How the Adapter Assists in Inventory Gathering

FlexNet Manager Suite 2021 R1 (On-Premises)

The OEM adapter provides an alternative or additional method of discovering Oracle Database servers in your computing estate. Discovery (by one means or another) is a prerequisite for collecting software inventory from the Oracle servers.

The OEM adapter is installed on a convenient computer that has network access to Oracle Enterprise Manager and its OEM repository. Typically, this computer may be a FlexNet Beacon. Multiple instances of the OEM adapter may be installed (on one or more computers), each of which can connect with one instance of Oracle Enterprise Manager.

Numbers in the diagram (where "OEMA" identifies the OEM adapter) correspond to the process description below:

The process runs as follows:

1. The Windows scheduled task triggers the OEM adapter, which contacts its instance of Oracle Enterprise Manager, and collects the connection data from the OEM repository.
2. The OEM adapter formats the data into a TNSNames.ora file, and saves it to a special location on the inventory beacon.
   You may configure the name of the saved file, and, if multiple instances of the OEM adapter save files to the same inventory beacon, you must modify the file names so that the files do not overwrite each other.

   Note: This completes the function of the OEM adapter. The remainder of the process is standard operating procedure for FlexNet Manager Suite with the FlexNet Manager for Datacenters product installed. If you already have an operational system, several of these steps may already be completed.
3. You set up a special account with read-only permissions on your Oracle Database for all the tables and views needed for Oracle introspection. One helpful practice is to use the same purpose-driven set of credentials on all servers. A utility is available to help created the account(s) required with the correct permissions.
4. The same credentials must be recorded in the Password Manager on each of the relevant inventory beacons.
5. In the web interface for FlexNet Manager Suite, you define a subnet (or several subnets) that contain the Oracle Database servers of interest; and you assign to these subnet(s) the inventory beacon(s) where the TNSNames.ora files are being saved. (Assignments are distributed automatically to inventory beacon(s), along with rules.)
6. Continuing n the web interface, you create a rule with an action including Oracle inventory collection, with the option to use TNS name file selected. The rule also has a target which matches the subnet(s) you are interested in. This rule is automatically distributed to inventory beacon(s).
7. On the inventory beacon(s) of interest:
   1. The rule and assignment are received.
   2. The inventory beacon assesses these, concludes that it is authorized to act, and looks for a any *.ora file(s) in the special path on the inventory beacon.
   3. For any Oracle server which is both within the authorized subnet and listed in the .ora file, the inventory beacon checks for credentials in its Password Manager, and tests them (from the most closely matching to the most general) until either one gets a response (success), or there are no further applicable credentials (failure).
   4. When successfully logged in, the FlexNet inventory agent running on the inventory beacon, uses the credentials to read the data necessary for Oracle introspection. It writes the data as an Oracle inventory file into its staging folder.
   5. Within a minute of completion, the regular upload process starts moving this inventory file to the central application server (or, in a multi-server installation, the inventory server).
8. After the next inventory import and resulting consumption calculations, the Oracle inventory is available in the web interface for FlexNet Manager Suite; and the Oracle servers originally identified in the TNSNames.ora file are visible in the All Discovered Devices listing, displaying Yes in the Oracle column.