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The File Import scan module reads result files from a folder instead of addressing a system on the network. The gateway needs no access to the scanned systems: they scan themselves with a scan script—see Scanning by Script—and put their result file in the folder. A job with File Import reads the folder and brings the results into the inventory.

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Result files read

A job reads all result files in the folder, of any kind—Windows, DNS, Active Directory and all others together. Which scan script writes which file is in Scanning by Script.

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Folder for the result files

The scan scripts and their results live in two separate folders: The recommended setup is both folders created locally on the gateway’s machine and shared together for the systems, such as the hidden share \\<gateway machine>\DocusnapScript$. You set up the storage directory in Setting the Storage Directory.

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Prerequisites

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Permissions

  • The gateway’s service account needs read and write access (modify permissions) on the results folder.
  • If the gateway runs under the local system account, the results folder can only be local on the gateway’s machine. For a share, the gateway needs a domain account with access to it.

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Network requirements

  • The results folder is an absolute path—a local path such as C:\Import\ or a share such as \\Server\Share\.
  • With a share, its share permissions apply as well.

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Creating and running the job

For File Import, the wizard runs through Basics › Path Selection › Schedule › Summary—instead of targets and credentials it asks only for the folder.
1

Choose the scan module

On Scan › Scan Modules, choose the File Import tile; the wizard starts with this module.
2

Basics

Choose the Gateway—the gateway that can reach the results folder—and accept or overwrite the suggested Job Name.
3

Path Selection

Under Folder Path, enter the results folder as an absolute path, such as C:\Import\ or \\Server\Share\. A path without a drive or server name is rejected with “Enter an absolute folder path”.
4

Schedule

Under Frequency, choose Once, Daily, Weekly or Monthly. As a recurring job, File Import collects the results of scheduled scan scripts regularly—see Setting the Schedule.
5

Summary

Check the entries and create the job.
6

Run

The job runs on its schedule. The Run Now action on the job starts an execution immediately—see Managing Jobs.
When the job is created, only the form of the path is checked. Whether the folder is actually reachable only shows when the job runs.

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Result in the inventory

The systems read in enter the inventory as with any other scan module. An execution started with Run Now transfers its result immediately; the result of a scheduled execution appears with the next data refresh—see Scanning Fundamentals. The job’s Execution History shows whether an execution succeeded.
Result files that have been read in are deleted afterwards. To keep them as well, use the scan script’s -a parameter in its output directory, not in the results folder.
How the scan scripts write their result files and how you distribute them is in Scanning by Script. The directory for the scan scripts is described in Setting the Storage Directory.