BigFix - WebUI - Accessing the Console

The WebUI management console is accessed from https://bigfix-webui.services.wisc.edu. Credentials will be your NetID username and password. Note that firewall rules only permit access to the console from campus networks. Idle WebUI sessions timeout after 30 minutes.

The WebUI console can be used to gather helpful troubleshooting data from managed endpoints. To view endpoint data:

1. Click "Devices" in the top menu bar.
   
2. A list of managed devices will be displayed. You can filter/search the endpoint list using the search field at the top of each column. Criteria for multiple columns can be used to further refine results. You can select which BigFix properties are displayed via the "Manage columns" button. 
   
   
   
   
3. Click the linked name of the endpoint if you wish to view more information specific to that device.
   1. The "Device Information" tab displays property values similar to the list view seen earlier. Likewise, the "Add/Remove Properties" option can be used to show non-default property values.
   2. The "Custom" tab displays content available to you that the endpoint has evaluated as applicable to itself.
   3. The "Deployments" tab displays the history of actions the endpoint has processed. Note that this may not include every action ever issued to the endpoint; certain actions are removed periodically to maintain BigFix environment performance.

Technicians have access to a curated collection of configuration, troubleshooting, and software deployment BigFix content that can be remotely deployed to managed systems using the WebUI console. Technician accounts are limited to issuing actions with a single content item and 10 or fewer targets. The recommended method of actioning custom content is:

1. Hover over "Apps" in the top menu bar and select "Custom".
   
   
   
2. Click on the linked name of the content that you wish to deploy. By default, BigFix environment maintenance content that needs to be made available to all systems (often denoted "Global") will also be shown alongside site-specific content. You can reduce the number of content items shown to just your site content if you'd like using the "Site > DSCentral_WebUI" filter on the left side.
   
   
   
3. The overview page provides a description of the content. Select "Deploy Custom Content" on the right side of the page to proceed.
   
   
   
4. Confirm that the content you want to deploy is displayed, and select "Next" under the "Deployment Summary" section on the right side of the page.
   
   
   
5. On the next screen, search for the name of the computer you want to deploy the content to, check the box next to the Computer Name, and select "Next" under the "Deployment Summary" as seen below. Ensure that only the computer(s) that you intend to deploy to have been selected and appear under "Target" on the right.
   
   
   
6. Next you will see the "Configure" step of this process. Confirm at least the following settings:
   1. Expand "Task" and ensure the name matches the content that you intend to deploy.
   2. Expand "Target" and ensure the computer name(s) are only those that you intend to deploy the task to.
   3. Select an End date and time. All technician actions must have an end date/time - NEVER select the "No end date" option.
      
      
      
7. Once you've confirmed your action settings, click "Deploy". The action overview/status will then be displayed; you can make a note of the action ID for reference later if you wish.

You can view the status of deployment actions from "Deployments" in the top menu bar. 

Here you can search for deployments by criteria such as:

• Deployment Name (given during the creation of your action, for example "DS - Deploy - TempAdmin Account - 1 Week Expiration (Win/Mac)")
• ID (e.g. 8174053)
• Issued By (e.g. yourNetID@wisc.edu)

Click the linked Deployment Name to view the status. Additional detail is provided on the "Device Results" tab.

You can save search/filter selections made in either "Devices" or "Deployments" as a report for easy reference later. To do so:

1. Once your desired search/filter options are set in either the "Devices" or "Deployments" list view, choose "Save Report" just below the top menu bar.
   
2. You'll be prompted to enter information to save your report
   1. Report Name: Required, please use the naming convention "[Your BigFix site] - [short description of your report]"
   2. Report Description: Optional
   3. Private/All Users: By default, private is selected and your report will only be visible to your account and BigFix service admins. If you select "All Users" instead, the report will be available to all campus WebUI operator accounts, though operators in other departments will only see the search results applicable to computers they manage.
      
3. Saved reports are accessed from "Reports" in the top menu bar. Here you can also delete or edit the settings of previously saved reports by clicking the checkbox next to them, or favorite them using the heart icon which makes them accessible from the drop-down displayed in "Devices" or "Deployments".
   

For questions regarding WebUI or to submit a request for additional custom content, please contact SEAM via doit-seam-support@doit.wisc.edu.