On the Snow Inventory Server, two folders handle incoming files:

• incoming\data\processing
• incoming\announcements\processing

This article explains the difference between these folders and which files should be processed in each.

Data Processing folder (incoming\data\processing)

This folder is used for inventory data files (typically .snowpack or .inv files) that contain detailed information collected from Snow agents or third-party connectors via Snow Integration Manager (SIM).

These files may include:

• Device hardware and software inventory
• Metering data
• Compliance-related information

Use this folder when:

• Sending standard inventory data from Snow agents or SIM connectors.
• Importing .snowpack or .inv files manually or through automated processes like Extenders or File Elevators.
• Performing migrations or bulk imports using the Export Devices function in Snow Inventory Server.

Announcements Processing folder (incoming\announcements\processing)

This folder is used for discovery and announcement data. These files are typically generated by discovery connectors in Snow Integration Manager and contain metadata about devices or users that may not have been inventoried yet.

Examples of files include:

• Active Directory discovery results
• Network discovery results
• Cloud discovery results (AWS, Azure, etc.)

Use this folder when:

• Processing discovery data from connectors like Azure, AWS, or Active Directory.
• Importing .inv, .snowpack, or similar files that describe discovered entities rather than full inventory.
• Configuring SIM to send discovery results separately from inventory data.