Performing initial configuration on Linux (BigFix scenario)

During the initial configuration, you create a License Metric Tool database and the application administrator. You also set up a connection to the BigFix® server and database.

Before you begin

  • Ensure that the DB2 user has the DBAUTH permission for the BigFix database (BFENT). The permission applies only if the database was installed with default settings, and all customizations and hardening configurations were consulted with IBM support.
  • To reuse DB2 that you installed for BigFix with License Metric Tool, increase the number of active databases to at least 3. To increase the number, log in as the DB2 instance owner, and run the following command. Then, restart the database server.
    db2 update dbm cfg using NUMDB number_of_active_databases

Procedure

  1. Create the License Metric Tool database.
    • If the DB2 server is installed on the same computer as the License Metric Tool server, perform the following steps.
      1. Select The application and the database are on the same computer. The host name, port number, and the default name of the database are filled in automatically. If you want to specify a different name of the database, you can choose any name that meets the DB2 naming requirements.
        Restriction: Do not use the same name as the name of the BigFix database.
      2. Provide credentials of the operating systems user that will be used for connecting to the database. The user can be an instance owner.
        Tip: Create a dedicated user for connecting to DB2.
      3. To create the database, click Create.
    • If the DB2 server is installed on a different computer than the License Metric Tool server, perform the following steps.
      1. Clear The application and the database are on the same computer check box.
      2. Provide the host name and port number of the computer where the DB2 server is installed, and specify the name for the application database. You can use the default name or choose any name that meets the DB2 naming requirements.
        Restriction: Do not use the same name as the name of the BigFix database.
      3. Provide credentials of the operating systems user that will be used for connecting to the database. The user can be an instance owner.
        Tip: Create a dedicated user for connecting to DB2.
      4. To download a script that is used for creating the database, click Download Script.
      5. Move the script to the computer where the DB2 server is installed and run it. The script creates a database that can be accessed by the user that you specified in substep c.
        Important: The user who runs the script must have the SYSADM authority. You can use the DB2 instance owner.
      6. When the database is created, return to the computer on which you are configuring License Metric Tool, and click Create.
  2. Create the administrator of License Metric Tool.
    Tip: Avoid using admin, administrator, root or a similar name for the administrative account. Such an account might be prone to hacker attacks and locked out if an attacker exceeds the specified number of failed login attempts. For more information about the account lockout, see: Configuring user account lockout.
  3. Select BigFix as the type of the data source, and click Next.
  4. From the Data Source Type list, choose BigFix on DB2 or BigFix on SQL Server. Then, provide the name of the data source.
  5. Optional: The Enable default scan schedule for this data source check box is selected by default. Clear this check box if you want to manually configure the scans.

    If you enable the default scan schedule, actions that are needed to collect data from the computers in your infrastructure are automatically started on the BigFix server. This option is advised for environments with up to a few thousand computers. For larger environments, finish the installation, divide the computers into groups, and then manually set up scan schedule for each group to avoid performance issues. For more information about the default and manual scan schedule, see: Setting up data collection (BigFix scenario).

  6. Configure the connection to the database for the BigFix server. The database stores information about the computers and data that was discovered on these computers. Specify the host, port, database name, and credentials of the user that can access the BigFix database.
    Panel for configuring the connection to the BigFix database
    If you selected BigFix on SQL Server, the format of the host name depends on whether you are connecting to a default instance of the MS SQL Server and use the default port.
      Default instance of MS SQL Server Non-default instance of MS SQL Server
    Default port hostname hostname\instance_name:port
    Non-default port hostname:port hostname\instance_name:port
  7. Configure the connection to the BigFix server. The host name or IP address, and the API port number are automatically retrieved from the database. Specify only the administrative user that you created during the installation of BigFix.
    Panel for configuring the BigFix server user.
    Note: If you do not want to provide the Master Operator, you can create a dedicated BigFix user that fulfills the following requirements:
    • Is assigned the IBM License Reporting (ILMT) v9 site
    • Is assigned computers that you are going to monitor, and the computer where the BigFix server is installed
    • Has the following permissions: Can use REST API, Can use Console, Custom Content, Can Create Actions
    The option is supported starting from BigFix 9.5.
  8. Optional: If the BigFix and License Metric Tool servers are in separated networks, the automatic address lookup might return incorrect address. To disable the lookup, select Disable automatic address lookup, and specify the address manually. Then, configure additional environment variables on the License Metric Tool server. For more information, see: Configuring servers in separate networks (BigFix scenario).
  9. To create connections to the databases, click Create.

What to do next

Wait for the initial setup to complete. Then, set up data collection.

To increase security of the transferred data, it is recommended to enable encrypted connection to the License Metric Tool database. For more information, see: Enabling encrypted connection to the database.