Configuring Central Server - PDQ Inventory

Purpose

You wish to configure PDQ Inventory in Central Server mode. If you will be converting an existing PDQ Inventory console to Client Mode and have custom Collections, Scan Profiles, Reports, and Tools on that console, see the Migrating custom collections, scan profiles, reports, and tools from a local installation section of this article first.

Resolution

There are three available options when configuring PDQ Inventory:

1. Local Mode: a standalone console of PDQ Inventory using its own local database.
2. Server Mode: a PDQ Inventory console used to house the central database, collections, tools, scan profiles, and reports. Consoles in Client Mode will connect to this machine through a TCP port.
3. Client Mode: the console(s) of PDQ Inventory used to connect to the Central Server's database (collections, tools, scan profiles, and reports). No local database or background service is installed on this machine.

Feature overview

Central Server addresses the need to share collections, tools (see What changes when you enable Central Server), scan profiles, and reports between PDQ Inventory consoles by creating a server/client relationship. In this model, the PDQ Inventory consoles in Client Mode access the collections, reports, and tools on the PDQ Inventory console running in Server Mode, using the Server's database and background service. The PDQ Inventory console in Server Mode may also initiate scans and perform other tasks; however, they are initiated in the same way a standalone, locally-installed PDQ Inventory console would.

A Server/Client relationship consists of one Server Mode console and one or more Client Mode consoles. Although a Client Mode console can connect to only one Central Server, organizations can maintain multiple independent Server/Client relationships. See the Central Server limitations section for additional details.

What changes when you enable Central Server

• If a file is required for a tool (for example, Dameware or PsExec), the file will need to be installed on the PDQ Inventory client console. The tool definition is stored on the server, but is executed on the client.
• When in Server or Client Mode, Scan Caching is no longer an option. Central Server replaces Scan Caching.
• In existing PDQ installations, PDQ Inventory consoles configured in Server Mode will retain all collections, tools, scan profiles, and reports, including any custom items. On the other hand, PDQ Inventory consoles configured in Client Mode will not retain any custom collections, tools, reports, variables, or custom fields.
• As a corollary to the above, shared collections and reports are also not retained between PDQ Inventory Server/Client Mode consoles. Sharing will be disabled on PDQ consoles where Server or Client Mode is selected and the collections or reports will be retained on the console where they were created.
• You may receive a warning if the number of concurrent sessions between the client consoles of the PDQ program exceeds the number of licenses that exist for the account. For more information on this warning, see the Concurrent Sessions Exceeded the Licensed Limit article.

Setting up PDQ Inventory in Server Mode

1. Upon installing a new PDQ Inventory console, you will be prompted to complete the post-installation wizard:

   

2. You will be prompted to enter your PDQ Inventory license. Central Server requires an Enterprise license. Enter the license or browse to the license text file and click OK.

   

3. Click Next on the License Key window.

   

4. In the Enterprise Installation Type window, select Server and click Next.
   

5. In the Server Network Configuration window, select the appropriate values.

   • TCP Port: By default, PDQ Inventory will use port number 7337. If you are already using port 7337 within your environment, change this to an unassigned port (for example: 7575, 8282). If Windows Firewall is enabled, check the Create exception in firewall for service executable box to open up the TCP port in Windows Firewall.
   • Server IP Addresses: For a multi-homed PDQ Inventory console, select either Listen on all IP addresses (default) or enumerate the Server IP Addresses in the text field. Values are comma-delimited (for example: 172.16.155.200,10.144.144.42).
   • Background Service User Credentials: These credentials are used to run the PDQ Inventory service. The user must have administrative privileges on the PDQ Inventory server console computer and any PDQ Inventory consoles running in Client Mode. Credentials must be entered before continuing the Initialize PDQ Inventory wizard. See this article for more information: PDQ Deploy & Inventory Credentials Explained

   

   The Windows Firewall exception that's created is equivalent to running the following command:

    

   netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="PDQ Inventory" dir=in action=allow program="C:\Program Files (x86)\Admin Arsenal\PDQ Inventory\PDQInventoryService.exe" enable=yes localport=7337 remoteport=7337 protocol=tcp profile=any

6. Click Finish to complete the wizard.

Setting up PDQ Inventory in Client Mode

In order to set up a PDQ Inventory console in Client Mode, a server PDQ Inventory console must already be configured and operational.

1. Upon installing a new PDQ Inventory console, you will be prompted to complete the post-installation wizard:

   

2. You will be prompted to enter your PDQ Inventory license; Central Server requires an Enterprise license. Enter the license or browse to the license text file and click OK.

   
   

3. Click Next on the License Key window.

   

4. In the Enterprise Installation Type window, select Client and then Next.

   

5. Type the name of the PDQ Inventory console operating in Server Mode and the port used by that server.

   

6. Click Finish to complete the wizard.

Background Service and Credentials

PDQ Inventory consoles running in Client Mode do not run the Background Service and therefore do not need access to this option. Instead, the PDQ Inventory clients use the Background Service running from the Server console.

When running in Server Mode, PDQ Inventory Options > Background Service shows the following window:

When running in Client Mode, PDQ Inventory Options > Background Service shows the following window since the background service now runs on the PDQ Inventory server console:

Central Server limitations

• While the PDQ Inventory console running in Server Mode performs the majority of tasks initiated from the PDQ Inventory Client Mode consoles, certain limitations apply, such as running Tools, which are performed by the local PDQ Inventory console. If files (for example, Dameware or PsExec) are required for a tool, it must be available on PDQ client console.
• It is possible to have multiple PDQ Inventory consoles operating in Server Mode, but it is not possible for a PDQ Inventory console running in Client Mode to connect to more than one server at a time.
• Sessions from a Client to the Server, including the Server (if the console is open on the Server), are limited by the number of concurrent sessions as defined by the quantity enumerated in your Enterprise license. See Concurrent Sessions Exceeded the Licensed Limit for more information.

Migrating custom collections, scan profiles, reports, and tools from a local installation

Exporting custom collections

• In the main window of a PDQ Inventory console running in Local Mode, select the custom collections you wish to export. Right-click the selection and click Export from the context menu.

Exporting custom scan profiles

• In the main window of a PDQ Inventory console running in Local Mode, navigate to Computer > Scan Profiles or click on Scan Profiles in the top ribbon. Select one or more custom scan profiles, right-click the selection, and click Export from the context menu.

Exporting custom reports

• In the main window of a PDQ Inventory console running in Local Mode, navigate to the Reports folder in the Navigation Pane. Select one or more custom reports, right-click the selection, and click Export from the context menu. If you have organized your custom reports in folders, you can also right-click the folder and click Export from the context menu.

Exporting custom tools

• In the main window of a PDQ Inventory console running in Local Mode, click on the Tools menu in the Navigation Pane. Select one or more custom Tools, right-click the selection, and click Export from the context menu.

Importing custom collections, scan profiles, reports, and tools

• On the PDQ Inventory console in Server Mode, open File > Import (or Ctrl+I), navigate to the saved XML file and import the XML.
• The Collections, Scan Profiles, Reports, and Tools will then be imported into PDQ Inventory.
• Proceed to configure Client Mode on the PDQ Inventory console designated to be the client.