RT Assets adding live data from clients asset

RT Users
1

Hello,

Had a look and I don’t think it is possible, but I am looking at the RT Assets and want to add clients (Windows, Linux, Max devices). But I want to add many extra feilds like O/S, Version, Patch level, Serial number, etc.

OK! I know RT Assets will do it and I can import all this data into it, but I do not see any automatic way of updating it. When the device is updated to next patch level I want RT Assets to know it and NOT for me to enter it by hand.

I guess want I really want is a “client agent” or RT API so that I can get scripts to update the RT database automaticly.

Anyone done this or is RT the wrong platform.

Thanks,

Andrew

2

Are you importing assets via https://metacpan.org/pod/RT::Extension::Assets::Import::CSV? Or some other mechanism?

3

To clarify, I am looking how to update records, already in RT Assets system.

I hope to import a lot via GitHub - bestpractical/rt-extension-assets-import-csv · GitHub but is there a way to update some of the assets fields later on e.g. Update patch level, update O/S version, etc

Reason, is that if this is a none starter I need to look at another Asset management, but I would like to use RT, since being using the ticket systems for years.

Thanks

4

Hi Andrew,

You can automate this using the REST API. You don’t say what you’re using to do patching but if it has a Zapier integration then you can do it relatively easily. See Request Tracker (RT) Integrations | Connect Your Apps with Zapier for more details. Apparently the cool kids are using https://n8n.io/ in preference to Zapier these days but there isn’t a built-in integration there. Supposedly very easy to do though although I’ve not done it myself.

Essentially, you want your patch software to drop an event into one of these automation tools and have it find and update the relevant asset record via the API (which has its docs here: RT::REST2 - RT 6.0.3 Documentation - Best Practical )

Let us know how you get on as this is something I am looking at too, but not yet started.

Simon.

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5

The Asset import extension takes a --update flag that you could use to update your existing records too

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6

We’ve been doing this for a long time with custom scripts running on clients so I can’t speak to zapier or any other more modern options. But you can definitely roll your own solution and have it collect whatever info you want. Working against an API is wonderfully nerdy fun. :slight_smile:

We use jamf to manage our macs and have a ‘hardware update’ script that jamf runs once a day. It runs various commands on the clients that check for things like os version, disk space available, wired/wireless MAC addresses, etc. Then it pushes that data to RT via the REST API.

We use Active Directory for windows clients and have a completely different script that runs on on those systems. It collects the same basic info and sends it to the same RT Asset custom fields via the REST API.

If you’d like to peek at our code I can ask for permission to share it.

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7

Thanks folks,

There has been some good feedback about this.

As I said we are looking for an asset management system to replace the collection of databases, spreadsheets, etc we currently have. At first glance the RT asset didn’t look like it would do the trick (as already discussed) and even though I have been using RT for our support (ticket) system for many years we may have to move away from it.

But, it looks like I can use RT since it already offers import of data files and even update and if I get my head round the REST API I may be able to get a fully working assent system (nightly auto updates, etc).

I will report back how I get on but since the project is in “very eary” stages it may be sometime, before I reply and even ask more questions (how others do it and ask for sneak peaks of code).

Thanks for now and I am very happy I don’t have to move away from RT.

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