Adding Oracle Fusion Middleware to GLAS evidence archive

FlexNet Manager Suite version 2021 R1

The FlexNet inventory agent, whether running locally on an Oracle server or using the zero footprint inventory collection method remotely from a suitable inventory beacon, can regularly return specialized data relating to the many applications available under the banner of Oracle Fusion Middleware, as well as uploading special files required for review by the Oracle Global Licensing and Advisory Services (GLAS) to check your compliance with license terms and conditions.

There are two new controls in FlexNet Manager Suite to manage this data flow:

• In the Inventory Settings page (Discovery & Inventory > Settings), a new Enable collection of Oracle Fusion Middleware audit data check box authorizes your updated FlexNet inventory agents to start collecting and uploading the Fusion Middleware data, as part of their normal upload cycle. (Any earlier versions of FlexNet inventory agents that have not been updated simply ignore this policy setting.)
• In the system menu ( in the top right corner), access the System Settings page, and in its Inventory tab, the Include Oracle Fusion Middleware check box adds the information about Fusion Middleware into the standard OracleGLASEvidence.zip archive, ready for submission for audit when required.
  Tip: FlexNet Manager Suite has been verified by Oracle for reporting inventory of Oracle Fusion Middleware.
  Best practice would be to leave this check box turned on only when your relevant upgrades to FlexNet inventory agent are complete, when you have reviewed all the applications installed from the Fusion Middleware collection, and ensured that you have license records (supported by purchase records) that authorize all installations.
  Tip: This functionality relies on distribution of InventorySettings.xml version 56 or later, which contains the updated Oracle GLAS scripts. (The version number of this file is included in its first line, and the file is updated as part of the regular download of the Application Recognition Library.)

When turning on the audit archive, you can also control the level of data obfuscation applied. Passwords that are collected by the Oracle GLAS scripts are always obfuscated, being replaced by the value text_removed. Optionally, another check box on the same section of the System Settings page lets you similarly obfuscate all user names and IP addresses that appear in the incoming data for Fusion Middleware. These user name and IP address values are not required in an Oracle audit, and may legitimately be suppressed in this way, if this is required by your enterprise security standards.

The uploaded evidence for Fusion Middleware products is imported as installer evidence with a unique Evidence type value of OracleFMW. This may be returned for any of the Oracle Fusion Middleware products installed on your inventory devices, such as:

• Oracle Weblogic Server (including the Suite, Enterprise, Standard, Basic or Unspecified editions)
• Oracle Forms
• Oracle Reports.

You can find this evidence in either of:

• The Installer evidence tab of the License Compliance > All Evidence page (a convenient place to filter for the evidence type and identify any cases where Assigned displays No, because the evidence has not yet been linked to an application record)
• The Evidence tab of the inventory device properties for any device where you know an appropriate Oracle Fusion Middleware product is installed (be sure to select the Installer sub-tab, and then look for the Raw evidence type column).

For more information, see the online help under Discovery & Inventory > Inventory Settings Page > Oracle Fusion Middleware Scanning.