SmartCenter Desktop Agent

1) Almaden Desktop Agent (ADA) architecture   

Almaden (Automatos) Desktop Agent (ADA) is the agent responsible for enabling the collection of hardware, software, performance and configuration change inventory information from desktops, analyzing the collected data and presenting them in the form of reports. Said services are deployed in an Internet-centric manner and in an automated manner, allowing them to be operated whenever and wherever you need technology asset management information.   

The description of the general architecture of the services is presented below.   

1.1) Components   

The Service uses three basic components in its operation:   

1. The Portal on the Internet (environment-v2.almaden.app and environment-smartcenter.almaden.app)   

2. The Collecting Agents   

3. The ALMADEN CLOUD intelligent analytical system   

I – Web pages   

Secure Site

This page is the interface through which the user can use and customize Almaden’ services. The user mandatorily needs to create a personal account on this page before using any service. The personal account page is accessed through a secure connection (SSL) using an identification (the user’s own email address) and a password defined by the user.    

Secure Site – environment-smartcenter.almaden.app

Intelligent interface that handles collected information in which the user can manage technology assets according to ITAM best practices. The personal account page is accessed through a secure connection (SSL) and is modeled according to the access level allowed for the user. 

II – Collecting Agents   

Said components monitor the equipment chosen by users, collecting data about its operation and configuration, encrypting it, compressing it and sending it to ALMADEN CLOUD via the Internet.   

The ADA Agent, used for workstations, works based on the combination of two distinct modules, the Agent Module and the Relay Module:   

• Agent Module 

The Agent Module (aengine) is installed on the equipment to be monitored. It collects, compresses and sends monitored data to the Relay Module. The ADA can also optionally send samples directly to ALMADEN CLOUD if an http connection is available between them. The way in which information is acquired by the Agent Module is one of the differentials of Almaden’ services, since, in most cases, data is acquired directly from the operating system kernel, greatly reducing intrusion on them. Actually, agents are designed to collect data in the least intrusive way possible for each operating system platform.   

• Relay Module   

The Relay Module (arelay) receives data from one or more Agent Modules, encrypts it and sends it to the ALMADEN CLOUD. It takes place as follows: the Relay Module opens queues of concurrent connections with the ALMADEN CLOUD for sending data. Each machine will have its data package sent, one at a time, to the same queue, thus ensuring the order of the data.   

The connection queues that the Relay Module opens with ALMADEN CLOUD are configurable through parameters. (See item 2.2, c.) It is possible to perform configurations such as: number of queues that can be opened with ALMADEN CLOUD, maximum and minimum number of packets in a queue, minimum percentage of queue size reduction, and time in seconds to scan queues.   

The Relay Module can be installed on the same equipment as the Agent Module, providing the equipment with autonomy to communicate directly with the ALMADEN CLOUD. If there is a need to concentrate transmissions to the Internet at a single point, the Relay Module can be installed on a separate desktop, which we call Relay Server. A single Relay Server can concentrate and send data from several Agent Modules to ALMADEN CLOUD. It is also possible to configure an alternate Relay Server, which is automatically used in case of failure of the main Relay Server.   

The architecture in separate modules was designed to provide great versatility in the installation of agents. The Relay Server acts as a sort of selective proxy for the Almaden service, which can be used to communicate isolated networks (for example, for security reasons) with the Internet, without violating current security policies. The figures below show the different ways to deploy agents:  

III – ALMADEN CLOUD

This is the component that hosts the IT intelligence included in Almaden’ services. In the first phase of the service operation cycle, ALMADEN CLOUD is responsible for receiving, decompressing, decrypting, storing and analyzing the data sent by the agents in a database. Once the storage is done, the user can activate the intelligence contained in the ALMADEN CLOUD, through the services available on the pages environment-v2.almaden.app and environment-smartcenter.almaden.app, to analyze the collected data and produce conclusive and customized reports.   

1.2) Supported Platforms   

Microsoft Windows family, Intel Platform only:   

• Windows 8; 
• Windows 8.1; 
• Windows 10;
• Windows 11.

Linux family, Intel Platform only:   

• Distributions based on RedHat (rpm); 
• Debian based distributions (dpkg). 

1.3) Plug-ins for the ADA Agent   

Collecting agents have an open architecture that allows the installation of plug-ins capable of extending the functionality of an agent, enabling it to monitor other equipment performance parameters, such as collecting application performance measurements.   

The following plug-ins are currently available in the ADA:   

Plug-ins installed with the ADA package:   

• Plug-in Asset (inventory of hardware, software, network, modem, system, monitor, etc.) Multimedia: information collection from the equipment’s moving disks:  

• RegistryScan: Collection of general information via registration, either for confirmation or obtainment.  
• FileDir: Collection of file system and executable file addresses whose activity has been logged;  
• Group: collects Windows authentication security groups;  
• User: Collects users created locally or from a domain that are part of local groups; – LogInOut: It collects login and logout events;  

• Monitor: Collects information from the monitor plugged into the equipment;  
• Slotinfo: Collects information about memory slots, what is occupying them and PCI slots; 
• Sysinfo: Collects all hardware features of the equipment;  
• Modem: Collects the modems of the equipment;  
• Network: Collects information from the equipment’s network interfaces, collects geolocation information via op-api.com or Google geoservice 

• Software: It collects software information.  

• Plug-in Capacity (inventory and storage monitoring)   

                 Average: Collects the information averages. 

• Plug-in Performance (resource usage monitoring and load planning)   

• NetStat: Collects consumption information from network interfaces;   
• PsStat: Collects consumption generated by processes running on the equipment.  
• VmStat: Collects information on the equipment’s processing and memory consumption; 
• IoStat: Collects performance information from disks. 

• Printer Monitor Plug-in (printer inventory and monitoring) – prtmon: Collects information from print drivers.  

• Plug-in of Software Metering (Measurement of software use and executables) – Softwaremetering: Collects information on actual software usage.  

• Antivirus Plug-in (checks Norton Antivirus and McAfee Antivirus update date on desktops)   

• – Antivirus Collects information on the last antivirus update date (Symantec and Macfee only). 

• PowerManager plug-in (power profile configuration management)  

• PowerManager: Collects and changes power consumption settings.  

  Separate installation plug-ins:   

Almaden (Automatos) NetScan Plug-in is a plug-in for the ADA Agent Module that can search for active IP addresses and access configuration data from them. This data is periodically searched and automatically sent to AVSE, along with other samples from the ADA. One of the most important features of NetScan is knowing the exact number of your company’s workstations. It scans the network and shows the number of machines that the company’s network has, and which machines do not yet have the Almaden (Automatos) agent installed..   

Requirements   

• You must have the ADA installed for the product to work.   
• You must have System Administrator privileges on the operating systems to which this applies.   
• The host must be powered on at least once within the defined period to search for active IP addresses. You will have to choose the range(s) of IP addresses for the search.   

Netscan Installation   

1. The plugin is distributed in an executable file. Run it to start the installation and follow the onscreen instructions.   

2. In the “License Agreement” window, select the “I accept” box, if you accept the license terms, and click on “Yes”. Otherwise, click on “No” to exit the installation.   

3. If in the item above you have clicked on “Yes”. In the Next window click on “Finish”.   

Netscan configuration   

After installing the plugin, follow the steps described below to choose the range(s) of IP addresses to be searched on the network:   

1. Open the ADA Control Center (ADA graphical interface). You can do this by clicking on the ADA icon on the taskbar or by going to the folder chosen during the ADA installation. 

2. Click on “Configuration” from the menu at the top of the ADA Control Center window and then click on “Agent” from the sub-menu. A new window, named “Agent Configuration”, will open. 

3. In the “Agent Configuration” window, choose the “Plug-ins” tab, and then double-click on “NetScan Almaden (Automatos)”. The “Ada NetScan Plug-in” window will open. 

4. To add an IP range to be searched, click on the “Add” button or press the “Insert” key. 

5. Then, in the “Add New Settings” window, fill in the fields and dialog boxes accordingly:   

1. “IP address from”: Starting IP address to be searched   

2. “to”: Final IP address to be searched   

3. “Department Name”: This setting is optional. If you enter a name in this field, every IP address within the range you set will be considered as belonging to the Department whose name you enter in this field.   

4. “Use SNMP”: This option will allow data collection via SNMP in case of Netbios failure. As Netbios is only used on Windows platforms, with SNMP scanning it will be possible to detect computers from other operating systems.   

6. Data collection will take place as follows:   

1. The plug-in sends the “ping” to the address or IP range informed;   

2. In case it fails, it tries to get information through Netbios;   

3. If Netbios fails and the option to use SNMP is enabled, the plug-in tries to obtain this information using SNMP.   

4. If the SNMP attempt fails too, the plug-in tries to extract it using the reverse DNS. In other words, it identifies the hostname based on the IP address of a given machine.   

7. On persistence of the failure, the computer will not be added to the collection.   

NOTE: In case of Netbios failure, for the SNMP to be able to collect data remotely, it is necessary that the machine from where you want to extract the data has the SNMP agent installed. The user should be aware that when opting for SNMP, the collection duration time will be longer.   

• “Desktop/Server”: You must choose one of the two options to identify all machines within the IP address range as “Desktops” or “Servers”.   

The default option is “Desktop”. After making this choice, you can edit it (see item 3.7). This can transfer backlog from desktop to server. A confirmation message will be displayed for you to confirm the operation or not.   

• “Ping each IP before scanning”: When selected, this option will cause the NetScan plugin to contact each address before “scanning” it to access configuration data. If you set this option, the contact must be successful. Otherwise, the machine will not be scanned.   

• “Include non-Windows Machines”: Set this option if you want to search for non-Windows machines as well. Any type of machine can be found (Unix/Linux), as long as Samba Server is correctly installed and configured on it. This option is only available when you select the “Ping each IP before scanning” option.   

8. Click on the “Ok” button to include the range in the list of ranges to be searched.   

9. Repeat steps 3.4 through 3.6 for each additional IP address range you want to search. To change a range’s settings, click to select it, then click on the “Edit” button or double-click it. To remove a range, click to select it and then click on the “Delete” button or press the “Delete” key.   

NOTE: If an address, or range of IP addresses, that overlaps with others previously established is entered, an error message similar to this one will be displayed:  

“Rows X and Y overlap”, where x and y are the lines where ranges overlap.  

You must delete one of the conflicting lines, or edit it to resolve the conflict.   

10. Fill in the “Frequency” field: Period in hours within which intervals are to be searched. The default period is 12 hours.   

11. Inform the “Timeout”: the amount of time to wait in milliseconds to receive a response from a polling contact. The default period is 2000 milliseconds.   

12. Click on the “OK” button at the top right corner of the “Ada NetScan Plug-in” window.   

13. Back in the “Plug-ins” tab in the “Agent Configuration” window, click on the “OK” button.   

Restart the ADA. The NetScan search will start working immediately after that.   

1.4) Associated agents 

Almaden (Automatos) Software Uninstaller (Controls the installation of unauthorized software and the storage of unauthorized files on your company’s desktops.)   

• Almaden (Automatos) Autoupdate (allows to automatically update Almaden products)  

2) Using Almaden (Automatos) Desktop Agent (ADA)   

2.1) Prerequisites for installing the agent   

Before installing the ADA on the desktop you want to monitor, make sure you have some mandatory functionality available in your connectivity features and your operating system. ADA can only be installed on Windows family operating systems.   

I – Connectivity requirements   

• In case you are using the Relay Module, you must install it on a desktop with Internet access (via Proxy/Firewall or NAT). The connection must support SSL or HTTP protocol and must be active during installation.   
• The station hosting the Relay Module should be responding to “ping” calls during installation. A “ping” (ICMP Echo) will be issued by the Agent Module during installation, checking if the relay is working. When the Relay Server is on a different subnet, be sure to “ping” the target machine before installing the Agent Module.   

II – Requirements for Windows family operating systems   

If you already have a previous version of any other Almaden agent installed on your desktop, you must uninstall it before installing the downloaded version. Uninstall Almaden agents via the Add or Remove Programs function, from the Windows Control Panel or via the Linux installation manager (rpm or dpkg).   

• If you are using an unsupported Operating System, we cannot guarantee the correct operation of all Almaden collectors; 
• To install the agent, it is necessary to use an account with administrator rights;   

2.1.1) Creating an account at Almaden

Click on Register on environment-smartcenter.almaden.app page and fill in the form presented with some data about your company to be clearly identified by Almaden. Fill in the form details carefully, especially the email, which will be used as your customer ID (User ID). This ‘User ID’ will be required when installing Almaden agents.   

You will be asked to enter your email and password twice to avoid mistakes.   

After successful account creation, a confirmation email will be sent to you. You can then enter the environment-smartcenter.almaden.app page using your email and password.   

2.1.2) Agent download   

With the main account, in the SmartCenter portal, in the administrative menu, there is a menu to download the installation package already configured for your account. 

2.2) Installing the ADA   

If you want the agent to request a password upon removal, before installing the  

ADA, please read item 2.3.2.   

a) Via graphical interface   

The ADA is distributed in the form of an executable file. Run it to start the installation process and follow the instructions in the windows that is displayed:   

1. In the ‘License Agreement’ window, carefully read the license terms and if you accept it, select ‘I agree’ to continue the installation and then click on ‘Yes’. If you do not accept it, click on ‘No’ to exit the installation.   

2. Enter your ‘User ID’ or ’Customer ID’, which is the ‘email address’ entered when creating your account on the environment-smartcenter.almaden.app website. If you have not yet created your account, please do so before proceeding with the installation, by accessing environment-smartcenter.almaden.app.  

3. Enter the department to which your server belongs. This information helps you to group servers while using the website’s services. This is optional information, and can be changed later at environment-smartcenter.almaden.app. If you do not enter a department, the server will be included in the “Default” department.   

4. Choose the directory where you want the program’s binaries to be installed.   

5. Choose the type of installation you want:   

1. Express Setup: It will only install the Agent Module.   

2. Custom Setup: This allows you to choose the module to be installed.  

6. If you choose Express Setup, just click on Next. The installer will then attempt to establish a connection over HTTP to ALMADEN CLOUD. If it fails, you must install the ADA using the Relay Module, as described for Custom Setup.   

7. If you choose Custom Setup, you will be directed to a new window in which you will have to choose the modules to be installed: Agent, Relay, or both.   

1. If you choose only the Agent Module, you will be taken to a new window, in which you will have to choose the way the agent will connect with ALMADEN CLOUD. If you choose HTTP, you must inform the HTTP server and port that will receive the samples; use the default values unless you are installing the ADA with assistance from the Almaden support team. If you choose the option to use a Relay on another server, you must inform the IP address or the name of the machine running the Relay Module and its port.   

2. If you choose the Relay Module or both, you will be taken to another window where you can tell if the agent installation will be automatically or manually connected to ALMADEN CLOUD. If you just click on Next, it will try to establish the connection via SSL or HTTP. Almaden’ encryption technology ensures that the same level of security is obtained using any chosen or detected protocol option.   

Changing the default protocol will be allowed in the ADA Control Center, which is the ADA graphical user interface, available after completing the installation process.   

I. Due to operating system limitations, the ADA will not install the Relay Module on Windows 95, 98, and Me. In these cases, you will have to use the Relay Module installed on another server or use HTTP direct transmission (via wininet).   

c. If both connection attempts fail, you will be asked to choose the protocol and configure the connection manually. You can also force the installer to let you configure the installation manually by checking this option on the previous page before clicking on Next. Proceed as stated below to configure the connection manually:   

1. Choose the connection protocol you want the Relay Module to use. Please be aware that the ADA installer will test the connection after setup is complete, so it must be working by now, or you will not be able to continue the installation. If there is a firewall or proxy between your company’s network and the internet, choose the option “I have a firewall and will configure it later” to skip the connection test and configure the communication protocol and firewall later, through ADA Control (if the Relay Module was installed locally). Remember that services are developed over the internet. This means that they will not work if internet access is not available, nor the connection to ALMADEN CLOUD is correctly configured.   

2. Use the default server and port number (unless installing the agent with assistance from the Aumaden support team).   

8. Choose the program folder where you want the ADA Control Center shortcut to be placed.   

9. After successfully installing the agent, the machine will automatically be enrolled for system operation and monitoring activity will start automatically. It is recommended that in a few minutes after finishing the installation you log into your environment-smartcenter.almaden.app account and check if the desktop has been correctly enabled on it or not. You can do this by verifying whether your computer appears in the list of subscribed machines in the Asset Wizard service’s report generation menu.   

10. If you have any other issues or questions, please ask for additional support through the SUPPORT page with in environment-smartcenter.almaden.app. 

b) Via command line   

You can do a silent installation through command lines, which can be written in executable command files.   

Command lines always have the following format:  

ADA.XXX.exe –s –a –s -<change command>   

Where ADA.XXX.exe is the agent’s executable command, such as: ada-3.6.8-en.automatos.exe   

When performing a silent installation, the following switches should be used before any other options: “s -a -s”. The –ca and –cr switches or both must also be used for silent installation.   

Available switches:   

Switch: -iUSERID   

Description: Mandatory switch that specifies the User ID of the customer.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -idemo@almaden.app -bdepartment –cr -ca   

Switch: -bDEPARTMENT   

Description: Switch that specifies the department where the machine will be registered.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -bAgents –cr -ca   

Switch: -caHOST:PORT   

Description: The Agent Module will install and send collections to the HOST using the PORT.  OS: Windows and Linux   

Exemple ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -ca200.44.5.6:80   

Switch: -cmdfile   

Description: This switch allows us to specify the path to a text file, containing the installation parameters, on the command line. The “-sas” and “-pl” flags cannot be inside the text file to be used for installation. The -cmdfile is useful for installing ADA on Windows 9x, which has a maximum command line size limitation to apply.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a –s – cmdfile”\\servername\dir1\commandline.txt”   

Switch: –   

Description: All software in the collection that has not been installed via Windows Installer or has no “UninstallString” value will be disregarded.  

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada-XXXX.exe –s –a –s –cpm   

Switch: -plPATH   

Description: Path where the installation log file will be created.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -plc:\ -pi:c:\ada -ixyz@almaden.app -ca   

Switch: -crPROTOCOL:HOST:PORT   

Description: The Relay Module will be installed and will transmit data to the HOST using the PROTOCOL (HTTP or SSL) through the PORT   

 OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -plc:\ -ixyz@almaden.app -crhttp:10.54.1.18:80   

Switch: -credUSER:PASSWORD:DOMAIN   

Description: For Firewall Authentication   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a –s -ixyz@almaden.app -bDepartment credUSER:PASSWORD:DOMAIN   

Switch: –   

Description: Physically removes the agent.  

OS: Windows   

Example: adaXXXX.exe -s -a -s -erase   

Switch: -httpHOST:PORT   

Description: Configures the agent to communicate directly with ALMADEN CLOUD via HTTP protocol.  OS: Windows and Linux   

Examples: 1 – ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app –bAgents – http:environment-receiver.almaden.app:80 (by default environment-receiver.almaden.app server and port 80)   

 2 – ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -bAgents -http:environment-smartcenter.almaden.app:80 (using alternative data reception address)   

Switch: –   

Description: Indicates that the graphical interface should not be shown.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -bAgents –cr -ca -noui   

Switch: -oaarHOST:PORT   

Description: Sets an alternate, or secondary, HOST Relay using the PORT port.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -oaarWMICHEL:1999   

Switch: -orfpADDRESS:PORT   

Description: Set the firewall IP address and port.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -orf192.168.0.253:2560   

Switch: -orlpPORT   

Description: Defines the IP port to be used by the Relay Server to receive collections.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -orlp1999   

Switch: -noperf   

Description: Disables ADA performance measurement features. Once applied, this switch causes the agent to stop sending collections every hour.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.xxx.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -btest -noperf   

Switch: -piPATH   

Description: Specifies the path where ADA will be installed.   

OS: Windows  

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -plc:\ -pi:c:\ada -iyour@userid.com –ca   

Switch: -prtcond   

Description: Enables sending the status of the printer(s)  

OS: Windows  

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a –s –prtcond -iyour@userid.com   

Switch: -prtstat   

Description: Enables the sending of printer statistics.   

OS: Windows  

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a –s –prtstat -iyour@userid.com   

Switch: -relHOST:PORT (Configure an agent to use a relay on the end. Xyz)   

Description: Configures an agent to use a relay at address “xyz”. This relay can be locally installed or not.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -bAgents -rel:192.168.1.48:1999   

Switch: –   

Description: Enables detection of software that does not register with Windows. This procedure implies a longer scanning. Use it only when strictly necessary.   

OS: Windows  

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a –s –scan   

Switch: –   

Description: Allows you to indicate plug-ins that should NOT be enabled upon installation.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -skip”Modem,Media”   

Switches: -sntp and -sntpperiod   

Description: SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) is a computer time adjustment service. From time to time (default is seven days), the service will request the right date and time from a time server and synchronize the computer with that time. To enable the SNTP service, you will have to add the following switch to the ADA installation line: sntp[server name[:port]]. Server name and port are optional. If no server name and port are filled in, the ADA will use the default values: time.windows.com:123. The –sntpperiod switch serves to define a period (in days) between two synchronization events with the time server. Its format is: -sntpperiod<days>. The <days> parameter specifies the period, in number of days, that the time server will be queried for synchronization. This switch is also optional. If it is not declared, the default period of 7 days will apply. For Windows XP, the only allowed values for this switch are: 1, 2, 3 and 7. Using any other value will cause -sntpperiod to apply the default value.   

OS: Windows  

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -sntptime.windows.com:123 –sntpperiod5   

Switch: –   

Description: Captures the subset of Microsoft Office utilities.   

OS: 9x, NT (and above).   

Example: ada.XXXX.exe -s -a -s -swbrk -ixyz@almaden.app -bsupport   

Switch: -tiTIME_INTERVAL   

Description: Time interval between consecutive collections.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -bAgents -ca -cr -ti12   

Switch: -orsfNUM   

Description: Configures the number of relay module send attempts.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -orsf10   

Switch: -nosmpolling   

Description: Disables the use of polling by default in SW Metering collections.   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -nosmpolling   

Switch: -proxyauth   

Description: Enable proxy reset through proxyauth.exe   

OS: Windows and Linux   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -proxyauth   

Switch: -nosmwin   

Description: Disables sending data about the use of program windows.   

OS: Windows   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -nosmwin   

Switch: -nounicode   

Description: Does not use Unicode in software collection.   

OS: Windows  

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -nounicode   

Switch: –   

Description: Each modem found will be tested to see if it is still in the machine and is functional.   

OS: Windows  

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -tm   

Switch: –   

Description: Enable pseudo-silent mode. In this mode only some configurator screens are displayed.   

OS: Windows  

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -ps   

Switch: -noinstkey   

Description: Does not send installation keys used in Microsoft products.   

OS: Windows   

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -noinstkey   

Switch: -nofullos   

Description: Does not send data in SysInfo collection necessary to identify whether Windows is Professional or   

 Home, whether it is Enterprise or Standard, etc.   

OS: Windows  

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app –nofullos   

Switch: -nofirsttu   

Description: This switch will make the FirstTU value equal to zero in the registry at installation time, thus preventing the department from changing the site.   

OS: Windows  

Example: adaXXX.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -nofirsttu   

Switch: -sendtimeHOURLIST   

Description: This switch makes it possible to define the interval of hours to send the ADA and Relay collections. The time interval for sending the collections will be done through a parameter, then the time used as a parameter will automatically disable the others. This interval can be from 00:00 to 23:00.   

OS: Windows  

Examples: 1 – ada.xxx.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -sendtime0-6   

In this example, 0 defines the starting time for sending the collections and 6 is the end time, in this way, collections will take place between 0:00 and 6:59 in the morning.   

2. – ada.xxx.exe -s -a –s -ixyz@almaden.app -sendtime0-6:22-23   

In this example, 2 intervals were defined for sending the collections. The 1st, which will take place between 12:00 am and 6:59 am, and the 2nd, which will take place from 10:00 pm to 11:59 pm.   

3. – ada.xxx.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -sendtime0-3:8-13:23-23   

In this example, 3 intervals were defined for sending the collections. The 1st, which will take place between 12:00 am and 3:59 am, the 2nd, which will take place between 8:00 am and 1:59 pm, and the 3rd, which will take place between 11:00 pm and 11:59 pm.   

For every time the data is not sent, the following message will be saved in the log: “Cannot send data in this hour”.   

Switch: <google token specification parameters> 

Description: This switch enables links the geolocation collection with a google geolocation service token, it is used together with the parameter that determines the frequency of collection of this information <frequency determination parameter>.   

OS: Windows  

Examples: 1 – ada.xxx.exe -s -a -s -ixyz@almaden.app -<google token specification parameters> -<frequency determination parameter>.   

c) Parameters for the Relay Module   

The parameters below can be used to control the connection queues that the Relay Module will open with ALMADEN CLOUD.   

The values for each parameter must be edited in the Windows Registry Key through the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Automatos\Asa\Relay\3.0 (illustrated in the figure below in blue). Then create a new DWORD value with the parameter name (shown in green) and enter the desired value (shown in red).   

Parameter: Max_Num_Queue   

Description: Defines the maximum number of queues that can be opened with ALMADEN CLOUD. The default is  

10 queues.   

Parameter: Max_Tus_Queue   

Description: Defines the maximum number of packets in a queue, creating a new queue when this number is exceeded. The default is 1000 packages.   

Parameter: Num_Tus_2_Check_Queue_Dec   

Description: Defines the minimum number of packets in the queue to be able to use the distribution criterion. The default is 500 packages.   

Parameter: Min_Perc_Queue_Dec   

Description: Sets the minimum percentage of queue size reduction between checks. If the queue size decreases by less than this percentage, a new queue will be created. The standard is 5% of decrease.   

Parameter: Queue_Check_Time   

Description: Sets the time in seconds to check queues. Default is 300 seconds   

2.3) Removing the ADA   

 The ADA can be removed in 2 ways:   

2.3.1) No Password   

Upon removal, the agent will not ask for a password.   

a) Via graphical interface   

Rerun the installation file you downloaded or use the Add/Remove Program function of the Windows Control Panel. Follow the instructions on the screen.   

b) Via command line   

Uninstall the ADA through the –erase switch, on the command line, as described in item 2.1.1;   

Example: adaXXXX.exe –s –a -s –erase   

3) ADA commands and functions   

3.1) Commands for Windows family platforms   

After installing the ADA, you can control, verify and customize the service through the GUI.   

The ADA’s graphical user interface (GUI) is called the ADA Control Center. It is the primary means of interacting with the ADA in the Windows environment. You can start it by clicking on the “A” icon on the taskbar or from the Automatos folder. The icon looks like this:   

The ADA Control Center has two panels. The one on the left shows installed modules and their status. The one on the right shows the configuration. See the illustration below:   

• Left Panel   

This panel shows currently installed modules. The green “cheerful face” means the module is active. The red “sad face” indicates that it is inactive. To enable/disable a module, right-click on the “faces” or click on Actions on the top command bar of the ADA Control Center.   

• Right panel   

These fields only inform the settings. They cannot be edited. To view information for one of the modules, select it in the left pane.   

I – Agent Module Status Information   

General Information   

Displays machine information: operating system, name, User ID and MachineID. The example above shows the “demo” machine running Windows. See the meaning of each exposed field:   

• System: Description of operating system’s model and version.   
• Hostname: Hostname of the monitored server.   
• User ID: It is the email you entered when creating your account. It identifies you at https://environment-smartcenter.almaden.app/ • MachineID: It is the number generated during the installation of the ADA that identifies the computer to ALMADEN CLOUD. 

3.2) Commands for Linux family platforms  

On Linux family platforms, the Agent status screen is displayed as shown below, where the main Agent modules and equipment data are displayed, such as Machine ID, User ID, Relay annotation and whether the communication to it has been successfully established, as well as the date of last collection sending or last failure date, the modules loaded and the status of each one. 

/opt/automatos/ada/bin/aengine -status 

Machine ID (MID) information   

The MID is made up of 12 bytes and is represented as a 24-character string. Each pair of characters represents a byte.    

Example:   
 

The MID is divided into four parts:   

• The first MID has a size of 6 bytes.   
• The second MID has a size of 4 bytes.   

• The platform and OS identifier is 1 byte in size   
• The checksum of the above items is 1 byte in size. In the example above:   
• The first ID is: 00 10 AE 04 56 AA   
• The second ID is: 00 34 AE 04   
• The platform and OS identifier is: 15   
• The checksum is: E4   

The item 3 is comprised as follows: the first character is the OS, the second character is the platform.   

Example:   

If item 3 of the MID is 51 we will have: Linux + IntelX86  

Current OS character values:
SO	Value
WINNT	1
WIN9X	2
AIX	3
SOLARIS	4
LINUX	5
HP	6
TRU64	7
FREEBSD	8
WINCE	12

Current Platform character values:
Platform	Value
INTELX86	1
INTELI64	2
RISC	3
IBMS390	4
ALPHA	5
NEW_INTELx86	5
PWINCE	14

Windows: The first ID is the MAC address of one of the network cards (it can be any), the second ID is the hostname of the machine in the form of a hash and the platform/OS identifier can be 15 for windows NT base and above 

Linux: The first ID is the MAC address of one of the network cards (it can be any one), the second ID is the hostname of the machine in the form of a hash and the platform/OS identifier is 51   

Agent Status   

• Service Status: Indicates whether the Agent is active or not   
• Version: Agent’s version   
• PID: Agent’s identification number   

• Started at: Date and time of the last activation   

Data Transmission   

• Connected to:   

 If the ADA was installed using Relay Module, it will show the IP address of the machine on which the Relay Module is running where the collected data is being sent.   If ADA was installed using a direct http connection to ALMADEN CLOUD, it will show the ALMADEN CLOUD IP address or hostname.   

  If the loopback interface value is being displayed, the agent is using the Relay Module installed on the same machine. This is only possible for Windows NT 4.0, 2000 and XP operating systems.   

• Last TX bytes: Number of bytes sent in the last collection.   
• Total TX bytes: Total bytes sent from the last activation so far.   

• Last sent: Date and time of the last collection sending.   
• Last failure: Date and time of the last transmission failure. If there are no faults recorded, the message will be “unknown”.   
• TX packets: Total number of packages sent   
• Package backlog: Total packets waiting to be transmitted   

On the Left Panel, open the Agent Module directory. Under this directory there are the following status panels that can be displayed:   

Plug-ins   

• Shows installed collection modules and their status.   

Log File   

• Shows all events happened with the Agent. The Linux file must be read directly into the /var/opt/automatos/ada/*.elog. directory.   

II – Relay Module status information   

Said panels can only be viewed if the Relay Module has been installed locally. This is only possible for Windows and Linux operating systems. The Relay Module panel is similar to the Agent Module:   

General Information   

Displays machine information: operating system, name, User ID and MachineID. The example shown in Figure 3.1 shows the “WRBRAGA” machine running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 installed. The meaning of each field is presented below:   

• System: Description of operating system’s model and version.   
• Hostname: Hostname of the monitored server.   
• User ID: It is the email you entered when creating your account. It identifies you at https://environment-smartcenter.almaden.app/ • MachineID: It is the number generated during the installation of the ADA that identifies the computer to ALMADEN CLOUD.   

Relay Status   

• Service Status: Indicates whether the Relay Module is active or not.   
• Version: Version of Relay Module.   

• PID: Relay Module identifier number.   
• Started at: Date and time of the last activation.   
• ASA Connections: Number of ASA agents sending data to this Relay Module.   
• ADA Connections: Number of ADA agents sending data to this Relay Module.   

Data Reception   

• Memory Queue: Data packets in memory awaiting transmission to ALMADEN CLOUD.   
• Disk Queue: Data packets on disk awaiting transmission to ALMADEN CLOUD.   
• TotalRXBytes: Total bytes received by the Relay Module from the last activation so far.   

Data Transmission   

• Connected: If the transmission mode is SSL this field contains the IP address of ALMADEN CLOUD. If the transmission mode is HTTP, this field shows the time that the last connection with ALMADEN CLOUD lasted.   
• Proxy/Firewall: Address of your proxy server or firewall, if any.   

• Mode: protocol used in communication. It can be SSL or HTTP.   
• Last Sent: Date and time the last collection was sent.   
• Last failure: Date and time of the last transmission failure. If there are no faults recorded, the message will be “unknown”.   
• Packets sent: Number of collections sent.   
• Failures count: Number of failed transmission attempts.   

• LastTXbytes: Number of bytes sent by the Relay Module to the ALMADEN CLOUD in the last transmission.   

On the Left Panel, open the Relay Module directory. Under this directory there are the following status panels that can be displayed:   

Connections   

• Shows a description of the monitored machines that are sending data to this Relay Module.   

Log File   

• Shows all events occurred with the Relay Module on Windows, for Linux the file must be read directly in the directory /var/opt/automatos/ada/*.rlog.   

III – Top Bar Commands   

Action   

• Here you can start or stop modules. You can also reload plug-ins.   

Edit   

• Here you can copy the text of the log files (Log File), which constitute a record of the agents’ actions, and send them to the Windows clipboard. You also have the option to copy your machine’s MachineID to your Windows clipboard.   

Configuration   

Here you can change the configuration of installed modules. Below is an explanation about the use of each option.   

ADA Control   

The Ada Control Configuration dialog box is displayed when the ADA Control option is clicked on   

Configuration. In this dialog it is possible to change some ADA presentation parameters, such as color scheme, sounds, etc. Its fields are self-explanatory. Click on the Apply button to run the changes.   

Agent   

Clicking on Agent will bring up the Agent Module configuration window. In this window you can change some of the Agent Module parameters. This window has three tabs as described below:   

 I – General tab:   

• User ID: It is the email informed when creating the account, which identifies you at https://environment-smartcenter.almaden.app/. This field is read-only.   
• Temporary Files Path: Place where collections are stored until they are sent to the Relay Module.   

• Sustained Transmission Errors: Time the Agent remains active without being able to transmit collections. The Agent automatically stops when it is unable to transmit its collections for the period specified in this field.   

II – Guia Relay 

Primary Relay   

• Relay Server: Primary Relay Server IP   

• Relay Port: Primary Relay Server port. Alternate Relay Panel   

• Relay Server: Alternate Relay Server IP. It is automatically used when Primary Relay is not available.   
• Relay Port: Alternate Relay Server port.   

III – Plug-ins tab  

Shows the list of installed plugins. By double clicking on the plugin, you can update it online.   

Relay Module   

Clicking on Relay will display the Relay Module configuration window. In this window you can change some of the Relay Module parameters. This window has 4 pages that can be accessed from the directory tree on its left panel, as described below.   

General Settings page   

• User ID: Your email, provided when installing the agent. This email identifies you to the account that this agent will report to. Cannot be edited.   
• Temporary Files Path: Place where collections are stored until sent to ALMADEN CLOUD;   
• Relay Shutdown Triggers: These are the conditions that determine the automatic stop of the Relay Module. If the Relay Module is unable to transmit collections to ALMADEN CLOUD during the period specified in Sustained TX Errors or if the number of collections to transmit exceeds the number specified in Max Files in Backlog, the agent automatically stops. The “default” values are 24 hours and 50,000 files.   

Communications Port page   

• Port: IP port used to transmit collections from Agents to Relay. The default value is 1999, you can change it to avoid conflicts. If you change the port, don’t forget to change the agents too.   

Protocol Selection Page   

Type Panel   

• SSL / HTTP: Allows you to choose the form of transmission of collections to ALMADEN CLOUD. Both protocols have the same level of security and use high quality encryption to transmit data.   

Server panel   

• Name or IP: Name or IP address of the server used for transmitting the collections.   
• Port: Port used for transmission of collections. We suggest that you do not change these fields unless instructed by the Almaden support group.   

Firewall Settings Page   

Edit this setting only if there is a firewall between your network and the Internet.   

Panel Type   

• None / Proxy / Proxy Authenticated / etc.: Choose the type of firewall you use. If there is no firewall on your network, choose “None”.   

Panel Server   

This panel is disabled if the “Transparent Proxy” firewall is chosen.   

• Name or IP: name or IP address of the firewall.   
• Port: communication port with firewall.   

Authentication Info panel   

This panel is enabled when firewalls with authentication are selected.   

• UserID: name of a user with firewall access.   

• Password: user password.   
• Domain: fill in the Windows NT domain when prompted.   

Apply button   

• Click this button to carry out the changes made in the fields above.   
• There is no “undo” button. If you need to change the parameters back to their original value, you’ll have to change them individually and hit Apply again!   

3.2) Commands for DOS   

Although the ADA Control Center is the main interface on Windows platforms, and some commands can be executed through a DOS window.   

The syntax for the Agent Module is always as follows:   

aengine – <command name>   

For the Relay Module, the sintax is as follows:   

arelay – <command name>   

If ADA is being used on Windows 95, 98 and Millenium platforms, the arelay command cannot be run.   

For the complete list of commands (help), just run:   

aengine – h  arelay – h   

Description of commands for aengine and arelay:   

-: Run the module in the console for debugging; 

-: Shows the list of commands; 

-: install the module;  

-: It “gently” stops the service and its processes. Precautions such as closing open files, etc. are taken. If it takes too long, try using the –K command;   

-: Stops service instantly and abruptly; 

-: Shows the MachineID of the computer. This is the number that identifies your machine to ALMADEN CLOUD;   

-: Displays module status (active or inactive); 

-: Create Windows registry keys for Agent Module; 

-: Starts the service; 

-: Shows the module version; 

-: Uninstall the module. 

3.3) Recommendations, instructions and warnings:   

General warnings and caveats   

• If you change a machine’s network card or operating system, and the agent cannot find the machine’s serial number, ALMADEN CLOUD erroneously assumes it is a new enabled machine. If this happens, please contact our support team via the SUPPORT link on the support.automatos.com page.   

• If you need to concentrate transmissions from multiple Agent Modules on just one Internet connection, you should use only one server with the Relay Module installed. However, the Relay Module can only support 30 concurrent Agent Modules in its default configuration, if you need more connections optimally make changes to the send settings to handle the new load. Each Relay has a maximum capacity of 350 ASA agents simultaneously, above that we recommend installing more relays in the transmission structure.   

3.4) Log files   

Log files are created and updated by the agent at each occurrence of a significant event, such as the establishment of a connection with the Relay Module, the drop of this connection, running errors, etc. These files are essential for the Almaden support team to help the customer to debug the agent’s operational problems. These files are located in the following directories, depending on your operating system platform:   

• Agent log on Windows: In the \\tmp subdirectory of the directory you specified during installation. The default path for Windows is C:\\Program Files\\Automates\\Automatos Desktop Agent\\tmp; 

• Package installation log on Windows: the (Almaden) Automatos package generates an installation management log in the %temp% directory of the user used in the execution; 

• Agent Log on Linux: it is stored by default in the /var/opr/automatos/ada directory.   

Please send them to the Almaden support team when requested.