- 1. Scripting and AutomationGFI MAX RemoteManagementMark Petrie,
Director of EngineeringGFI MAX
2. Scripting and Automation Introduction to scripting in GFI MAX
RemoteManagement: Just what EXACTLY do we mean by scripting? Who is
using scripting and for what purpose? Using built-in scripts
Pro-active Monitoring Checks Automated Maintenance Tasks Using
community scripts from fixitscripts.com Find solutions to problems
you have Writing your own scripts Return codes Considerations
Getting started Coding guidelines Using the API Examples 3.
Introduction 4. Just what EXACTLY do we mean by scripting? Upload,
deploy, schedule and run scripts for additional: Monitoring Checks
(Windows, OSX and Linux) Maintenance Tasks (Windows only) Scripts
can be written in variety of common languages: DOS Batch and CMD
VBS and Powershell Ruby, Python, Perl and PHP Javascript
AppleScript BASH Upload script once, downloaded as required
(without Agent update) Very powerful, but also secure: Script
source can only be uploaded by superuser Signed (public/private key
encryption) when downloaded by Agents 5. Are people using it? 7.5
million script checks run every day! Over 140,000 monitoring script
checks 260,000 maintenance tasks run every day! What is it being
used for? Monitoring bespoke applications and hardware Automating
onboarding new clients Automating software installation Enforcing
standard configurations Regular scheduled maintenance Automated
fault resolution 6. Using built-in scripts 7. Pro-active Monitoring
Checks Deploy as either 24x7 or DSC script check Get alerts and
view results in Dashboard and Client Reports Timeout limited to 150
seconds 8. What Monitoring Checks are already available?
Application Control: Running Process System User Count SQL Query
Exchange: Large Mailboxes Mail Queue Size Store Control Security
Center: Antivirus Status Windows Firewall Windows Update 9. What
Monitoring Checks are already available? Virtualisation: VMware
ESXi Datastore Free Space VMware ESXi Health CPUs VMware ESXi
Health Fans VMware ESXi Health Memory VMware ESXi Health PSUs
VMware ESXi Health Sensors VMware ESXi Health Storage VMware ESXi
Virtual Machine Inventory VMware ESXi Virtual Machine Power State
10. Monitoring Datastore Free Space and Storage Health 11.
Monitoring running VMs 12. Monitoring VM resource usage 13.
Automated Maintenance Tasks Upload script to Dashboard Deploy site
wide or to individual workstations and servers Schedule once per
day, week or month Run in response to a failed check View results
in Dashboard Automated Tasks Report Timeout per schedule 14. What
Maintenance Tasks are already available? Antivirus: Malwarebytes
Sophos Definition Update Application Control: Running Process SQL
Query Exchange: Store Control Clean-Up: Clean Temp Files Clear
Event Log Defrag Windows Schedule Reboot Service Control
Virtualisation VMware ESXi Virtual Machine Control 15. Stopping,
starting and restarting VMs 16. Using community scripts 17.
fixitscripts.com433 problems /requests for scripts584 total
scripts269 scripts taggedfor MAX RM328 PowerShellscriptsVisitors
from over100 countries179 VBScript scripts18,420 visitors inlast 3
months797 registered usersOver 2 minutesduration per visit 18.
Using script from fixitscripts.com 19. Writing your own scripts 20.
Return codes Extend GFI MAX to monitor anything!? Use exit codes to
cause check to fail: Exit 0 to cause check to pass Exit non-zero to
cause check to fail Exit >1000 to display text output in
Dashboard Batchecho Error Messageexit 1001 VBSwscript.echo( Error
Message )wscript.Quit(1001) PowerShellWrite-Host Error MessageExit
1001 21. Considerations and Limitations 22. Local system account
User context (Session Zero) No user interaction No network
Resources 23. Environment Variables Command line arguments solve
this 24. Timeouts 25. Getting started 26. Documentation 27. Dont
reinvent the wheel! Steal Learn from Others Scripts
fixitscripts.com GFI Forum LinkedIn Google! Identify the problem
trying to solve Look at ServiceDesk where is time being spent on
tickets Check Google (Why reinvent the wheel?) Investigate using
tools (ProcessMonitor, ProcessExplorer, etc) Find
Applications/Commands Command Switches Use previous scripts as a
template and import into GFI MAX 28. Example from LinkedIn (service
recovery) 29. Example from LinkedIn (service recovery) 30. Script
writing guidelines 31. Visual Basic and Powershell Visual Basic
Script fully supported since Windows 2000 Powershell supported from
WindowsXP onwards May need to be installed on some older systems
Using Windows Script Host WScript object, you can access: Arguments
passed to script Command Line Shell File System Registry Services
Network (not if running as Local System Account) VBS can also
access Windows Management Instrumentation 32. Script structure
Clearly identify problem trying solve Any script needs to do the
following: Declare variables to be used Parse command line
arguments Interact with Windows or Application Handle any errors
Return results 33. Declaring variables and constants Good practice
to force all variables to be declared before use Use g_ to indicate
global variables and clarify variable scope Use type hinting to
indicate variables intended purpose Use Constants for magic numbers
that wont change' Usage: { start | stop | restart } "Service
NameOption ExplicitDim g_oArgs, g_nMode, g_sServiceNameConst
MODE_START = 101Const MODE_STOP = 102Const MODE_RESTART = 103 34.
Command Line Arguments Arguments passed into script via command
line can be used to: Control behaviour of script (for example:
action to perform) Pass in the target of script (for example:
service to restart) Setup additional environment variables (If not
available to Local System) Advantages over hard-coding script
behaviour and target? Common code (e.g. connect to service manager)
can be reused Reduces number of scripts and improves
maintainability of library 35. Command Line Arguments Accessing
arguments: DOS Batch uses %1, %2 etc (note %0 is name of script)
Linux shell scripts (BASH) use $1, $2 etc ($0 is name of script)
Dynamic langauges (Perl, PHP) use $argc (count) and @argv (array)
VBS uses WScript.Arguments object: WScript.Arguments.Count method
gives number of arguments WScript.Arguments(0) is first argument
etc Scripts ran by Advanced Monitoring Agent: Two arguments are
always appended to command line (for debug) -logfile logname can be
ignored 36. Command Line Arguments' Usage: { start | stop | restart
} "Service NameSet g_oArgs = WScript.ArgumentsIf g_oArgs.Count <
2 ThenWScript.Echo "Invalid Arguments"WScript.Quit(1)End IfSelect
Case g_oArgs(0)Case "start"g_nMode = MODE_STARTCase "stop"g_nMode =
MODE_STOPCase "restart"g_nMode = MODE_RESTARTCase ElseWScript.Echo
"Invalid Args"WScript.Quit(1)End Selectg_sServiceName = g_oArgs(1)
37. Interacting with applications Windows Script Host can run
applications on local system Application has status 0 until it
terminatesSet g_oShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")Set
g_oRunningApp = g_oShell.Exec( "c:/path/to/my.exe arg0 arg1" )Do
While g_oRunningApp.Status = 0WScript.Sleep 100LoopWScript.Echo
"Application Terminated Application will be ran as user Agent
running under (Local System Acc) Any pop-up or user intervention
will likely cause script timeout 38. Interacting with file system
Create a File System Object to access any file or directory
listingSet g_oFileSystem = CreateObject(
"Scripting.FileSystemObject" )Set g_oTextFile =
g_oFileSystem.OpenTextFile( "c:test.txt", 1 )Do Until
g_oTextFile.AtEndOfStreamg_sNextLine =
g_oTextFile.ReadlineWScript.Echo g_sNextLineLoop Use regular
expressions to parse file contentsSet oRegExp = New
RegExpoRegExp.Pattern = "^GETd.pdf$"Do Until
oTextFile.AtEndOfStreamsCurrentLine = oTextFile.ReadlineIf
oRegExp.Test( sCurrentLine ) ThennAccessed = nAccessed + 1End
IfLoop Regular expressions can also be used to extract or replace
matches 39. Interacting with registry Registry stores config and
management information of OS and Apps Hierarchical organisation of
keys and values (like filesystem) A key can store many other keys.
A key can have default data. A value can only store data and cannot
store other values or keys Data types of values must be explicitly
set on creation REG_BINARY Binary Data (0s and 1s) REG_DWORD Double
Word (Numeric, up to 32bit values) REG_QWORD Quadruple Word
(Numeric, up to 64bit values) REG_MULTI_SZ A Set of Strings
Retrieve a value from Registry using RegRead (e.g. path to
application)Set g_oShell = WScript.CreateObject
("WScript.Shell")g_sMBAMLocation = g_oShell.RegRead
_("HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionApp Pathsmbam.exe")
Write a value to registry using RegWrite (e.g. reconfigure an
application)g_oShell.RegWrite ( key_location, value, key_type ) 40.
Handling errors On Error GoTo 0 (default) Will cause script to
exit, use only for fatal non-recoverable errors On Error Resume
Next Will cause script execution to continue, allowing you to
handle error Err variable set to last error code Script follows
rule until presented with another error handing instruction The
scope of rule is per sub-routine only Use function to handle errors
consistentlyFunction stHandleFatalError( innExitCode, insMsg )If
Err.Number 0 ThenErr.ClearOn Error GoTo 0WScript.Echo
insMsgWscript.Quit innExitCodeEnd IfOn Error Resume
NextErr.ClearEnd Function 41. Return results to Dashboard Use exit
codes to cause check to fail: Exit 0 to cause check to pass Exit
non-zero to cause check to fail Exit >1000 to display text
output in Dashboard Batchecho Error Messageexit 1001
VBSwscript.echo( Error Message )wscript.Quit(1001)
PowerShellWrite-Host Error MessageExit 1001 42. Putting it all
togetherOption ExplicitDim g_oWindowsFirewallOn Error Resume
NextSet g_oWindowsFirewall = WScript.CreateObject( "HNetCfg.FwMgr"
)stHandleFatalError 2001, "Unable to create Firewall object"If
g_oWindowsFirewall.LocalPolicy.CurrentProfile.FirewallEnabled = 1
ThenWScript.Echo "Windows Firewall Enabled"WScript.Quit ( 0
)ElseWScript.Echo "Windows Firewall Disabled"WScript.Quit ( 2000
)End IfFunction stHandleFatalError( innExitCode, insMsg )If
Err.Number 0 ThenErr.ClearOn Error GoTo 0WScript.Echo
insMsgWscript.Quit innExitCodeEnd IfOn Error Resume
NextErr.ClearEnd Function 43. Windows Management Instrumentation
WMI allows access to almost all Windows components Make
modifications to settings and initiate operations For example,
check Print Spooler is runningsServiceName = "Spooler"sComputer =
"."On Error Resume NextSet oWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:"
& strComputer & "rootCIMV2")stHandleFatalError(
ERROR_CREATEOBJECT_WMI )Set oService =
oWMIService.Get("Win32_Service.Name='" & sServiceName &
"'")If oService.State = "Running" ThenWScript.Echo "Print Spooler
is Running"WScript.Quit ( 0 )Else' Restart Service etc... 44.
Windows Management
Instrumentationhttp://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394554(v=vs.85).aspx
45. Scripting and API 46. Getting the data you need from API Used
mainly to get data out of GFI MAX RemoteManagement Easy to
manipulate with PowerShell:$apikey = YOUR API KEY"$clientsurl =
"https://www.systemmonitor.us/api/?apikey=$apikey&service=list_clients"[xml]$xmlclients
= (new-object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($clientsurl)
Example Uses: Getting serial number data Getting MAC addresses for
Wake-on-LAN See online help system for full instructions 47.
Example: Workstations that have not been scanned in 90 days$apikey
= "YOUR API KEY"$CurrDate = Get-Date$clientsurl =
"https://www.systemmonitor.us/api/?apikey=$apikey&service=list_clients"$wstable
= @()[xml]$xmlclients = (new-object
System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($clientsurl)foreach
($xmlclientslist in $xmlclients.result.items.client) {$clientid =
$xmlclientslist.clientid$sitesurl="https://www.systemmonitor.us/api/?apikey=$apikey&service=list_sites&clientid=$clientid"[xml]$xmlsites
= (new-object
System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($sitesurl)foreach
($xmlsiteslist in $xmlsites.result.items.site) {$siteid =
$xmlsiteslist.siteid$wsurl =
"https://www.hound-dog.us/api/?apikey=$apikey&service=list_workstations&siteid=$siteid"[xml]$xmlws
= (new-object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($wsurl)foreach
($xmlwslist in $xmlws.result.items.workstation) {[datetime]$wsdate
= $xmlwslist.last_scan_timeif (($CurrDate).Subtract($wsdate).Days
-gt 90) {$wsObj = "" | select Client,WSName,Age$wsObj.Client =
$xmlclientslist.name."#cdata-section"$wsObj.WSName =
$xmlwslist.name."#cdata-section"$wsObj.Age =
($CurrDate).Subtract($wsdate).Days$wstable += $wsObj}}}} 48.
Example: Wake devices before patchingparam($siteid)$apikey = "Put
your API Key here$apiurl =
https://www.systemmonitor.us/api/?apikey=$apikey$url =
"$($apiurl)&service=list_workstations&siteid=$siteid"[xml]$xmlmac
= (new-object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString($url)foreach
($xmlmacws in $xmlmac.result.items.workstation) {$macString =
$xmlmacws.mac1."#cdata-section"$mac = $macString.split(':') | %{
[byte]('0x' + $_) }$UDPclient = new-Object
System.Net.Sockets.UdpClient$UDPclient.Connect(([System.Net.IPAddress]::Broadcast),4000)$packet
= [byte[]](,0xFF * 6)$packet += $mac * 16[void]
$UDPclient.Send($packet, $packet.Length)write-output "Wake-On-Lan
magic packet of length $($packet.Length) sent to$macString"} 49.
Real-world examples 50. Real-world examples Custom Monitoring
Automate repetitive tasks Onboarding new clients Software
installation Preventing tickets 51. Custom Monitoring Check current
time vs. NTP server$ntpcheck = w32tm /stripchart /dataonly
/computer:pool.ntp.org /samples:1[int]$ntpchecktime =
$($ntpcheck.Split()[-1]).Split("s")[0].Substring("1")Write-Output
"$ntpchecktime seconds"if ($ntpchecktime -gt 300) {Write-Output
"Check failed"Exit 1001} 52. Onboarding new clients Make sure all
of your standards are enforced from the start Install and configure
SNMP Software deployment Enable RDP Enable Wake on LAN Open ports
in the firewall 53. Install and configure SNMPcmd /c
Servermanagercmd -install SNMP-Servicesreg add
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetservicesSNMPParametersValidCommunities
/v ROString /tREG_DWORD /d 4 /freg delete
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesSNMPParametersPermittedManagers
/fStop-Service -Name SNMPStart-Service -Name SNMP 54. Software
deployment Download MSI or EXE and use silent switches to install
software Host on your website, Dropbox, or similar file storage
solution Silent switches are typically available with software
documentation MSI install files always use msiexec with the same
switches for installationMsiexec /I {filepath} /quiet /qn
/norestart REBOOT=reallysuppress Check
HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsUninstall for MSI uninstall string. Add
/quiet toswitch to make quietMsiexec /I {filepath} /quiet /qn
/norestart REBOOT=reallysuppress 55. Download and install
OpenManage$file_url =
"http://downloads-us.dell.com/FOLDER00574377M/1/OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-WIN-7.1.0-5304_A00.exe"$file_name
= "OMSA-6.5.0-2247_A01.exe"$numafiles_path =
"$Env:SystemDriveNumaNetworks"if ((Test-Path $numafiles_path) -eq
$false) {New-Item -type directory -Path $numafiles_path |
Out-Null}if ((Test-Path "$numafiles_path$($file_name)") -eq $false)
{$file_dload_file = "$numafiles_path$($file_name)"$file_dload =
new-object
System.Net.WebClient$file_dload.DownloadFile($file_url,$file_dload_file)cmd
/c $numafiles_path$file_name /auto $numafiles_pathOpenManage}cmd /c
msiexec
/i$numafiles_pathOpenManageWindowsSystemsManagementSysMgmt.msi/quiet
/norestart 56. Preventing tickets Fix problems detected by your
monitoring scripts Reduce the amount of tickets coming into your
helpdesk Setup using an automated task Dont run at a specified
time, run at a specified event Able to run at the failure of most
checks (Service, Event, AV Update) Script will run at next 24/7
check-in following failure Examples: Clear and start print spooler
when service stops Force AV definition update when definitions are
old Run disk cleanups when disk gets full 57. Clear Print Spooler
and restart serviceSet objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")Set
objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")Set
objWMIService =
GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!"_&
.rootcimv2")SpoolDirectory =
objShell.RegRead("HKLMSystemCurrentControlSet"_&
"ControlPrintPrintersDefaultSpoolDirectory")Set objFolder =
objFSO.GetFolder(SpoolDirectory)For Each objFile In
objFolder.FilesWScript.Echo "Deleteing
"+objFile.NameobjFile.Delete(Force)NextSet objSpooler =
objWMIService.Get("Win32_Service='spooler'")If objSpooler.State =
"Stopped" ThenWScript.Echo "Starting
Spooler."objSpooler.StartService()End If 58. Summary 59. Summary
Scripting allows you to extend monitoring and automate maintenance
7.5 million script checks and 260,000 maintenance tasks run every
day Built-in scripts available to add now with no programming
knowledge required Hundreds of community scripts available on
fixitscripts.com for you to use If you do want to write your own
scripts Ensure script returns appropriate return code for pass/fail
See script writing guidelines in help system Borrow and build on
top of other scripts Save time onboarding new clients, automating
maintenance and preventing tickets Check your ServiceDesk for where
time is being spent on tickets 60. Thank
YouConferences.gfimax.com/app
