Inventory beacon changes and fixes

FlexNet Manager Suite version 2019 R2

Support for macOS 10.15

While it is not necessary to upgrade inventory beacons that are simply uploading inventory files (and conversely, downloading policy files and future upgrade packages) for the latest FlexNet inventory agent running locally on an Apple device running macOS 10.15 or later, there are two other related scenarios where you must upgrade your inventory beacons:
  • Adoption: If you are attempting to adopt a Mac with macOS 10.15 or later installed, FlexNet Beacon version 14.0.x or later is required. (In contrast, if you deploy FlexNet inventory agent to macOS 10.15 machines by third-party means, without using FlexNet Manager Suite device adoption, it is not necessary to upgrade the FlexNet Beacon.)
  • Zero-footprint inventory gathering: If you want to run an inventory scan remotely on a Mac with macOS 10.15 or later installed, FlexNet Beacon version 14.0.x or later is required. (In contrast, if you are not using remote inventory gathering for macOS 10.15 machines, perhaps because you are using FlexNet inventory agent installed locally instead, upgrading your FlexNet Beacon is not necessary.)

Support for Linux KVM virtualization inventory

If you wish to use zero footprint inventory collection (remote inventory by an inventory beacon), FlexNet Beacon 14.0.0 must be installed – check the splash screen on start-up.

Using inventory groups to manage communications

The inventory groups enhancement, managing communications from FlexNet inventory agent to inventory beacons, requires you to upgrade your FlexNet Beacons to the version shipped with 2019 R2 or later (FlexNet Beacon 14.0.0) or later.

Targeted FlexNet inventory agent upgrades

This version supports selecting inventory devices for upgrade of their installed FlexNet inventory agent using the existing target mechanism (also used for creating discovery and inventory rules). For more details, see Targeted FlexNet inventory agent upgrades.

Fixes for FlexNet Beacon

  • This version reduces FlexNet Beacon engine’s DNS lookups, avoiding situations where too many DNS reads occur. As well, it limits DNS reads so that there are no reads outside a particular FlexNet Beacon's assigned subnet.
  • This version corrects a problem in environments that use a parent/child inventory beacon hierarchy, where child inventory beacons were not properly downloading adoption and upgrade packages from their parent inventory beacon. The fix requires that FlexNet Beacon version 14.0.x or later is installed at all points in the inventory beacon chain leading to child inventory beacons. However, inventory beacons that have no descendents do not need to be upgraded.

All changes for FlexNet Beacon are tracked in the Beacon Change Log, available for this release from https://helpnet.flexerasoftware.com/FlexNetManagerSuite2020R1/EN/BeaconChg/index.html.

FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)

2020 R1