Add & Manage Device Profile Patterns

Device profile information is collected about a remote computing device for identification. Asset Manager has an extensive preconfigured library of vendors, device types, operating systems, and OS versions. Your enterprise can customize this library of device profiles and use it to label devices in reports and maps.  When you import a custom device profile, that profile does not modify or delete the original signature files provided with Asset Manager. Customized device profiles override defaults for reporting purposes only.  If, for example, a customized device file were removed after being applied, the system would revert to using the original default values. As soon as the import is complete, all current and future reports reflect the new custom device profile. There is no need to make additional adjustments to see the updated report profiles.

This page details how to manage custom profiles using these Settings > Device Profile Patterns options:

  • Import - Ingest patterns from Asset Manager or your enterprise. 
  • Export - Produce a backup file of all patterns defined by your enterprise
  • Delete - Removes all custom patterns.
  • Download Sample File - Useful as a template to create your own customized patterns. 
  • Download XSD - Useful as a template to create your own customized patterns. 
  • Pattern Builder - Used to analyze profileable data and create custom profiles patterns based on any device attribute.

Imported patterns are applied globally to all organizations in Asset Manager. When a customized fingerprint is imported, it is applied to all existing device profiles. Those device profiles are "re-profiled" using your newly imported custom device profiles. 

Only a system administrator with the SuperUser profile can upload, download, and delete custom patterns. Users can upload custom patterns.

Export Device Profile Patterns Using Curl

To export all user-defined patterns:

  • Enter this command on any system, replacing the IP address in the command with the system name or IP address of your system:
    curl -k -u "admin:admin" https://10.9.0.254/api/rest/config/profile/patterns?filter.pattern.userDefined=true

To export all standard patterns:

Enter this command on any system, replacing the IP address in the command with the system name or IP address of your system:
curl -k -u "admin:admin" https://10.9.0.254/api/rest/config/profile/patterns?filter.pattern.userDefined=false

Import Custom Device Profiles

Import custom profiles as follows:  

  1. Browse to the Settings > Device Profile Patterns page.
  2. In Device Profile Patterns, click Import.
  3. Import a file of fingerprints containing entries for the IP/CIDR address, Label, and Value. 
    Profile files contain profile_cifs, profile_sysDescr, profile_sysObjectID, and profile_http.
    You can download a sample file to use as a template.
  4. Indicate whether you would like to overwrite the existing patterns or add onto it.
  5. Your imported device profiles display in reports.

Export Custom Device Profiles

Export custom device profiles as follows:  

  1. Go to Settings > Device Profile Patterns.
  2. In Device Profile Patterns, click Export.
  3. The ConfigManagement.getPatterns.xml file containing your custom device profile patterns is saved.
    These files can be imported after an Asset Manager upgrade.  

Edit a Device Profile

After an initial upload of customer-supplied device profile patterns, the file can simply be downloaded, modified further and re-uploaded. Additional patterns may be added to the Customer Patterns file simply by copying the appropriate section (e.g., hardware) and appending it to the end of the document. 

XML requires the use of both opening and closing tags to create a complete and accurate XML expression. During the upload process, the syntax of the file is checked for accuracy and may fail if standard XML formatting practices are not used.

Edit a device profile as follows:

  1. Click Download Sample File to use as a template.
  2. Modify the sample in any text editor.
  3. Indicate whether you would like to overwrite the existing patterns or add onto it.
  4. Save your work.

Download Custom Patterns

Click Download XSD to download the patterns.xsd file, which contains all of your company's custom patterns. The XSD file facilitates using an XML parser. The parser aids in the editing process by ensuring that edits meet Asset Manager requirements for the custom device profile file. There are many XML parsers available and each has its own conventions. Overall, a parser provides the main advantages of color-coding text, checking syntax and providing and organized interface for editing. The procedures and steps for modifying the profiling file are identical to those above but are done so in a more structured editing environment. We recommend using an XML parser and the XSD file to reduce errors. Once the XSD file has been edited it can be importing using the Import procedure provided above.

Delete Custom Patterns

Delete a custom pattern as follows:

  1. Click Delete to remove all custom patterns.
  2. Confirm your selection, then click Delete.
    Asset Manger-sourced patterns are retained.  Custom patterns are deleted.