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-------------------- LANLOG - Version 1.1 -------------------- MANUAL Author: Richard Williams 1st August 1993 -oOo- LANLOG is distributed as via Shareware marketing. LANLOG is NOT public domain software. LANLOG is Copyright (c) 1993 Pathfinder (UK). All rights reserved. ======================== LANLOG LICENSE AGREEMENT Those wishing to distribute LANLOG please refer to the file DISTRIB.DOC. Shareware vendors (BBS sysops etc) please refer to vendor.doc. You are authorised to evaluate the program LAN-LOG for a period of 30 days, after this period, if you intend to continue to use this product, you must register the program and pay an appropriate license fee for its continued use. See ??-ORDER.DOC for details of license size and fees. If you have evaluated LANLOG and can think of others who may wish to evaluate or use the product please feel free to give them a copy of the shareware version of the system. Under NO circumstances should the registered version of LANLOG be distributed by any person, body or organisation without the prior WRITTEN permission of PATHFINDER. ================= Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Overview 1.2 Who Should Use LANLOG 1.3 The Process 1.4 The Software 1.5 Compatibility 1.6 The Manual 2. LANLOG Technical Guide 2.1 Installing LANLOG 2.1.1 Installing the Software 2.1.2 System Requirements 2.2 Installation/Configuration of TSR 2.2.1 Running the Configuration Utility (LLCONFIG.COM) 2.2.2 /PATH: <128 characters> 2.2.3 /NAME: <8 characters> 2.2.4 /MET 2.2.5 /LOG 2.2.6 /NETWARE 2.2.7 /NETBIOS 2.2.8 /H -H ? H HELP /? /HELP -? 2.2.9 Default Options 2.2.10 Installation of LLOG.COM 2.3 Data Files - Format and Content 2.3.1 Metering Tables 2.3.2 Logging Files 2.4 Reporting/Management Information 2.4.1 Organising Reports 2.4.2 Producing Reports 2.4.3 Running the Report Utility LLREPORT.COM 2.4.3.1 <filespec> 2.4.3.2 /TOT 2.4.3.3 /Y/N 2.4.3.4 /CQ 2.4.3.5 Default Actions 2.4.4 Directing Reports to File and Printer 2.4.5 Human Readable Report Formats 2.4.5.1 Meter File (*.MET) Reports 2.4.5.2 Total File (*.TOT) Reports 3. LANLOG Application Notes 3.1 Organising Data Collection 3.2 Monitoring Periods 3.3 Security of Data Files 3.4 LANLOG and Access Control 3.5 LANLOG and LANs 3.5.1 Compatibility 3.5.2 Resource Requirements 3.5.3 Using Network Physical Addresses 3.5.4 Distributed LANs (WANs) 3.6 Support =============== 1. Introduction ------------ 1.1 Overview LANLOG is a simple to use, highly flexible software usage metering and logging tool for a PC workstation. Using LANLOG you can answer a number of simple questions: * What software is being used in an organisation, department, area or workstation? * With what frequency is it being used from each workstation, department and organisation? * What software is being run, when and with what command line for each workstation? To achieve this LANLOG provides options for creating and maintaining a software metering table and/or a software usage log for each workstation on which it is installed. The log files and meter tables can be located in any path the workstation or user can see through DOS, which means metering files can be situated centrally on a server or locally on the workstations hard disk. Because a separate log file and/or meter table is maintained for each workstation this avoids the conflicts, timeouts and drop in performance associated with database and NLM solutions. Though LANLOG offers many options, it's default values mean you can have LANLOG installed and gathering data on a PC in a matter of seconds. ------------------------- 1.2 Who Should Use LANLOG LANLOG will be useful to those running central help desk facilities and those responsible for ensuring their organisation has the correct license agreements for the software it is running. LANLOG will tell you what is actually being used not what is installed - often two very different things. LANLOG is a useful weapon in the armoury of any system administrator who needs accurate software usage information without degrading the performance of the server(s). LANLOG uses only simple file access at the server, no record locking is needed, LANLOG doesn't require any NLM style scheduling and all computation is performed at the workstation. --------------- 1.3 The Process The LANLOG process fits into two stages: - installation - and monitoring. Installation is a very fast and easy process, for which a number of example installation batch files are provided (CONFEG??.BAT). Installation hard codes LANLOG's options into a small .COM file, used during the monitoring stage. Once created, this file is effectively tamper proof, to alter the system's configuration LANLOG must be re-installed. The monitoring of software usage is performed by a very small (in the registered version) TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program, loaded into memory (from the COM file created during installation) when the workstation is switched on or rebooted. LANLOG's monitoring is fast! On a very basic (286) PC with a slow (64ms) hard disk LANLOG's operations are barely detectable. A separate program controls the preparation and presentation of reports from recorded metering information. Software metering tables can be reported to the screen, printer or files. The reports can be human readable formatted, or produced in comma quotes format for import into any spreadsheet or database system. Using this reporting utility meter files can be quickly merged to produce organisation, departmental and group reports showing how many workstations run each piece of software and how many times each has been run in total. The optional log files are created in comma quote format, so making them ideal for importing and/or straight reading. One of the advantages of maintaining a separate log file for each workstation is help desk staff do not need to wade through every work stations data to find the information they require. ---------------- 1.4 The Software LANLOG consists of an installation system and a software metering report system. The installation system creates the necessary (tailored) executable file for loading as a TSR. The system is provided with a series of well documented example .BAT files to help speed the process of developing a working system (particularly with large numbers of workstations). ----------------- 1.5 Compatibility LANLOG uses ONLY standard documented DOS calls. This means it will run on any IBM compatible PC and any network with a clean DOS interface, in other words any of the major LAN operating systems in the business arena. -------------- 1.6 The Manual This document has been written in two sections, a technical guide outlining the installation, running and maintenance of the system and a user guide providing, in the form of examples, many useful hints and tips which helps you to use the system to best effect. ========================= 2. LANLOG Technical Guide --------------------- 2.1 Installing LANLOG This section describes the installation of the REGISTERED version of LANLOG. LANLOG is distributed via shareware, many vendors prefer to provide their own installation routines and methods, if this is an unregistered copy of LANLOG refer to the vendors information. ----------------------------- 2.1.1 Installing the Software LANLOG's reporting utility (LLREPORT.COM) will happily run from either a server or local hard disk drive so LANLOG's installation utility allows you to do both. Insert the installation diskette into the appropriate diskette drive and type: <D:>\INSTALL where <D:> is the drive into which you have inserted the installation diskette e.g. A:\INSTALL Follow the simple menu instructions to install the system. ------------------------- 2.1.2 System Requirements Hardware: PC,XT,AT or any IBM compatible clone. No minimum hardware requirement. Workstation Operating System: DOS 2.1 and above. LAN Requirement: OPTIONAL LAN Operating System: Any DOS compatible, e.g. NETWARE, BANYAN VINES, LAN MANAGER, NETWARE LITE etc. LANLOG 200K approximately (including all documentation). Installed Size: 84K for all executables. Monitor TSR Installed Size: Less than 4K (registered). Logging Data Specified path on local hard disk or network Written To: server drive. ------------------------------------- 2.2 Installation/Configuration of TSR LANLOG monitors software usage on a workstation by means of a TSR (terminate and stay resident) program installed on it's hard disk. The TSR program (LLOG.COM) is simultaneously created and configured by LANLOG's configuration utility (LLCONFIG.COM). Once created LLOG.COM cannot be modified by the user, the configuration specified during installation is hard coded into the TSR. The configuration options make it possible to organise the collection and subsequent reporting of data organised by department, work groups, network physical node address and individual user (for more detail about organising LANLOG data please refer to the Application Notes). NOTE: The configuration of LLOG.COM and hence the organisation of data files is DIRECTLY related to the format and quality of the end reports produced by the system (refer to the Organising Reports section of the Technical Guide and the Application Notes for more detail). Once resident the TSR (LLOG.COM) must be executed every time the PC is rebooted or switched on (see Installation of LLOG.COM for more detail). A number of example .BAT files (CONFEG??.BAT) have been provided to speed up the installation process, what follows is a complete description of all the configuration options available when installing the monitoring TSR. ------------------------------------------------------ 2.2.1 Running the Configuration Utility (LLCONFIG.COM) All configuration commands are provided from command line information following the name of the configuration utility. Each command line item MUST have a SPACE between it and adjacent entries. The command line syntax when running LLCONFIG.COM is as follows: LLCONFIG [options] The [options] available in version 1.1 of LANLOG are as follows: /PATH: <128 characters> - where to write meter & log data /NAME: <8 characters> - file name of meter &/or log data /MET - Activate metering & create file /LOG - Activate Logging & create file /NETWARE - File name(s) = adaptor address /NETBIOS - File name(s) = adaptor address /H -H ? H HELP /? /HELP -? - Show on screen command list Each of these options will be explained fully in a moment, but first it is worth noting the options can be placed on the command line in any order, are not case sensitive and that they MUST be space delimited. In other words a space must exist between each option on the command line AND separating /NAME: and /PATH: from the text that follows them. e.g. Correct: LLCONFIG /log /met /name: GEORGE Incorrect: LLCONFIG /log/met/name:GEORGE As you can see from the command line syntax LLCONFIG can be run without specifying any configuration options in which case a set of default options are used. The default settings are listed after the [options] descriptions. ----------------------------- 2.2.2 /PATH: <128 characters> LANLOG maintains unique data file(s) for each workstation monitored. This command line option allows you to specify the destination path of these files. <128 characters> can be any DOS path on a LAN server or local hard disk the user of the PC has write access rights to and can "see" from DOS. If LLCONFIG cannot find the specified path an attempt will be made to create the path, LLCONFIG can create multiple depths of directories. If this attempt fails an error message is reported. e.g. LLCONFIG /PATH: H:\ADMIN\DEPT01 NOTE: The path specified in this command line option must NOT contain a file name. File names will be treated as directories and if they don't exist will therefore be created. To specify a data file name see /NAME:. Much of the power of LANLOG as a reporting system is based on it's ability to write data from workstations to different server paths. By organising WHERE this data is written you can group software usage reports by department, work group, job title etc. See Application Notes for more detail. --------------------------- 2.2.3 /NAME: <8 characters> This command line options allows the person installing the monitor TSR to specify a name for the data files to be created. The name provided can be any set of 8 characters that will form a valid DOS file name. If you are monitoring a small group of workstations within a single department this could be the name of the stations user, the machines inventory ID or even the room number in which the workstation is located. NOTE: When using this naming method it is important to ensure each workstation has a unique name especially when writing data to a single specified path (see Application Notes). DO NOT ATTEMPT TO INCLUDE A FILE EXTENSION with the name, the system employs two default file extensions (*.MET and *.LOG). e.g. Correct: LLCONFIG /NAME: JaneJ Incorrect: LLCONFIG /NAME: JaneJ.one If you provide more than 8 characters for this option, only the first 8 will be used to form the name, the remainder are discarded. ---------- 2.2.4 /MET LANLOG will create and maintain two types of software usage "logs", a true (limitless) audit log of each piece of software executed and software usage meter tables. During configuration/installation you may specify either or both options. The following simple rules show how to select the combination of metering and logging you require. Command Line Metering Logging ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neither /MET or /LOG | Yes | No | | /MET | Yes | No | | /MET /LOG | Yes | Yes | | /LOG | No | Yes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Meter tables are given the ".MET" file extension, log files the ".LOG" extension. The /MET command line option tells LLCONFIG to create a new meter table in the specified path with a specified name and the file extension ".MET". If a file with the same name is discovered you will be asked if you wish to overwrite or destroy it. Once overwritten the data held in the existing table is effectively lost. ---------- 2.2.5 /LOG The /LOG command line option tells LLCONFIG to create a new log file in the specified path with a specified name and the file extension ".LOG". If a file with the same name and path is discovered you will be asked if you wish to overwrite or destroy it. Once overwritten the data held in the existing log file is effectively lost. Also see /MET for more detail. -------------- 2.2.6 /NETWARE This command line option tells LLCONFIG that Novell's NETWARE operating system is running on this PC and you wish to use the workstations physical network address (as returned from netware) to form the file name of the software monitoring data file(s). NOTE: LANLOG makes NO attempt to ensure NETWARE is installed. If you are using this command line option it is your responsibility to ensure NETWARE is loaded, failure to do so will have unpredictable results. Once installed the TSR monitor will always write to the specified path and file name. If you configure the system to use NETWARE you must also ensure Netware is loaded BEFORE the LANLOG TSR is activated (see later). -------------- 2.2.7 /NETBIOS This command line option tells LLCONFIG NETBIOS is loaded and you wish to use the workstations physical network address (as returned from NETBIOS) to form the file name of the software monitoring data file(s). This option allows you to use the network physical address in non-netware LANs. NOTE: LANLOG makes NO attempt to ensure NETBIOS is installed. If you use this option and NETBIOS is not installed the results will be unpredictable. Once installed the TSR monitor will always write to the specified path and file name. You must therefore ensure your network operating system is installed BEFORE the LANLOG TSR is activated (see later). NETBIOS needs only to be installed during the configuration and installation of LLOG.COM and can therefore be run temporarily for the purpose of installation alone. This method has the advantage that NETBIOS is not wasting memory during normal every day usage. -------------------------------- 2.2.8 /H -H ? H HELP /? /HELP -? Including any of the above options on the command line results in the SYNTAX help screen being printed. --------------------- 2.2.9 Default Options If executed with no command line options LLCONFIG provides a set of default values: Data path: C:\LANLOG.DAT Data file name: LLOGDAT.<EXT> (Where <EXT> is either .LOG or .MET) Metering type: Software Metering (/MET) ------------------------------- 2.2.10 Installation of LLOG.COM The software usage monitor LLOG.COM is created, configured and installed by LLCONFIG.COM. In the version 1.1 of LANLOG the TSR's .COM file is installed in the following path: C:\LLG For the TSR to be loaded into memory during workstation reboot or switch on, LLOG.COM must be executed at the workstation. There are two ways to achieve this: * The first method is to include a command in the AUTOEXEC.BAT (or similar) file of the PC to be monitored. The order of command lines in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file is often critical to the correct functioning of the system. LLOG should be activated BEFORE the LAN operating system. * The second method is to include a command in the workstations or users login script (or similar). Again the order of commands in these files is important. To execute LLOG.COM and hence install it as a TSR program include the following command in one of the two files detailed above: C:\LLG\LLOG LLOG.COM expects no command line information, set up data is provided during the initial installation of the system by LLCONFIG.COM. LLCONFIG.COM makes NO attempt to automatically edit or change the AUTOEXEC.BAT or LOGIN scripts of the workstation. This job is best left to the system administrator or other individual with a good knowledge of system requirements, network configuration etc. As TSRs occupy valuable system memory it is important to ensure the work normally carried out on the workstation can still be carried out. The unregistered version of LLOG.COM occupies 28K of system memory, the registered version less than 3K, if you intend to use LANLOG it is well worth registering your copy. In systems where even 3K is considered too much memory it is well worth considering one of the many memory management systems available. ----------------------------------- 2.3 Data Files - Format and Content LANLOG can simultaneously create and maintain two types of data for each workstation monitored, metering tables and log files. The two file types are created during installation of the monitor module by LLCONFIG.COM and are maintained/updated by LLOG.COM when resident as a TSR. Each workstation has its own unique table(s) making the record locking and other resource sharing techniques associated with central database approaches unnecessary. This means LANLOG will never be responsible for the time outs and loss of performance some other monitoring software may cause. Each type of data file has it's own format and is intended to serve a different purpose. --------------------- 2.3.1 Metering Tables Metering tables are created with a header and a single entry for each executable run on the monitored machine. New entries are added for each new executable run. This way only those programs executed are included in the data structure. Currently the information recorded for each executable's entry is as follows: * Last date of execution * Last time of execution * Total number of executions * Full path of executed program The path stored in the entry is as it would be seen by the user of the PC. In other words if the drive mapping of the workstation allows the user to access a particular application via his or her drive P:, the path entry in the metering table will begin with P:\. Each table includes an internal index to greatly enhance the speed of update from the monitoring TSR. On a 286, running an average number of executables (40) and with a slow (64 ms) hard disk the actions of the TSR (LLOG.COM) are barely noticeable. Metering tables are intended for use by system administrators and managers who are interested in the software usage of their users/workstations. NOTE: If for any reason a metering file is deleted, destroyed or mislaid LANLOG's monitor software (LLOG.COM) must be re-installed on the appropriate workstation(s). LLOG.COM will not attempt to re-create the missing metering file and will therefore take no action if it cannot find it. The operation of the workstation will be unaffected. ------------------- 2.3.2 Logging Files Logging data files are of the conventional "one entry per action" type. Each entry in a file is created in the comma quotes format making, direct import into database and spreadsheet packages simple. An entry is appended to the end of the log file EVERY time an executable is run on the monitored PC. Each entry consists of: * Date of execution * Time of execution * Full path of executed program * Command line passed to the program from DOS The path recorded in a logging file is the same as outlined in the metering file description. The command line field is very useful information for help desk facilities, as it helps to paint a picture of the exact actions taken by the user before help was sought. As with many other logging applications there is one big drawback to this approach - file size. Disk space is the only factor limiting the maximum possible size of any individual log file. Future versions of LANLOG may well include a circular log file option allowing the administrator to specify how many log entries they require before old ones are overwritten. NOTE: LANLOGs monitoring software does NOT recreate missing logging or metering files. If you delete a logging file you must recreate an empty (0 length) file with the same length. If the monitoring TSR cannot find the logging file it expects it does nothing. The operation of the workstation will be unaffected. This is one simple way of creating an empty file using DOS: ECHO \ > <filename> Remember the logging file must be in the SAME path and have exactly the SAME name, for LANLOG to find and update it. ------------------------------------ 2.4 Reporting/Management Information As described earlier LANLOG will optionally create and maintain two types of data file/table(s), a logging file and a metering file. The logging files are in comma quote format (,") and ready for immediate import into spreadsheets and databases, LANLOG provides no additional reporting facilities for these files. Metering tables, however, can be sorted, printed and concatenated together to form totals. Output may be redirected to either a printer or a file. The utility provided to perform these actions is named LLREPORT.COM, a number of well documented BAT files (REPTEG??.BAT) have been included to give examples of it's usage. ------------------------ 2.4.1 Organising Reports LANLOG uses the DOS directory/file structures to allow reports to be generated based on user/work groups, physical location of workstations, departmental and even geographical criteria. The DOS directory structure is used to reflect the organisational structure of the workstations being monitored. Each workstation has it's own unique metering file. The position of this file in the DOS structure tells the administrator to which position, department or grouping the workstation belongs. Reports can be generated on ALL the meter files in an individual directory, if that directory contains meter files from the Accounting department alone the subsequent report will be one of software usage in the Accounting department. NOTE: Consider the organisation of data carefully BEFORE installing and configuring the monitoring TSR. Badly organised data will result in only simple reports being available. Well organised data can provide a wealth of information useful to all ranks in your organisation, from System Administrators to Managing Directors. ----------------------- 2.4.2 Producing Reports LLREPORT has two basic functions, the reporting of data in individual or groups of metering tables and the concatenation (totaling) of data across all the tables in the working directory into a single totals report. When monitoring software usage from the workstations on a LAN,data can be deposited centrally and reports generated immediately. Those who wish to monitor stand alone workstations or prefer to keep monitoring information on local hard disks rather than the server will have to collect the data to a central point before generating management reports. If you choose to use the default data paths and file names for data files a collection utility can very easily be created in the form of a DOS batch file. An example is provided in the form of COLLEG01.BAT. This basic example can be improved on by adding a file compression utility. --------------------------------------------- 2.4.3 Running the Report Utility LLREPORT.COM LLREPORT has the following command line syntax: LLREPORT <filespec> [options] where the options (in any order following the filespec) are: <filespec> Print single meter file or group of meter files. /TOT Produce a total across all <filespec> meter files. /Y/N Skip/include a meter file in a totals report list. /CQ Report printed in comma-quote (,") format. As you can see from the syntax, LLREPORT may be run without any options. The default action taken is to print to the screen the contents of a single meter file or a set of reports from files matching the filespec. This is described fully after the option descriptions. ------------------ 2.4.3.1 <filespec> The file specification can be any valid DOS file specification and can therefore included the wildcard symbols "*?". NOTE: The <filespec> must not include a PATH, only those files found in the current directory are printed by LLREPORT.COM. Either make a copy of LLREPORT.COM in the directory for which you wish to generate a report or select that directory and execute LLREPORT from it's home directory e.g. C:\>CD \DEPT01 C:\DEPT01\> D:\LANLOG\LLREPORT *.MET where D:\LANLOG is the directory in which LANLOG was originally installed. When reporting on several metering tables be careful not to include any logging files or other non LANLOG data files in the report. In version 1.1, LANLOG makes no attempt to identify if a file is a metering table, generating a report from a non-metering file will cause unpredictable results. If in doubt use the file specifications: *.MET \ for meter files only *.TOT \ for total files only ------------ 2.4.3.2 /TOT The /TOT command line options tells LLREPORT to produce a NEW additional metering table, based on the information reported from the metering tables found to match the specified <filespec>. This NEW "total" meter table is (in version 1.1) always created in the current path and given the file name: LANLOG.TOT When you use LLREPORT to view LANLOG.TOT a concatenated report is produced (see later). This report shows the total use made of each executed file and the number of workstations that have run it. If you are collecting usage data in several directories each can therefore have it's own total meter table and it's own totalled report. If LLREPORT discovers an existing LANLOG.TOT file in the current directory it will ask you if you wish it destroyed or overwritten. Any information in the total table will be lost if you elect to do so. ------------ 2.4.3.3 /Y/N The /Y/N command line option tells LLREPORT that you wish to "OK" each meter file before it is reported and/or included in the "total" file LANLOG.TOT. When /Y/N is included in the command line LLREPORT asks you if you wish to include each file it finds in the directory matching the specified <filespec>. By pressing the "N" key the user tells LLREPORT to ignore the named file and proceed to the next it finds. NOTE: If you are redirecting output to a printer or file, the Y/N? style questions prompted by LLREPORT.COM will appear in any output produced and will not be visible to the workstation user - if you are not expecting it this may appear as if the machine has hung. ----------- 2.4.3.4 /CQ The information produced by LLREPORT provides valuable management information, particularly the summary information stored in the total file LANLOG.TOT. The command line option /CQ switches report output to a comma quotes delimited format ideal for import into spreadsheets, databases, Help Desk, Asset Register and Management Information Systems. When producing reports in comma-quote format the header information and field titles are automatically excluded from the report. ----------------------- 2.4.3.5 Default Actions With no options specified LLREPORT produces a report of each metering file matching the provided <filespec>. It does not create a total file. Each report is printed in a human readable form, with appropriate headers/footers etc. ------------------------------------------- 2.4.4 Directing Reports to File and Printer All LANLOG's screen output is ANSI standard, this means by using a number of simple DOS commands reports generated by LLREPORT.COM can be directed to ANY DOS device or file. To create a file containing the contents of any LLREPORT generated report use the DOS redirection symbols. e.g. LLREPORT *.MET /CQ > DEPT01.TXT The first half of this command (LLREPORT *.MET /CQ) will execute LLREPORT telling it to produce a report in comma quotes format based on all the files in the current directory with the .MET file extension, the second half of the line (> DEPT01.TXT) instructs DOS to redirect screen output (the report) to a file named DEPT01.TXT. If the file doesn't exist DOS creates it, if it does the original is overwritten. To concatenate report output into one file (i.e. not overwrite the original) DOS provides the ">>" directive. e.g. LLREPORT *.MET /CQ >> DEPT01.TXT To direct output to a printer is just as simple, instead of providing a file name for DOS's redirected output you provide the PRN identifier. e.g. LLREPORT *.MET > PRN Depending on the configuration of your system you may be prompted for other information after executing this DOS command. For more information about the redirection facilities available in your version of DOS consult the documentation accompanying your system or any good DOS guide. ----------------------------------- 2.4.5 Human Readable Report Formats LLREPORT produces two human readable report formats, one for normal meter files the other for the total file(s) LANLOG.TOT. Both formats include a header (printed for each data file reported) with the following information: Filename \ of meter/total file Number of Records \ in this meter/total file Date/Time installation \ installation of TSR LLOG.COM ---------------------------------- 2.4.5.1 Meter File (*.MET) Reports Meter file reports consist of 4 columns headed as follows: Last Date \ that following path was executed Last Time \ that following path was executed Total # \ total number of executions Executable Path \ the path of the executable run NOTE: "Total #" represents the number of executions by the workstation represented by the current metering file only. ---------------------------------- 2.4.5.2 Total File (*.TOT) Reports Total file reports consist of 4 columns headed as follows: Total # \ total number of executions # WrkSt \ total number of workstations Executable Path \ the path of the executable run The "Total #" column contains the total number of times the following path has been executed in ALL the meter files used to make up this total file. In other words, the number of times a particular path has been run by all the workstations whose metering files reside in the current directory. The "# WrkSt" column contains the total number of metering files found to contain the following path. In other words the number of workstations that have executed the path over the period of time monitoring has been taking place. The "Executable Path" column contains the path from which programs have been run from each workstation. This path is as the user of the workstation would see it. NOTE: If monitoring workstations on a LAN it should be noted server based software (i.e. not on workstations local hard disk) may, depending on drive mappings etc, appear as separate entries in the total table. This is because one workstation may view an application as residing in drive P: and another in drive H:. Only in systems where a consistent approach has been applied to drive mapping on workstations can this duplication be avoided. =========================== 3. LANLOG Application Notes ------------------------------ 3.1 Organising Data Collection In small organisations or single department LANs, the organisation of logging and metering data will be a relatively simple matter. The following description is aimed at those of you who are collecting larger amounts of data, but, the points raised are of relevance to all LANLOG users - large and small. Much of LANLOGs simplicity, both in use and design, is derived from the fact it uses the DOS directory structure to organise its logging and metering data. Organisations are often represented graphically in the form of a tree or series of trees. e.g. Board Of Directors-------------Design | |------Manufacturing | |------Packaging | |------Accounts | |------Personnel | ------...etc... Each leg of the above tree could easily be expanded into a tree of it's own representing the different actions or areas within each department. DOS's drives and directories are organised in the form of a tree, by simply mirroring your organisations tree structure, in a DOS structure, LANLOG allows you to easily track the sources of logging data and to produce reports grouped by what ever category you require. Because the quality and usefulness of LANLOG's reports relies so heavily on how you organise the data collection, it is worth drawing up a plan (or tree) similar to the one above BEFORE you install the LLOG TSR on any machines. Once you have a plan of the organisation, draw a similar one for the drive(s) on which you are going to store LANLOG's data. This is made a little more difficult because DOS only allows 12 characters (including extension) for a single directory name. If you resort to some type of department coding remember to make a note of each code. All that remains is to install LANLOG's monitoring TSR (LLOG.COM) on each workstation to be monitored. An example BAT file is included (CONFEG03.BAT) which demonstrates a quick method of achieving a simple one layered structure like the tree above. To add more layers you could add other parameters to the BATCH file or edit the installation command to include another level. Refer to the appropriate section of the Technical Guide for more detail. ---------------------- 3.2 Monitoring Periods LANLOG monitors software usage, it tells you what software has been executed by a workstation SINCE it began monitoring. For this reason it will take a period of time before the information held in a metering file truly reflects the normal usage pattern(s) of a workstation's user(s). The length of this period very much depends upon who uses the machine being monitored, how often they use it, what they use it for and the amount of variety in their job. In most situations a month will suffice, but there are always exceptions. Longer periods of monitoring provide a better picture of software usage for each individual user. When metering execution, LANLOG records the last time a particular program is run, if this can be shown to be a long time ago (only possible with prolonged monitoring), then a case can be made for removing the software from the machine or its user. This approach helps you to rationalise software usage throughout an organisation, thus saving on software license fees and support costs. -------------------------- 3.3 Security of Data Files The version 1.1 of LANLOG makes no attempt to hide either it's executable (LLOG.COM) or its meter/log files from the user of the workstation. Such features may be added to later versions of LANLOG, but, at the moment it is up to you to apply protections. In a LAN environment one of the simplest ways of protecting the generated meter or logging data is by marking the path and/or data files as "write-only" (or similar) and hidden. There is nothing on the workstation to tell a user where the data is going (this information is hard coded into LLOG.COM). Once installed the same type of protection can be applied to LLOG.COM itself. Any one of the numerous PC disk management systems available will provide the facility to "hide" both LLOG.COM and the directory in which it resides (C:\LLOG). Experience demonstrates that the protections described above are easily enough to prevent the average PC user from mischief. ----------------------------- 3.4 LANLOG and Access Control Access control packages work by capturing portions of the PC's interrupt table, those offering boot protection often encrypt or remove the table altogether. LANLOG also works by capturing interrupts, this can obviously lead to some contention on a workstation - one to which there is no simple answer. If you do experience problems loading LANLOG into memory or with the access control package after LANLOG has been loaded try altering the loading order of the packages. The effect this will have will depend very much on how the access control package handles interrupts AFTER it has dealt with them. If you continue to have problems contact the publisher of your access control package for their advice, we can provide contacts for a number of such packages, but, the sheer number of those available prevents us knowing them all. Once installed, (again depending on installation order etc) LANLOG will only "see" what the access control package allows it to see. But, as this is what the workstation's user can see, LANLOG will function normally, reporting only the software used from the workstation. ------------------- 3.5 LANLOG and LANs ------------------- 3.5.1 Compatibility Though a LAN product, LANLOG uses no LAN operating system calls; prefering instead to make only well documented DOS calls. This approach means that LANLOG is not tied to any single or group of LAN operating systems. Any LAN system providing a clean DOS interface to the user of the workstation will be suitable for LANLOG. --------------------------- 3.5.2 Resource Requirements LANLOG monitors software usage from the workstation not the server. This means that virtually no server resource (apart from simple file access) is used when monitoring. Unlike other "monitoring" packages, LANLOG doesn't use a central database to store its data. Instead each work station is given it's own data file, this means that none of the record locking or other resource sharing systems are needed on the server. Because LANLOG is NOT an NLM based system it requires none of the associated scheduling overheads. As each metering data file contains only those products executed and an integral indexing system, disk usage is kept to a minimum and for those who use disk compression software both meter tables and log files compress well. Generating LANLOG reports can be performed using server disk access or on a local hard disk. All computation is performed by the workstation running LLREPORT.COM and once again the server is only required for simple disk access operations. If you decide you don't wish to use the server at all, a single DOS copy command will transfer all the data files you need to your local drive. -------------------------------------- 3.5.3 Using Network Physical Addresses LANLOG provides you with the option of naming a workstation's data files using its physical network address. The required name is generated during the configuration and installation of LANLOG's TSR (LLOG.COM). Therefore during monitoring LLOG does not need to find out the network address. In the case of non-netware LAN's this has the advantage that NETBIOS need only be loaded during the installation of LLOG.COM. ----------------------------- 3.5.4 Distributed LANs (WANs) Because LANLOG can direct its data to any path accessible from the workstation, data may be collected at any location in the entire network system (depending on it's configuration). An organisation can configure LANLOG to write data from each workstation spread out across the country (the world?) to a single set of drives and paths. Because data collection and reporting are carried out by separate utilities and each workstation has it's own data files, information can be exchanged by bulletin board, electronic mail and even floppy diskette. Using this scheme an organisation might decide to make each of it's functions, departments, areas or sites responsible for the collection of its own metering data. Then at specified intervals all data collected can then be routed to one central individual or group for reporting and correlation. ----------- 3.6 Support Support is available, both pre and post-registration. PATHFINDER reserve the right to remove pre-registration support from those who have used LANLOG over an extended period with no intention of ever registering the software. PATHFINDER provide support through the following channels: Tel: +44 (0)61 406 7399 Fax: +44 (0)61 406 7410 BBS: +44 (0)61 406 7410 Internet: JOHNJ@PATHFIND.DEMON.CO.UK Compuserve: 100117,603 Or you can write to us at: PATHFINDER 138 Compstall Road Romiley, Stockport Cheshire, SK6 4EW United Kingdom If you require support please ensure that you have as much detail as possible about your problem, include all this in any written requests you make. The sort of information we require for a speedy response is operating system(s) in use, hardware involved, frequency of problem event, any device drivers that are installed, access control packages involved and any error messages displayed during or as a result of the problem. If you are faxing for support, include a print out of these errors if possible. In addition to PATHFINDER's support, a number of shareware vendors provide front line support of their own. Check with your supplier for details.