Oracle Fusion Middleware Scanning

FlexNet Manager Suite 2024 R2 (On-Premises)

Oracle Fusion Middleware is a large collection of software products that are outside of Oracle's core database and applications offerings, and are used for the development, deployment, and management of software services (a service-oriented architecture). Naturally, use of any products from the collection must be licensed.

The FlexNet Inventory Agent is capable of collecting the appropriate inventory, along with certain uploaded files that Oracle requires for an audit. This capacity works for either:

• The FlexNet Inventory Agent installed locally on the Oracle server where the Fusion Middleware products are running
• The zero footprint inventory collection method, where the main part of the FlexNet Inventory Agent (ndtrack) is temporarily downloaded from a nearby inventory beacon, executed, and subsequently removed.

(You can learn more about methods of collecting FlexNet inventory in Gathering FlexNet Inventory.)

Tip: FlexNet Manager Suite is verified by Oracle for collection and reporting of inventory for Oracle Fusion Middleware.

There are two separate controls that affect inventory collection for Fusion Middleware:

1. The Enable collection of Oracle Fusion Middleware audit data check box on this page authorizes the FlexNet Inventory Agent to collect the relevant inventory and files for upload.
2. The Include Oracle Fusion Middleware check box (on the Inventory tab of the System Settings page) allows the uploaded data and files to be incorporated into the OracleGLASEvidence.zip archive, ready for submission when an audit is required. You may also control data obfuscation in the audit archive (see System Settings: Inventory Tab).

In normal operation, if you use any Fusion Middleware products, both these check boxes should be selected, and left 'on' forever. However, it is possible that, while rolling out this functionality, you want to turn on the data collection now for testing and inspection; and only include the results in the audit archive when you have adequate agent coverage of the relevant servers, and have configured all the required licenses.

Tip: This data collection requires FlexNet Inventory Agent version 16.1.0 or later, and including the results for audit requires that you have downloaded InventorySettings.xml version 56 or later, which contains the updated Oracle GLAS scripts. Earlier versions of the FlexNet Inventory Agent simply ignore the setting, and so may continue to be used in other environments where Fusion Middleware is not in play.

To authorize collection of Fusion Middleware inventory:

1. Ensure that the FlexNet Inventory Agent installed on the appropriate Oracle server(s) has been updated to version 16.1.0 or later. For zero footprint inventory collection, the simplest path is to upgrade the appropriate inventory beacon(s) to version 16.1.0 or later, as this also updates the embedded version of the FlexNet Inventory Agent.
2. Navigate to Discovery & Inventory > Settings.
   The Inventory Settings page displays.
3. Scroll down and ensure that the Oracle audit data scanning section of the page is expanded (if necessary, click the expansion button on the far right of the section heading).
4. Select the Enable collection of Oracle Fusion Middleware audit data check box.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click Save to commit your change.
6. Wait a day or two.
   This allows for the new setting to be distributed to each inventory beacon as a beacon policy update (by default, these updates are requested and delivered each morning); and thereafter each installed FlexNet Inventory Agent receives the new setting when it requests a device policy update from its preferred inventory beacon. Then there must be sufficient time for inventory collection and upload, followed by the nightly inventory import and license consumption calculations.
7. Look for newly uploaded evidence from the Fusion Middleware collection. For example:
   1. Navigate to License Compliance > All Evidence.
   2. Ensure that the default Installer evidence tab is selected.
   3. Above the listing, click Add filter, select the Type column, then select the OracleFMW value, and finally click the blue check mark/tick button to commit this filter setting.
   Results are listed for any evidence that has been collected for Oracle Fusion Middleware on your inventory devices, such as:

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

   The presence of any evidence of type OracleFMW confirms that you have correctly authorized Oracle collection of Fusion Middleware inventory.

   Tip: You could also look in the inventory device properties for any Oracle server running Fusion Middleware products. On the Evidence tab, check the Raw evidence type column for the OracleFMW value.
8. Ensure that, as each Oracle Fusion Middleware product is identified, it is linked to an appropriate software license, along with purchase records that justify your entitlements.

When inventory data is reliably uploading for the appropriate Oracle server(s), and licenses are appropriately configured and linked, remember to also visit the System Settings page and select the Include Oracle Fusion Middleware check box, so that the inventory data is available for audit on demand. The audit archive is updated automatically each night as part of the inventory imports and license compliance calculations.