Troubleshooting: Unblocking an Inventory Data Source

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

Inventory import failures are most often detected when the date of last inventory import does not get updated as expected, or when known changes in inventory do not appear in the central operations (compliance) database. The symptoms indicating that you may need this process can include:

• No inventory imports are working. This may be because the first of a series of inventory inputs is failing to import, which blocks all others (in this case, everything). A total failure can also be from other reasons, such as an inventory beacon failure, and you should check that first.
• Some sources are working, but several other appear to be failing. This may be because an inventory adapter in the middle of a series of inventory inputs is failing to import, which blocks the following imports.
• The last in a series of inventory data sources appears to be failing.

A failed import leaves behind the intermediate file that was uploaded from the inventory beacon to the central application server. This bad intermediate file blocks both the current import and all future imports until it is replaced by a good file from the same source. The good file replaces the bad one, and is successfully imported. However, you can prevent future cascading failures (later imports being blocked by the single failure) by disabling the faulty inventory source while you debug it.

To disable a broken inventory source:

1. Identify the failing inventory feed.
   1. Go to the System Health page, and check the card for Inventory data inputs with issues.
      The inventory feed with a problem may be highlighted with a red alert icon.
   2. Click the link at the bottom of the card for All inventory data inputs.
      This navigates to the Data Inputs page (also available through the system menu ( in the top right corner)).
   3. On the Inventory Data tab, set the Show details check box.
      The inventory data input with the problem may show No issues under Validation issues, because the data has not been imported to be validated. It may also show a Status of Failed, meaning that the attempt to import the data from the IntermediateData folder on the central processing server into the inventory database failed.
2. For the failing inventory feed, pull down the Enabled drop-down list, and change the setting to Disabled.
   When the inventory data feed is disabled, the importer does not attempt to load any files named for that feed. The bad data file is still sitting there awaiting replacement, but in the disabled state it will not block any other imports in the list.

   Note: This controls disables only the import stage from the IntermediateData folder on the central application server into the inventory database. It does not stop the inventory connection being exercised on the inventory beacon, nor the upload of subsequent inventory collections to the central server.
3. Run a new inventory import and compliance calculation (you must have administrator privileges to do this):
   1. Go to the Reconcile page.
   2. Set the check box for Update inventory for reconciliation.
      This is critical, as you need to pick up all the intermediate files that were stalled behind the failed one.
   3. Click Reconcile.
   You should soon be able to see the results of this import and reconciliation in the details pages in the web interface. (The wait depends on how much data is to be imported and processed.) This will clarify that the problem was (only) in the data input that you have disabled, so that the other inputs could now be processed.
4. If the inventory adapter is one which you created, you may return to the Inventory Adapter Studio and investigate why your adapter is failing (see the What Is Inventory Adapter Studio? topic in IT Asset Management System Reference).
   Otherwise, note the name of the adapter, and call Flexera Support. Explain that you have a failed data input stalled on the central server, and ask advice in understanding the problem.