Migrating from BigFix-based infrastructure to disconnected infrastructure (Ansible and Lite)

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You can migrate infrastructure that is based on BigFix® to an infrastructure that is based on disconnected scanners. It includes License Metric Tool with Ansible and License Metric Tool Lite. During the migration, you create a disconnected data source, switch to a local VM Manager Tool, and substitute every BigFix client with a disconnected scanner. Then, you run the import to process all changes.

About this task

When you use License Metric Tool with Ansible or Lite, you do not need to use BigFix because software and hardware information is collected by disconnected (stand-alone) scanners. For more information, see: Installing.

For comparison of infrastructures that are based on BigFix and disconnected scanners, see: Infrastructure overview.

Procedure

  1. Upgrade License Metric Tool to application update 9.2.26 or higher.
  2. Prepare for the migration.
    1. Ensure that no issues are reported on the Deployment Health, Software Scan Health, and Capacity Scan Health widgets. For more information, see: Computer statuses.
    2. Generate the audit snapshot. For more information, see: Creating snapshots of license metric utilization for auditing purposes.
    3. Back up the License Metric Tool database. For more information, see: Backing up and restoring the database.
  3. Create a disconnected data source. For more information, see: Adding a data source.
  4. If you use the VM Manager Tool in central or distributed mode, switch to the local mode. If you use the local VM Manager Tool, the step is not required.
    Tip: To view information about the type of the VM Manager Tool that you use, log in to License Metric Tool and go to Management > VM Managers. The information is available in the Deployment Type column.
    1. Ensure that the local VM Manager Tool can connect to all VM managers.
    2. Log in to License Metric Tool and go to Management > VM Managers.
    3. Select the VM manager, and choose Local from the VM Manager Tool Location drop down list. Then, click Save.
    4. Uninstall the central or distributed VM Manager Tool. For more information, see: Uninstalling the central or distributed VM Manager Tool.
  5. Migrate computers from the BigFix data source to the disconnected data source. For more information, see: Migrating computers between data sources.
    Important: Ensure that you first check and enable computer reconciliation mode if needed and then migrate computers between data sources. If you enable computer reconciliation after you migrate some computers, the computers are duplicated in License Metric Tool as existing both in the old and new data source. They have different IDs instead of being mapped as having the same ID. In this case, the reconciliation mode is not able to map the computers. If computers are duplicated in License Metric Tool before you start the reconciliation, remove the duplicates. Then, enable the reconciliation.
  6. After all computers are migrated to the disconnected data source, remove the BigFix data source. For more information, see: Deleting a data source.
  7. Run the import of data.
  8. Optional: Uninstall BigFix components. For more information, see: Removing the product components on Linux systems or Removing the product components on Windows systems.