Windows Device Directory - Testers?

[johnfermor]

Hi all.

 

As alluded to in an earlier post, I have been working on a new project; Windows Device Directory.

 

Windows Device Directory (or 'WDD') is a software solution for Microsoft Windows that will record information about the devices that are connected to your network.

 

More information is available in the 'work in progress' online manual (windows-device-directory-user-manual.html) but here are a few excerpts concerning the Viewer component.

 

 

It enables you to:

 

• Keep on top of your Windows inventory (includes hardware, software and hotfixes.)
  
• Maintain a log of any changes made to your devices.
  
• Assign device-specific documentation to a dedicated device ‘documents’ folder.
  
• Assign custom categories to identify your equipment easily.
  
• Quickly search for devices using any criteria.
  
• Associate your devices with your users\locations helping you manage loaned equipment.
  
• Notify you of devices that haven't checked in for a while.
  
• Run remote commands against your devices.
  
• Export your directory to a CSV file ready to import into a spreadsheet.
  
• Print reports with user-definable column fields and sorting. You can specify whether to print all of your directory or just a hand-picked section of them.
  

WDD comprises 3 x components described below.

 

WDD Viewer

The viewer (wddviewer.exe) is where you'll spend most of your time. This will cache, sort and display all devices that have checked in.

 

The viewer enables you to add information to devices such as asset recording, acquisition data, etc. and record important lifetime events such as software installation\updates, OS reinstalls, BIOS updates, etc. You can also attach device-related documentation and run remote scripts against selected device(s). Finally, it enables you to export or print a device list at any time.

 

It can also perform as a kiosk application as part of an IT dashboard. This can be useful as it can be setup to show devices checking-in ‘bubbling’ to the top of the directory as they are switched on making it easy to see which devices are in use.

 

WDD Service

The service (wddservice.exe) processes the client database files produced by your devices after having run the wddclient.exe program. This service should only be installed on a single device; that is usually left powered on such as a server or virtual machine (for example).

 

WDD Client

The client (wddclient.exe) must be executed on all of your Windows devices and is responsible for checking-in with the WDD service. When ran, it records system-specific device information that is subsequently processed by the WDD service.

 

The client runs from a network share and does not need to be installed on each device. It should be configured to run at regular intervals. For example; consider adding the wddclient.exe to a group policy setting such as the Startup Script in the All Computers GPO on Windows Server.

 

 

 

Viewer Features:

• Each device has an individual icon which determines a) the type of device and b) whether the device is switched on or off.
  
• Columns can be added from those available or removed by right-clicking on any column.
  
• Columns can be dragged and dropped to reorder them.
  

 

 

Showing Device Documents

Pressing the Documents button when one or more devices have been selected will display a Windows Explorer instance for each device. Each device has an associated folder and contains documents and other media for that device.

 

• Press the Devices tab on the ribbon.
  
• Select the device(s) you wish to view from the directory.
  
• Press the Documents button.
  

 

 

A Windows Explorer window will open for each of the devices you selected showing the documents associated with that device. Additional content can be copied in here to maintain a repository of information dedicated to this device and its history. Samples include loan forms, repair history, etc.

 

Run a script on a Device

 

• Select the Devices tab on the ribbon bar.
  
• Select the device(s) you wish to run the script.
  
• Press the Execute Scripts button.
  
• Navigate to the required script.
  
• Press Ok to run the script or Cancel to abort.
  
• Select the script(s) you wish to run on your device(s).
  
• Press Ok to continue, Cancel to abort.
  

 

 

 

Device Properties

 

General:

The General tab lists information harvested from the device. It includes BIOS information, Operating System information, etc. The asset management section can be modified with device specific information such as acquisition date, asset number and end of life disposal details.

 

Software:

The software tab lists all software currently installed on the device. Where possible, the name, version number, publisher and install date is displayed.

 

Updates:

The Updates tab lists all Windows updates currently installed on the device. The name, description, installer and install date are listed.

 

Hardware:

The hardware tab lists all hardware components installed in the device. Each node is collapsed by default, simply expand them to see the actual devices.

 

Drives:

The Drives tab lists all disk drives (including network-connected ones) available on the device. The drive letter, label, size, usage and encryption status is shown.

 

Timeline:

The Timeline tab comprises an Outlook-style calendar which contains events that have occurred on the selected device. WDD will automatically detect certain changes to devices and these will be recorded here. Examples include; BIOS updates, disk replacements, system renaming, etc. You can also add events yourself to record device specific changes.

 

Profiles

The Profiles tab lists all users who have logged onto the device and at what time.

 

 

I am now using it on a day-to-day basis whether I am installing and activating a Windows license key or remotely backing-up Bitlocker keys on a laptop that I forgot to save the recovery key.

 

Remote scripts currently include:

• Bitlocker Recovery Key Backup
  
• Enable Bitlocker Encryption
  
• Disable Bitlocker Encryption
  
• Classroom Cloud Install
  
• Classroom Cloud Update
  
• Microsoft Office 2016 Activation (Install key and activate)
  
• Microsoft Windows Activation (Install key and activate)
  
• McAfee Endpoint Uninstall
  
• Battery Report for Laptops
  
• Harvest Device Drivers
  
• Register with WSUS
  

 

 

Still testing at my schools but I intend to offer the initial version F.O.C. Don't know what my longer-term plans are for it though. For instance, the GUI was done with DotNetBar who have since gone out of business - a substitute is £000's so future development may rely on a paywall.

 

Q. Anyone interested in testing it?

Q. Any other ideas for scripts? Anything that can be launched silently from a Batch file including Powershell scripts (not tested) should be able to be executed remotely.

Q. Can anyone think of a snappier name for it!? Windows Device Directory is a bit of a mouthful!

 

John

[johnfermor]

Just exported latest manual from Bookstack:

windows-device-directory.html

 

Any questions, please let me know!

 

John