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Configuration Guide
Learn how to configure BigFix according to your needs.
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
If you are subscribed to the Patches for Windows site, you can ensure that you have the latest upgrades and patches to your SQL server database servers.

Configuration Guide
Learn how to configure BigFix according to your needs.
- Introduction
  This guide explains additional configuration steps that you can run in your environment after installation.
- BigFix Site Administrator and Console Operators
  In BigFix there are two basic classes of users.
- Integrating with LDAP
  You can add Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) associations to BigFix.
- Enabling SAML V2.0 authentication for LDAP operators
  Starting from Version 9.5.5, BigFix supports SAML V2.0 authentication via LDAP-backed SAML identity providers.
- Disabling local operators
  Starting from BigFix Version 10.0.8, this feature provides a mechanism where the creation and use of any local operator is prohibited in favor of LDAP-based operators.
- Using multiple servers (DSA)
  Some important elements of multiple server installations.
- Server object IDs
  The BigFix server generates unique ids for the objects that it creates: Fixlets, tasks, baselines, properties, analysis, actions, roles, custom sites, computer groups, management rights, subscriptions.
- Customizing HTTPS for Gathering
- Using the DHE/ECDHE key exchange method
  By default, BigFix 10.0 Patch 1 components use the DHE/ECDHE key exchange method if the version of the BigFix component on the other side of the SSL communication allows it.
- Configuring secure communication
- Real Time AV Exclusions
  BigFix Console, Server and Relay components of the architecture perform high volume file operations. This activity is a substantial part of the functionality that these BigFix architecture components provide.
- Downloading files in air-gapped environments
  In air-gapped environments, to download and transfer files to the main BigFix server, use the Airgap utility and the BES Download Cacher utility.
- Getting client information by using BigFix Query
  The BigFix Query feature allows you to retrieve information and run relevance queries on client workstations from the WebUI BigFix Query Application or by using REST APIs.
- The Plugin Portal
  The Plugin Portal is a new component introduced in BigFix 10 to help manage cloud devices as well as modern devices such as Windows 10 and MacOS endpoints enrolled to BigFix. For details on modern client management, see the Modern Client Management documentation.
- Extending BigFix management capabilities
  BigFix 10 delivers a few significant new functions for enhancing the visibility and management of devices on your network regardless of whether the devices are physical or virtual.
- Persistent connections
  The capability to establish persistent connections was added to the product.
- Relays in DMZ
  The capability to establish a persistent TCP connection between the parent relay in the more secure zone and its child relay inside the DMZ network was added to the product. This allows you to manage systems in a demilitarized zone (DMZ network).
- Working with PeerNest
  The BigFix Client includes a new feature named PeerNest, that allows to share binary files among Clients located in the same subnet. The feature is available starting from BigFix Version 9.5 Patch 11.
- Archiving Client files on the BigFix Server
  You can collect multiple files from BigFix clients into an archive and move them through the relay system to the server.
- BigFix Configuration Settings
  A number of advanced BigFix configuration settings are available that can give you substantial control over the behavior of the BigFix suite. These options allow you to customize the behavior of the BigFix server, relays, and clients in your network.
- Additional configuration steps
  These topics explain additional configuration steps that you can run in your environment.
- Migrating the BigFix Server (Windows/MS-SQL)
  This section details the steps and operational procedures necessary for migrating the BigFix Server from existing hardware onto new computer systems.
- Migrating the BigFix Server (Linux)
  This section provides basic information on migrating your BigFix Server from existing Linux hardware onto new systems.
- Server audit logs
  The BigFix Server generates a server audit log file which contains the access information (login/logout) and information about the actions performed through the Console or the WebUI by the different users.
- List of advanced options
  The following lists show the advanced options.
- Security Configuration Scenarios
  BigFix provides the capability to follow the NIST security standards by configuring an enhanced security option.
- Client certificate
  To comply with the modern industry standards, starting from product version 10.0.7, the client certificate of the BigFix Agent will have a validity period of 13 months.
- Client Authentication
  Client Authentication (introduced in version 9) extends the security model used by BigFix to encompass trusted client reports and private messages.
- Maintenance and Troubleshooting
  If you are subscribed to the Patches for Windows site, you can ensure that you have the latest upgrades and patches to your SQL server database servers.
  - Monitoring relays health
    BigFix allows you to monitor your client and relay setups to ensure they are working optimally.
  - Relay and Server diagnostics
    To monitor your BigFix environment setup and status and to complete actions on your clients.
  - Virtualized environments and virtual machines
    To run your operating system in multiple virtual machines.
  - BES Client Helper Service (Windows only)
    The BES Client Helper is intended to be a watcher process for the BES Client and will attempt to restart the service if the BES Client is not running.
  - Enabling debug/verbose logging for the BES Root Server and BES Relay services
    This procedure describes the steps to enable debug/verbose logging on the BigFix Server or Relays, to log the activity performed by the BigFix Server and by the Relays.
  - Monitoring expensive relevances on Web Reports
    Monitor the relevances on your BigFix Web Reports that exceed a custom defined value to evaluate.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

If you are subscribed to the Patches for Windows site, you can ensure that you have the latest upgrades and patches to your SQL server database servers.

This means that you must install the client on all your computers, including the server and console computers. In addition, you might want to take advantage of these other tools and procedures:

If you have the SQL Server installed, you should become familiar with the MS SQL Server Tools, which can help you keep the database running smoothly.
It is standard practice to back up your database on a regular schedule, and the BigFix database is no exception. It is also wise to run the occasional error-check to validate the data.
If you start to notice any performance degradation, check for fragmentation. BigFix writes out many temporary files, which might create a lot of disk fragmentation, so defragment your drive when necessary. Regular maintenance also involves running the occasional error-check on your disk drives.
The BigFix Diagnostics Tool performs a complete test on the server components and can be run any time you experience problems. For additional information, see Running the BigFix Diagnostics tool.
Check the BigFix Management domain often. There are a number of Fixlets available that can detect problems with any of your BigFix components. This can often prevent problems before they ever affect your network.
Add relays to improve the overall system performance and pay close attention to them. Healthy relays are important for a healthy deployment.
Review the Deployment Health Checks dashboard in the BigFix Management domain for optimizations and failures.
Set up monitoring activities on the servers to notify you in the event of a software or hardware failure, including:
- Server powered off or unavailable
- Disk failure
- Event log errors about server applications
- Server services states
- FillDB buffer directory data back-up situations