[Casper] Inventory options [Feature Request]

[Thomas Larkin]

Inventory is currently happening, and we are hand counting 6,000 macs to
match our records.  I am getting some mismatches with some student
laptops and what I have in inventory.  I have been using the JSS/Casper
inventory system to see what users were logged in last and its last
check in time and other things to try to figure out how some machines
got swapped around.

I would like to possibly see a few things happen in Casper, and please
anyone else who has done this add your input too!

1)  In inventory have fields where you can assign a machine to a
specific user in your OD.  I know it lists the local user accounts, but
I would like to have it assign asset tags to users.  So, if I need to
assign one I can say here is your laptop, scan in some bar codes (we
have bar code label printers) and input the information into a web based
form and have the JSS track it.  Then I can track it via the JSS
database, and it could be centralized.

2)  I would also like it to keep a more robust history, or have the
option to, on users that log in on that machine.  If someone is logging
in to a machine that is not theirs a lot I would like to know.

3)  email notifications.  We have a few machines that checked in once to
the JSS and never again all year.  We were never notified on some of
these.  A lot of them were locked in a laptop cabinet for whatever
reason and never used, but I would at least like to have some sort of
record.  Like if a machine doesn't check in for say 3 weeks in a row, it
gets tossed in a smart group with other machines that have not checked
in, and an email can be sent to whomever to help track that down.  

4)  Access, I know that JSS has tiered access, but I would like to give
some people access to just inventory, and have them gain all access
needed to the JSS for inventory.  I am sure this feature may already
exist, I just haven't fully explored it yet.

5)  Printable templates that will print out Asset tag, serial number,
user it belongs to, and model.  That way we can tag those machines with
those print outs when we do mass collections for reimaging.  Then be
able to sort printable lists by alphabetical order, asset tag, serial,
whatever.  So, I can take the one sheet and toss it on the macbook
physically and it would display who it belongs to, and then I could take
the list and toss it on the shelf or cart holding all the
laptops/desktops.  Organizing thousands of machines is tedious and right
now I am hand typing this stuff, and if the JSS could automate it, I
would buy it a beer if computers actually drank.

Thoughts, suggestions, or otherwise?

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org
cell:  913-449-7589
office:  913-627-0351