Container Scanning

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

The FlexNet Inventory Agent, when enabled, has the ability to collect details of Docker and Podman images and containers on your local and cloud-based network. Application inventory is collected from running containers, using zero footprint inventory collection (for more details about this method of inventory collection, see the Gathering FlexNet Inventory guide, available through the title page of online help as a PDF, or online from docs.flexera.com).

Note: By default, FlexNet Inventory Agent does not collect any inventory from Docker or Podman images or containers. These capabilities must be enabled, as described below.

Once enabled, the capabilities of FlexNet Inventory Agent include:

• Responding to the instantiation of a container from its base image
• Event-based container scanning identifies the status of each container
• Performs a one-time zero footprint inventory collection of application(s) on running containers, and hence identifies software installed in the image from which the container was instantiated
• Collects image ID, repository tags, and repository digest information.

To enable inventory collection for Docker images and containers:

1. Go to the Inventory Settings page (Data Collection > IT Assets Inventory Tasks > Inventory Settings).
   The Inventory Settings page displays.
2. Ensure that the Container scanning section is expanded (if necessary, click the expansion button on the far right of the section heading).
3. Select the Enable Docker inventory and running inventory agent inside Docker containers check box.
   This allows inventory of the host to report the presence of Docker images, and also allows invoking the locally-installed FlexNet Inventory Agent inside Docker containers when they are running.

   Tip: In contrast, if you clear this check box, the FlexNet Inventory Agent will not detect Docker images and containers installed on the host, and will not collect inventory from inside a Docker container.

To enable inventory collection for Podman images and containers:

4. Go to the Inventory Settings page (Data Collection > IT Assets Inventory Tasks > Inventory Settings).
   The Inventory Settings page displays.
5. Ensure that the Container scanning section is expanded (if necessary, click the expansion button on the far right of the section heading).
6. Select the Enable Podman inventory and running inventory agent inside Podman containers check box.
   This allows inventory of the host to report the presence of Podman images, and also allows invoking the locally-installed FlexNet Inventory Agent inside Podman containers when they are running.

   Tip: In contrast, if you clear this check box, the FlexNet Inventory Agent will not detect Podman images and containers installed on the host, and will not collect inventory from inside a Podman container.