[kwlug-disc] Simple computer inventory software

[William Park]

On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 10:08:18PM -0400, Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc wrote:
> Is there some software that satisfies the following requirements?
> 
> - FLOSS
> - Can run on a Linux web server
> - Allows me to keep a collection of nodes (in my case, lab computers)
> - Allows me to EASILY enter new notes as a worklog for a lab computer
> - Allows me to EASILY choose one of the lab computers without a lot of
>   clicks
> - Allows me to see the log histor for a lab computer
> - Ideally, lets me index computers via a unique identifier (MAC
>   address, serial number...) and a common name (the name of the
>   computer in the lab). 
> 
> There are a bunch of inventory systems out there (OpenBravo,
> Open-AudIT, GLPI) but they all want to do way too much. I am JUST
> looking to keep notes on lab computers as they develop problems. 

How about...
    - 1 computer per file
    - In that file, 1 key/value per line.

For example, file for a lab computer would go something like

    brand=HP
    model=x360
    serial_number=...
    MAC=...
    name=...
    ----
    ANYTHING BELOW HERE IS NOTES

> 
> We have some spreadsheet to do this now, but the spreadsheet is not
> convenient for us to do data entry when we need data entry.

If you use 2 columns, say A and B, 

    A		B
    brand	HP
    model	...
    serial_number ...
    MAC		...
    name	...
    ----
    ANYTHING BELOW HERE IS NOTES	<- in col A

then I'm sure you can enter and print the above format practically
verbatim, or in a way to avoid any (if at all) post-processing.

> 
> This is the kind of project one could code up in Django or Ruby on
> Rails with a few weeks of effort, but if something good exists we
> should just use that.
> 
> - Paul
> 
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