Error Messgaes
- IBM BigFix Product Videos
- Replacement for use of (now) in Action Scripts
- BigFix Inventory - Advanced Server Configuration Settings
- Dynamic Downloads
- Use of the PIPE character in relevance
- Override Action Script Command
- Disable WebUI Session Timeout
- YouTube Videos about BigFix
- Autoselection Failsafe Controls
- Server Migration
Diagnostics
DSA Server
- Distributed Server Architecture
- IBM BigFix Distributed Server Architecture DSA Installation and Configuration
- Adding DSA server
- DSA Configuration Considerations
- Switching the Master Server (Windows)
- DSA Recovery - Windows
- Using DSA to replace a BigFix Server
- BigFix Server Migration
Performance
Utilities
Logging Documentation
Client
Service Now Items of Note
- RITM0819411/REQ0812148 - Requested DMZ Server for BigFix/Service-Now Test/Dev
- Tools to interact with BigFix SOAP API
- FOrums.BigFix.com posting about ServiceNow
OS Deployment
REST API Content
- The BigFix REST API
- Baselines and RestAPI, What Gives?
- SOAP API Example in VB
- Relevance to export all properties for all computers
- Session Relevance, Analyses results and the Rest API
IBM AIX Support in BigFix
Custom Content Creation
- Make-Prefetch now supports both Python 2 & 3
- Creating Parameterized Fixlet's
- How can I write an action statement that provides information about the operator who runs a task or fixlet on the client
- Using WOW64 Redirection
- Detect and Remove malicious eDell root certificate
- IBM BigFix Secure Parameters
Interesting items
- Is today the 2nd Tuesday of the month?
- Undelete Actions via SQL commands
- Customizing the Self-Service Portal
- SQL Analysis Properties
- if exists (domain users(names of logged on users))then full names of domain users(names of logged on users)else if exists (users(names of logged on users)) then "local account" else "none"
- File being Uploaded never shows Completed Status in Software Distribution dashboard
- Internet Facing Relays
- Need a Secure way to prompt a console user for a password
- BigFix OS Deployment Content
- Enable Custom Site to bypass a Client Lock State
- Terminal Services Recommended Settings
- BitLocker Analysis
- BitLocker Events from Logs
- Adjust Console Timeout settings to prevent Error 28's
- Get the current Action Name while running the Action
- Download Folder Path
- POSTMan
- Tracking Logins for Local Administrator Accounts
- Configure Preference for IP v4
- Is there a way to externally tell if an action is running?
Client Installation Information
- Can I automatically assign a Relay when installing a client
- Deploying clients that won't be able to talk to the IEM server
- Forum post about Mac Client installation issues
- Can I automatically assign a TEM Client a particular relay at installation time?
Client Configuration Content
Creating Custom Content
- exists keys "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sassafras\Install\KeyAccess" of (x64 registries; x32 registries)
- Automatically creating patches using BigFix Fixlets - VERY Cool Concept!
- Omitting HTML tag from BES Fixlet Descriptions
- Interesting Ideas for Fixlets
- SavingThrow Anti-ADWare
- Dual Monitor Relevance - Still needs work. Doesn't report correct results on my Lenovo AIO.
- Install IEM OSD on Air Gapped IEM for PIN
- IEM Tickets to Remember
- Notes on intentionally Air-Gapping an IEM Installation
- IBM Endpoint Manager Relevance Language Information
- IBM Endpoint Manager Action Information
- IBM Endpoint Manager Web Reports
- Software Installation Information
- Disaster Server Architecture
- IBM Endpoint Manager API Scripting
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/microsoft-patch-tuesday-detail-summary-report/6786
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/relevance-question-sum-of-applicable-computer-counts-and-group-membership/12245
- Software Installation Documentation
- Relevance Cheat Sheet
- RESTAPI: Generate uninstall tasks for all MSI applications on target computer - Windows
- TEM Client Deployment in a VDI Cloned pool infrastructure
- Allow non-Master Operators to stop other actions
- Retrieve information for a Removed Computer before the database is purged
- Enumerate Multiple Monitors
- Gather files from endpoints
- Connecting your IEM Environment to Bigfix.Me
- IEM Tickets to Remember
- Forum post about Mac Client installation issues
- Notes on intentionally Air-Gapping an IEM Installation
- IBM Endpoint Manager Relevance Language Information
- IBM Endpoint Manager Action Information
- IBM Endpoint Manager Web Reports
- Software Installation Information
- Disaster Server Architecture
- IBM Endpoint Manager API Scripting
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/microsoft-patch-tuesday-detail-summary-report/6786
- https://forum.bigfix.com/t/relevance-question-sum-of-applicable-computer-counts-and-group-membership/12245
- Software Installation Documentation
- RESTAPI: Generate uninstall tasks for all MSI applications on target computer - Windows
- TEM Client Deployment in a VDI Cloned pool infrastructure
- Allow non-Master Operators to stop other actions
- Retrieve information for a Removed Computer before the database is purged
Documentation
- List of most helpful BigFix links
- IBM BigFix Relay Optimization in Large Environments
- FTP Server with the BigFix 9.2 Documentation in PDF format
- JGStew keeps a page with Documentation links on it
- Logged On User Information
- IBM Endpoint Manager Version 9.0 - DOCUMENTATION
- REST API Documentation
- Inspector Documentation
- Bigfix.me Inspector Guide
- IEM Video on YouTube
- Upload and Archive Manager
- Baseline Information
- Fixlet Authoring
- Recommended Client Settings from JGStew
- Creating Custom Dashboards for Bigfix
- Action Object Documentation
- Schedule-able Compliance by Computer Web Reports
- RedHat Patching Documentation
- MsiExec.exe and InstMsi.exe Error Messages
- BigFix Server Automation Documentation
- Server Disk Performance
- Decompress Utility
- Relay Autoselection Failsafe Controls
- How do I turn on more detailed logging for the TEM Client?
- How do I turn on detailed message debug logging for the non-Windows TEM Client?
- Relays.dat Parser
- FORUM: Windows or Linux Relay
WebUI Documentation
- WebUI Administration Guide
- WebUI Users Guide
- Service Application Installation & Configuration Guide
- Managing BigFix Offers on Your Device
- Automatic Patching
IEM Component Articles
Tools that might be useful
- Microsoft ORCA.exe
- Netwrix Change Audit Tool for Windows Server
- A quick look at the IBM endpoint Security Strategy
- Yara Malware tool
Pages about odd information
- Null Session Shares (not a good idea!)
- A quick look at the IBM Endpoint Security Strategy
- How can I clean out and reset my BigFix Relays
- Clean and Reset IBM BigFix Relays
- IBM BigFix Custom Repositories
