Prerequisites and Setting Up

FlexNet Manager Suite 2022 R1 (On-Premises)

The connector to Microsoft Azure is configured on a convenient inventory beacon, for which there are the following prerequisites:

• The operating system is either:
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 or later
  • Windows 7 SP1 or later
• FlexNet Beacon software has been updated to release 17.1.0 (shipped with FlexNet Manager Suite 2021 R1) or later
• You must log onto the inventory beacon, and run FlexNet Beacon, using an account with administrator privileges
• .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later is installed (installation instructions and downloads start from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/install/)
• PowerShell 5.1 or later is running (PowerShell 7.x and later is recommended)
  Tip: To check the version of PowerShell installed on your inventory beacon:

  1. As administrator, run Windows PowerShell.
  2. Execute the cmdlet:

     $PSVersionTable.PSVersion

• The PowerShell execution policy is set to RemoteSigned
• FlexNet inventory agent version 15.0.0 (released with FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R1) or later is available on the inventory beacon
• A web browser is installed and enabled on the inventory beacon
  Important: If you have configured your existing connection to Microsoft Azure using the original AzureRM module (downloaded from Microsoft), this must be uninstalled before you install the newer Az module. To uninstall the original module:

  1. On your inventory beacon, logged in as Administrator, run PowerShell.
  2. Uninstall the AzureRM module with the following command:

     uninstall-module AzureRM

• Microsoft Az for Windows PowerShell version 6.1.0 or later is required by the Azure Resource Graph module.
  Tip: Although the connector is compatible with the Microsoft Az module version 5.2.0 or later, version 6.1.0 or later is required for compatibility with the Azure Resource Graph module which provides the latest performance improvements.
  If you have Az modules already installed in your environment, update to the latest Az modules:
  1. Ensure you are in a Windows PowerShell session run as administrator.
  2. Execute the command:

     Update-Module -Name Az -Force

  Note: If you run into any issues while updating Az modules, please try uninstalling and reinstalling the Az modules, always while in a Windows PowerShell session run as administrator:

  • To uninstall:

    Get-InstalledModule -Name Az* | Uninstall-module

  • To install:

    Install-Module -Name Az -AllowClobber

  Tip: To check the version of the Az module installed on your inventory beacon:

  1. As administrator, run Windows PowerShell.
  2. Execute the cmdlet:

     Get-Installedmodule az

  Additional versions are available for download from https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Az/.
• Microsoft Azure Resource Graph module version 0.11 or later is installed (remembering that this requires Microsoft Az for Windows PowerShell version 6.1.0 or later, as mentioned above). Flexera recommends that you install this as it optimizes performance, especially for large-scale implementations in Azure.
  Tip: To install this module on your inventory beacon:

  1. Ensure you are in a Windows PowerShell session run as administrator.
  2. Execute the command:

     Install-Module -Name Az.ResourceGraph

  3. Validate your installation with the cmdlet:

     Get-InstalledModule -Name 'Az.ResourceGraph'

On the Azure side, you must:

• First decide in which Microsoft Azure "environment" your connector will operate. All the connection details and credentials are specific to the environment, and cannot be interchanged. The default environment is AzureCloud (the value used if no other environment is specified for the connection). Other currently-available environments can be determined using the Azure cmdlet:

  (Get-AzureRmEnvironment).Name

  Examples include:
  • AzureChinaCloud
  • AzureGermanCloud
  • AzureUSGovernment.
  Your choice of environment is specified when configuring the connection.
• Choose or create two service principal identities:
  • Either the built-in role Virtual machine contributor, or a custom object with read access to Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines
  • Either the built-in role SQL Virtual machine contributor, or a custom object with read access to Microsoft.SqlVirtualMachine/sqlVirtualMachines.

Step-by-step instructions for configuring the connection to your chosen Azure environment are available in the online help at FlexNet Manager Suite Online Help > Inventory Beacons > Inventory Systems Page > Connecting to External Inventory Systems > Managing PowerShell Connections > Managing Azure Connections.