About zCI

# Introducing zCI

zCI is an free and open source web-based computer inventory system. Although it is free, zCI has corporate-grade inventory capabilities. Its client-side program is able to collect inventory data (hardware and software information) automatically without any manual input. Its web-based server-side programs simplify inventory management and it is not only manage computer hardwares and softwares, but also monitors and peripherals (since pre-release version 2.0). The most strong point of zCI server-side program is facility to manage ownership and usage status for computers, monitors and peripherals. Many inventory softwares forget this owership matter, but not zCI.

zCI is built to be web-based as much as possible. zCI client software will not be installed on client, it is only executed. What client computers need are only basic web browser. zCI only use open standard language and open source base-software, such as JavaScript, PHP and SQL languange. That makes zCI very portable and can be implemented in many platforms. Although zCI official release is built for MySQL database engine, other SQL-based database software can be used with little modification.

# Why do you need zCI

Computer system inventory is an important subject in IT management. Having reliable computer inventory data will help IT staffs in managing computer assets, especially when they are going to do mass upgrade. By using zCI, IT staffs can get information about all computers, monitors and peripherals that ever or currently exist in the environment, so that they are able to plan precisely how many new devices that are necessary to be leased or purchased.

There are so many computer system inventory software available on the market but most of them are not free that makes companies feel it is to expensive to spend money only to inventory computers. zCI gives fetaure-rich corporate-grade computer inventory system at almost zero cost.

# zCI Features

## Automatic Data Gathering

The core of computer inventory is data gathering. The most ancient type of inventory data gathering is IT staffs visit every computer and record the computer model, serial number, operating system, hard disk capacity, etc. In zCI, data gathering is so easy because users only need to execute less than 10 KB program, wait for about 10 seconds to have the data sent to database and get a display of the computer information in a web page from zCI server. The only manual inputs users must do are when updating device ownership information and serial number of peripheral and monitor, since those data cannot be collected automatically.

Because of that simplicity, computer users does not have to order IT staff to visit, just place the zCI client software on an intranet website and e-mail users to download and execute the program. The better way, set zCI client software in login script. The IT staffs just can sit in their room waiting computer data, then attaching additional device ownership and serial number data

The following informations are retrieved automatically by zCI client programs:

1. Computer vendor, model and serial number. If it is not branded computer, data will be taken from motherboard information which the serial number may be similar between computers.
2. Network domain name and user name.
3. Operating system name and installation date.
4. Processor type and maximum speed, not current speed.
5. Memory/RAM size in megabyte.
6. Installed softwares.
7. Hard drive model and size in gigabyte.
8. SCSI Controller model.
9. CD/DVD Drive model.
10. Floppy drive existence.
11. Display Adapter chipset name.
12. Monitor model (depends on installed driver).
13. Sound adapter model.
14. Network adapter model and its IP address.

## Administration Features

Computer technology improves very fast so that current computers become obsolete in 3-4 years. zCI have administrator feature that enables IT staffs to set device (computer, monitor and peripheral) status, such as "reserved", "end of lease", "end of ownership", etc. IT staffs can do SQL query through zCI SQL Query windows. SQL Query window receive only "SELECT" queries that can be use to create custom reports. Adding reserved device and editing peripheral model name also can be done very easily.

## Management Pages

Through zCI management websites, IT staffs can do almost everything related to computer inventory. They can search for computers using multiple filter, such as memory size, processor speed, OS type and etc. They can list how many and which computers that have a processor type, or RAM size, or etc. Also, users can list computers, monitors and peripherals based on their usage and ownership status. Device inventory data history is also available to check whether a computer has changes in their hardware and operating system configurations.

## User Access

zCI differentiate supervisor and administrator access on its management pages. This separation will improve data security.

# Client Software Availability

For now, only zCI client for Microsoft Windows is available. zCI developer ensure that client softwares for other platform will be developed.

# Development Plans

- Massive and automatic computer data gathering.
- Application user administration.
- Linux client software.
- Better server-side user interface.
- More efficient server-side data capture engine. Current release version of MySQL does not support "BEGIN ... END" statements so that PHP DBX query only executes 1 statement. It is really slow and not efficient.

# Developer

- M. Aris Zamroni (for support, send e-mail to maz1980@users.sourceforge.net)

# Copyright

Copyright (C) 2004 Mochamad Aris Zamroni

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA.