Chrome OS: FileWave Inventory Extension Behavior (FAQ)
What
The FileWave Chromebook Inventory extension provides abilities to manage your devices beyond what can be done from the Google Admin console. Below you will find some answers to frequently asked questions about the extension's behavior.
When/Why
We'll use the Inventory Extension mainly to collect additional inventory data from our Chromebooks, but also to request updated inventory information and to initiate remote control sessions.
How Does it Work?
Q: How do I install the Inventory Extension?
A: Reference the following link to see how to install the Inventory extension: Quick Start Guide
Q: What does the Inventory Extension do?
A: Reference the following article for details on what the extension does: Chrome OS: FileWave Inventory Extension Capabilities
Q: How frequently does the extension report data?
A: The extension reports data based on the frequency specified in the JSON configuration file. It defaults to once per day, but is configurable by changing the value in the json
Q: Will the extension send data/verify no matter what?
A: No, there are a number of pre-requisites for data to be sent, as follows:
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Device must be on and connected to a network
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The device must not be in a sleep state
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A user must be logged into the device (the extension is executed in the user context)
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The extension must actually be installed for the user above
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The FileWave server must be reachable by the endpoint (i.e. if on the internet, the device must be able to reach the FW server)
Q: What will happen if the device is offline/off/asleep when it should send inventory?
A: Nothing immediately. But, when the device comes back online with a user logged in, it should submit inventory right away.
Q: Will the Inventory Extension work if the Chrome browser is not open?
A: It will not work in this case. The extensions is specifically a browser extension, so it only works with a user logged in and browser open.
Q: When I look in inventory, I see a last sync date and a last connected date. Why are these two dates different?
A: Last connected date is the more important and meaningful data. It tells you when the device last talked to your FileWave server directly (i.e. the extension talks to FW). Last sync date is the date/time at which the device last checked in with the Google Admin console.
Q: A lot of data comes to FileWave from the Google Admin Console. How frequently does this data get sent?
A: By default your FileWave server synchronizes with Google nightly at midnight. You can force an immediate on-demand synchronization from the Google preferences tab.
Q: When I look in the Google admin console, I see different data than what I see in FileWave for some data. Why?
A: Most likely this is because the data changed since the last Google→ FileWave synchronization. (See item above). But note, the device checks in with Google on a certain frequency, and then we sync with Google on another schedule, so there can be discrepancies simply based on time. A manual synchronization though should always bring the data up to date.