Managing Dell Command Update

We're using Dell Command Update to manage BIOS updates, drivers, etc. on our computers.  I'm trying to figure out a way to accomplish a couple of things with Inventory & Deploy.

1. Install the latest version of DCU.  No problem, I have a Deploy package for that.
2. Configure DCU.  It's currently configured, but I want to change it what it's doing.  Not hard to do, but I also want to build collections in Inventory that will help me know which ones have the old config vs new config.
3. When you configure DCU you can specify an output log:

if defined ProgramFiles(x86) (

   set dcuPath="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"

) else (

   set dcuPath="%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"

)

set outLogPath="%ProgramData%\Dell\CommandUpdate\DCU_Main.log"

%dcuPath% /configure -autoSuspendBitLocker=enable -scheduleAuto -scheduleAction=DownloadInstallAndNotify -scheduledReboot=60 -lockSettings=enable -updateType=bios,application,utility -updateSeverity=critical,security -outputLog=%outLogPath% -silent 

And

if defined ProgramFiles(x86) (

   set dcuPath="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"

) else (

   set dcuPath="%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"

)

set outLogPath="%ProgramData%\Dell\CommandUpdate\DCU_BIOSpw.log"

%dcuPath% /configure -biosPassword="mysecrectpassword" -outputLog=%outLogPath% -silent

The log files will basically show that the config was applied, AND, it will show the actual values that were applied. 

To check if the config is the way I want, I can run:

%dcuPath% /configure -exportSettings="%PROGRAMDATA%\Dell\CommandUpdate" -silent

And it will create an XML file of the currently configured settings.

4. So finally, here’s my question: How can PDQ Inventory evaluate the XML file to determine if DCU has the right config? Right now, I’m doing a convoluted process like this:

   find /I "Daily" %logPath% >nul

   if NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 copy %logPath% "%logFolder%\DCU_NewConfig.xml"

and then creating a collection that looks for DCU_NewConfig.xml.  Is there a better way?

5. Also, the config.xml file does not indicate whether DCU knows the BIOS password or not. This is important because DCU won’t be able to apply BIOS updates unless it can unlock the IBOS with the current password. The only way I can figure out how to do this is to use the DCU configuration output log file that is created during the configuration process (DCU_BIOSpw.log).  This will show that the BIOS password has been set.  The problem is, it shows the actual password in the Log file and I’d rather not have a file sitting on every computer with the BIOS password in plain text.

I thought about creating a FIND command that would search that file for the password, and then if it exists, delete the log file and create a new blank file called DCU_BIOSPW_exists.txt or something.  Then I can create a collection based on the existence of that file. 

Sorry for the long message.  That all seems overly complex and I’m hoping that someone who uses Dell computers and Dell Command Update has figured out a way more efficiently manage those configurations and be able to report on them in PDQ Inventory. 

Thanks.