Before you begin

Gather the following information:

• A description of the issue.
• The date and approximate time when the issue occurred.
• The affected computer names.
• The Snow Inventory Server version.
• The Snow Inventory Agent version.
• Whether the issue is intermittent or consistent.
• The steps used to reproduce the issue.
• Details of recent Snow configuration or version changes.

Collect logs covering a period before, during, and after the issue. If log rotation is enabled, collect all Snow log files covering the relevant period rather than only the current log file.

NOTE: Installation and data directories can be customized. If a default path does not exist, check the Snow component installation directory, service configuration, or deployment package.

Snow Inventory Server

Snow Inventory Server logs can contain information about:

• Inventory file receipt and processing.
• Agent communication.
• Discovery.
• Agent deployment.
• Web metering.
• Snow Inventory API requests.
• Database communication.
• Scheduled Inventory Server operations.
• Errors encountered while processing inventory data.

The same default log location applies to a Snow Inventory Gateway.

Run the Snow Inventory Server Health Check

When troubleshooting a Snow Inventory Server issue, use the Snow Inventory Server Health Check where possible.

The PowerShell script collects Snow Inventory Server information and performs checks that can assist with identifying configuration, service, database, communication, and file-processing issues.

Run the script directly on the Snow Inventory Server using an elevated PowerShell session.

Include the generated Health Check output when submitting the case to Flexera Support.

The Health Check supplements the standard Snow Inventory logs. Relevant logs and configuration files may still be requested depending on the issue.

Collect Snow Inventory Server logs

The default log directory is:

C:\ProgramData\SnowSoftware\Inventory\Server

Or:

%ProgramData%\SnowSoftware\Inventory\Server

Typical log files include:

snowserver-*.log

Collect all snowserver log files covering the time when the issue occurred.

ProgramData is a hidden Windows directory. Enter the complete path in File Explorer or enable the display of hidden items.

For current Snow Inventory Server file locations, see Installation package. For logging configuration, see Configure logging.

Collect configuration files

Collect the relevant Snow Inventory Server configuration files from the Snow Inventory Server installation and data directories.

Depending on the issue, relevant configuration can include:

• Inventory Server settings.
• Database connection settings.
• Server endpoint settings.
• Site configuration.
• Master configuration modules.
• Certificate configuration.
• Logging configuration.
• Data processor rules.
• Agent identity configuration.
• HostNameOnly configuration.
• Host name normalization configuration.

Collect failed inventory files

When investigating inventory files that fail to process, collect:

• The relevant snowserver logs.
• A sample of the affected .snowpack or .inv files.
• Files from the applicable incoming error directory.
• The approximate time when the files were received.
• The hostnames represented by the inventory files.
• The Snow Inventory Server Health Check output.

Incoming and error-directory locations can vary according to the Snow Inventory Server version and configuration.

Retain an original copy of any failing inventory file before attempting to process it again.

Snow Inventory Server Manager 25.x.x or later

Snow Inventory Server Manager logs contain information about the status and management of the Snow Inventory Server service.

The default log directory is:

C:\ProgramData\SnowSoftware\Inventory\ServerManager

Or:

%ProgramData%\SnowSoftware\Inventory\ServerManager

Collect these logs when investigating:

• Snow Inventory Server service startup failures.
• Unexpected service stops or restarts.
• Configuration-related startup issues.
• Inventory Server components that fail to initialize.
• Problems following an Inventory Server update.

For these issues, also include the output from the Snow Inventory Server Health Check script.

Snow Inventory Agent for Windows 25.x.x and later

Collect binaries and configuration

The default installation directory is:

C:\Program Files\Snow Software\Inventory\Agent

Typical files include:

• snowagent.exe
• snowagent.config

Additional scanner files, scripts, update files, certificates, or encryption files may be present depending on the agent package.

Collect logs and agent data

The default data directory is:

C:\Program Files\Snow Software\Inventory\Agent\data

The primary agent log is:

C:\Program Files\Snow Software\Inventory\Agent\data\snowagent.log

Collect the complete data directory where practical, including:

• snowagent.log.
• Rotated agent logs.
• Pending scan results.
• Generated inventory files.
• Update-related logs.
• Oracle scanner logs.
• Output from scripts started by the agent.

Collect agent configuration

Collect:

C:\Program Files\Snow Software\Inventory\Agent\snowagent.config

Depending on the issue, also collect:

• PowerShell inventory scripts.
• Include or exclude files.
• Encryption files.
• Certificate files.
• Oracle scanner configuration.
• Custom scripts called by the agent.
• Relevant Agent Package Builder settings.

Where the agent is not installed in the default directory, collect the corresponding files from the configured installation and data directories.

For current Windows agent file locations, see Snow Inventory Agent for Windows: Default location of files.

Snow Inventory Agent for Linux 7.x and later

The Snow Inventory Agent is commonly installed under:

/opt/snow

Typical files include:

• /opt/snow/snowagent
• /opt/snow/snowagent.config
• /opt/snow/data/snowagent.log

Collect:

• snowagent.config.
• snowagent.log.
• Rotated agent logs.
• Generated inventory files.
• Pending scan-result files.
• Update-related files.
• Oracle scanner logs.
• Custom scripts called by the agent.

The installation directory may differ where the agent was deployed using a customized package or installed manually.

For current Linux agent file locations, see Snow Inventory Agent for Linux: Default location of files.

Snow Inventory Agent for Unix and AIX 8.x and later

Unix and AIX agents are often deployed manually, so their installation locations may differ between environments.

A commonly used installation directory is:

/opt/snow

Typical files include:

• /opt/snow/snowagent
• /opt/snow/snowagent.config
• /opt/snow/data/snowagent.log

Collect:

• snowagent.config.
• snowagent.log.
• Rotated agent logs.
• Generated inventory files.
• Pending scan-result files.
• Update-related files.
• Oracle scanner logs.
• Custom scripts called by the agent.
• Snow-specific scheduler or startup configuration.

For AIX identity or duplicate-device issues, also collect:

• Inventory files generated for the affected computers.
• The configured Snow site name.
• The relevant HostNameOnly configuration.
• The relevant host name normalization configuration.
• Snow Inventory Server processing logs.
• Inventory files from each Snow Integration Manager or agent data source involved.

For current Unix agent file locations, see Snow Inventory Agent for Unix: Default location of files.

Snow Inventory Agent for macOS 7.x and later

The installation location depends on the Snow Inventory Agent version and deployment package.

Where the agent is installed under /opt/snow, typical files include:

• /opt/snow/snowagent
• /opt/snow/snowagent.config
• /opt/snow/data/snowagent.log

Collect:

• snowagent.config.
• snowagent.log.
• Rotated agent logs.
• Generated inventory files.
• Pending scan-result files.
• Update-related files.
• Oracle scanner logs.
• Custom scripts called by the agent.
• Snow-specific launch configuration.

Where the default path does not exist, locate the Snow Inventory Agent installation directory and collect the equivalent configuration, log, and data files.

For current macOS agent file locations, see Snow Inventory Agent for macOS: Default location of files.

Snow Inventory Oracle scanners

Oracle inventory can be collected through the Snow Inventory Agent and its supported Oracle scanning components.

Depending on the deployed version, Oracle scanner configuration may be included in snowagent.config. Older scanner deployments may use additional configuration files.

When troubleshooting Oracle inventory, collect:

• snowagent.config.
• snowagent.log.
• Oracle scanner logs.
• Oracle scanner configuration files.
• Generated inventory or .snowpack files.
• Scanner output files.
• Scanner cache files.
• The Snow Inventory Agent version.
• The Oracle scanner version.
• Custom Snow scripts or schedules used to run the scanner.

Relevant Snow Oracle components may include:

• Snow Inventory Oracle Scanner.
• Snow Inventory Oracle Middleware Scanner.
• Snow Inventory Oracle Hardware Scanner.
• Snow Inventory Java Scanner.

Where more than one Snow mechanism is configured to start an Oracle scanner, collect details of each configuration. Duplicate scanner schedules can result in the same scanner being started more than once.

For current Oracle scanner information, see Snow Inventory Oracle Scanner.

Snow Integration Manager

When an issue relates to data imported through Snow Integration Manager, collect:

• Snow Integration Manager logs.
• The relevant connector configuration.
• The connector schedule configuration.
• The configured Snow site name.
• Sample inventory files generated by the connector.
• Snow Inventory Server logs from the same period.
• The connector version.
• The Snow Integration Manager version.

Where two connectors collect information for the same computers, collect the configuration and generated inventory files from both connectors.

For duplicate-device investigations, also collect:

• The processing order of the files.
• The processing timestamps.
• The hostname supplied by each connector.
• The configured site name.
• Host name normalization configuration.
• HostNameOnly configuration.

Snow Integration Manager installation and log locations can vary by version and installation configuration. Collect the complete Snow Integration Manager log directory covering the relevant period.

For configuration information, see Snow Integration Manager: Configuration.

Snow Update Service

Snow Update Service is used to download and apply updates for supported Snow products.

The traditional default log directory is:

C:\Program Files\Snow Software\Logs\UpdateService

Depending on the installed Snow Update Service version, additional logs or configuration files may be stored in the Snow Update Service installation directory or under ProgramData.

Collect:

• Snow Update Service logs.
• Snow Update Service configuration files.
• The installed Snow Update Service version.
• Update history.
• Details of the update that failed.
• Snow Update Service source-settings files.
• Screenshots of errors displayed by Snow Update Service.

When Snow Update Service does not start or its interface does not load, collect the configuration files and logs from the complete Snow Update Service installation directory.

Before sending files to Flexera Support

Review configuration files for passwords, credentials, tokens, certificate private keys, and other sensitive values before sharing them.

Do not remove values that may be relevant to the investigation without noting that they have been redacted.

• Snow Inventory Server: Installation package
• Snow Inventory Server: Configure logging
• Snow Inventory Agent for Windows: Default location of files
• Snow Inventory Agent for Linux: Default location of files
• Snow Inventory Agent for Unix: Default location of files
• Snow Inventory Agent for macOS: Default location of files
• Snow Inventory Agents: Agent configuration file
• Snow Inventory Agents and Oracle Scanners
• Snow Inventory Oracle Scanner
• Snow Integration Manager: Configuration
• Manage Snow Update Service