Replication Tab

FlexNet Manager Suite 2024 R2 (On-Premises)

Important: The information provided on this page does not apply to servers that have both the beacon and application server software installed. Specifically, even if you select the Enable file replication check box in the beacon UI on such a server, file replication will not occur. For instructions on how to enable file replication on an admin server, please refer to the following Flexera Community Knowledge Based article: How to configure replication to collect uploaded agent files on the FlexNet Manager Suite inventory server.

By default, when an inventory beacon successfully uploads a file to its parent (which may be another inventory beacon in the hierarchy, or the central application server), the local copy of the file is deleted. This simple house-keeping helps to manage disk space on the inventory beacon.

However, there are occasions, especially during troubleshooting, when it is convenient to examine the contents of an uploaded file. Rather than having to try to catch the file in the brief interval between when it is received (for example, from an inventory device) and when it is uploaded to its parent, you may configure file replication on the inventory beacon. This saves a copy of the uploaded file in your preferred folder for a period of time that you can specify.

This functionality must be individually configured on a specific inventory beacon (that is, there is no centralized configuration covering multiple inventory beacons available through the web interface).

To configure file replication on an inventory beacon:

1. Run the inventory beacon interface (for example, in the Windows Start menu, search for FlexNet Beacon, right-click it, and select Run as administrator).
   Tip: Remember that you must run the inventory beacon software with administrator privileges.
2. In the navigation bar on the left, from the Beacon configuration group, select the Replication tab.
3. Select the Enable file replication check box.
   When this is selected, the remaining controls on the tab are enabled.

   Tip: When replication is enabled, all the remaining controls are mandatory, and each one displays a red alert if left empty.

   Remember: When you have completed your troubleshooting exercise, it is best practice to return to this page and clear the Enable file replication check box again, and click Save.
4. For Replication folder, enter, or browse to, an absolute path (starting with the drive name) where you want to start your collection of uploaded files.
   The default is C:\ProgramData\Flexera Software\Replication.

   Tip: Below this folder, the inventory beacon creates appropriate sub-directories for any of the separate file types that are saved. For example. .ndi files are saved in an Inventories sub-directory. The sub-directory structure is similar to the one available for uploaded files under %CommonAppData%\Flexera Software\Incoming\ (for details, see File Paths for Inventory Beacon).
5. Open the drop-down for File types to save, and select the check-box(es) for the file type(s) you want to save and inspect.
   At least one file type from this list must be selected; but you may select as many as you need. For example, to store uploaded inventory files (which includes inventory gathered by any of the FlexNet Inventory Agent, the Flexera Kubernetes Inventory Agent, or the Lightweight Kubernetes Inventory Agent), select the gz file extension (because most .ndi files are zipped up as archives before uploading), and the ndi file extension (for the inventory files that are not zipped).
6. In Number of days to retain files, spin up the number of days that the replicated files should each be preserved (default 7 days).
   When the retention period expires for each replicated file, it is automatically deleted. This housekeeping is to reduce the risk of consuming all the disk space on your inventory beacon with saved uploads. It is best practice to make this period as short as practical for your purposes.

   Tip: If the amount of disk space available in your replication path drops below 100 MB, a red warning text appears in this Replication tab, and clears again when there is sufficient disk space available. The warning is only visible from this tab, and it does not prevent saving files to the chosen location.
7. Click Save.
   The Save button is only enabled when all mandatory controls have values entered.