Optimizing scanner cache configuration (BigFix scenario)

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The scanner cache folder is used to store information about scanned files and directories in your file system. By knowing the hierarchy of files, the scanner can locate them quicker, which results in shorter scans. The amount of disk space that is needed for the cache depends on the number of files that are being scanned. If the current location of the cache folder cannot ensure sufficient disk space, you can change the location of the cache folder or optimize the cache.

Procedure

  • 9.2.2 Change the default location of the scanner cache folder.
    1. Log in to the BigFix® console.
    2. In the navigation tree, click Sites > External Sites > IBM License Reporting (ILMT) > Fixlets and Tasks.
    3. Select Change Scanner Cache Folder.
    4. Enter an absolute path to the new cache folder, or restore the default scanner_install_dir/cache_data folder.
    5. Click Take Action, and select computers on which you want to change the scanner cache folder. Then, click OK.

      After you change the cache folder or restore the default one, all current cache is removed. The new cache is created after you run the software scan. To check the current cache folder, see the results of the Scanner Information analysis.

  • Optimize the scanner cache. This option is recommended for infrastructures with a large number of files that need to be scanned.
    1. Log in to the BigFix console.
    2. In the navigation tree, click Sites > External Sites > IBM License Reporting (ILMT) v9 > Fixlets and Tasks.
    3. Select Configure Scan Cache.
    4. To reduce the amount of disk space that is used by the cache as well as CPU and memory usage during the software scan, select Enable cache optimization. The cache that is created during the software scan includes only files that are relevant for the types of software scans that you are running. Thus, the size of the cache is reduced.
      Important:
      • The option is available for application update 9.2.26 or higher and is supported on AIX, Linux and Windows.
      • It does not optimize the scan on remote shared file systems.
      • If you set the CPU threshold in the Initiate Software Scan fixlet, the threshold is ignored when you enable RAM and CPU usage optimization.
    5. Click Take Action, and select computers on which you want to optimize the cache. Then, click OK.