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Digest of 'Introducing Software Metering'

Based on Microsoft Webcast 13th June 2002

 

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 Software Metering has been removed from SMS 2.0 and completely rewritten.  It no longer incorporates any part of the original ABC Software FoxPro Application and is a pure Microsoft, WMI based client side process that periodically pushes data to the SMS Site Database just like the familiar mechanisms for Hinv and Sinv .

In General

  1. Collects no data by default. Only collects data on list of admin defined processes.  This drastically reduces the monitoring activity and is a more likely scenario for most administrators. 
  2. Monitoring takes place locally using a new locally installed WMI provider and Namespace.
  3. Using the new WMI provider it is now possible to keep track of per session processes on a Terminal Server for metering purposes.
  4. Software Metering data accumulates 'Offline', locally on the client until it is time to be pushed.  This means there is no interruption to the process for mobile clients.
  5. In conjunction with Software Inventory, can be used to report per user or per machine software usage.
  6. Software Metering data is treated just like Hinv or Sinv data in that it is processed and stored in the single SMS Site database and is accessible through the SMS Admin Console.  The client delivers Software Metering data to the intermediate collection point (CAP or MP) using the normal mechanisms e.g. CopyQmgr for standard client and BITS for Advanced client.
  7. There is no form of licence enforcement or denial.  There are no licences.
  8. Software Metering versions between SMS 2.0 and SMS 2003 are completely incompatible.  There is no migration and SMS 2003 sites will not process or handle any data from an SMS 2.0 child site.
  9. Tiny client footprint (Code is 1/60th size of SMS 2.0)
  10. Software Metering rules are defined via the Admin Console by the administrator.  These define the file name, original file name, version and language of the process to be monitored.

 

 

Software Metering Processor (Running on SMS Site Server)

  1. Creates and maintains the software metering inboxes on the site server. (SMS\Inboxes\SwmProc.box)
  2. Compiles metering rules into XML files. (MeterRules.MRX)
  3. Places resulting rule files onto CAPs for standard clients to download.  (Policies, defining metering rules for mobile clients, are created by the Policy Provider and delivered through the management points)
  4. Processes incoming data files from clients
  5. Usage data reports from clients in .mux files Through CAP or MP
  6. Usage data stored in SMS site database
  7. Processes metering data into the SMS site database
  8. Stores detailed usage data from clients
  9. Summarizes data into periodic and file usage data
  10. Database Maintenance Tasks:
    Delete Aged Software Metering Data
    Delete Aged Software Metering Summary Data
    Summarize Software Metering File Usage Data (Product)
    Summarize Software Metering Periodic Usage Data (User)  
  11. Periodic usage data is user based e.g. 'How many times a specific program is run by a specific user on a specific client within the time interval '
  12. File usage data is program based e.g. 'How many users (total and concurrent) ran the program within a specific time interval
  13. Separate tasks to summarize and age out data

 

Software Metering Data Manager (Running on the Client)

  1. Standard Client: Periodically reading the rules from the CAP and writing new rules into the WMI repository
  2. Advanced Client: The policy agent reads metering rules from the Management Point and updates the local WMI repository.
  3. Notifying the software metering provider of any changes in the metering rules
  4. Compiling metering data from the WMI repository into an XML output file (*.MUX)
  5. Requesting the data to be sent to the CAP or MP
  6. Configuring the client Schedule.  Firstly, how often data is returned to, and secondly how often new rules are read from the CAP or MP

 

Software Metering Consumer Provider  (Running on the Client)

  1. Permanent consumer that responds to WMI process events
  2. Only activated if one or more metering rules have been downloaded.  The metering rules are used to place the appropriate event subscription in wmi.
  3. Filters incoming process events against metering rules
  4. Takes appropriate action
  5. Create metering history record
  6. Update metering history record
  7. Stores all data usage events

 

Process Event Provider - PrepDrv.Sys (Running on the Client)

  1. An Event provider that detects and surfaces Win32_Process stop/start events to WMI.  WMI queues these to the Software Metering Consumer Provider.
  2. In Windows 9x, the mechanism is different.  The Agent polls the process list at a configurable polling interval in the same way as the SMS 2.0 LicClint.exe used to work