MgsIPScan plays a key role in network discovery when a Discovery and Inventory rule runs on a FlexNet Beacon. It helps you identify which devices are reachable and which services are available before inventory collection begins. Understanding how it works—and how to read its log files—helps you validate discovery results and troubleshoot inventory issues more effectively.

What MgsIPScan does during discovery

When a discovery rule runs, the Beacon starts by scanning the network using MgsIPScan, Flexera’s customized version of Nmap. During this phase, it:

• Identifies devices that are reachable on the network.
• Detects open ports and services, such as:
• SSH (22)
• SMB (445)
• HTTPS (443)

This information determines whether inventory collection can continue and which method to use. For example:

• If a vCenter server responds on TCP 443, the system can proceed with VMware inventory
• If required ports are closed, the Beacon skips the inventory step

MgsIPScan log files

MgsIPScan generates three log files. Each one provides different details to help you understand what happened during the scan.

• .err file

Purpose: Stores errors and warnings from the scan

Typical content:

• Missing dependencies
• Network timeouts
• Configuration issues

If the scan completes successfully, this file is often empty.

• .out file

Purpose: Captures execution details and raw scan output

Key information:

• Command-line parameters used during the scan
• Diagnostic messages
• Port status for scanned devices

Why it’s useful:
This file helps you verify network behavior and troubleshoot issues. For example, you can confirm whether:

• A device responds to a ICMP ping request
• TCP Port 443 is open for vCenter or ESxi hosts

• .xml file

Purpose: Provides structured scan results

How it’s generated:
Created using the -oX option during the network discovery scan

Contents:

• IP addresses and hostnames
• MAC addresses
• Port status and associated services

How it’s used:
The Flexera inventory engine reads this file to process discovered devices and their network attributes.

Where to find log files

The log file location depends on the account running the FlexNet Beacon Engine service:

• System account:
  C:\Windows\Temp\ManageSoft\discovery
• Service account:
  C:\Users\<ServiceAccount>\AppData\Local\Temp\ManageSoft\discovery

TIP: When you investigate discovery or VMware inventory issues, start with the .out file. It clearly shows network reachability and port availability, which are required for successful inventory collection.