HCL Software Academy HCL-BF-PRO-10 HCLSoftware U Certified Professional-BigFix Platform 1 Exam Practice Test

• Baselines are collections of Fixlet messages and Tasks that can be deployed to a group of endpoints with a single command.
• Baseline components are pointers to their corresponding source Fixlets or Tasks, which means that they do not contain the actual content, but only reference the original source.
• Baseline components can get out of synchronization with their source Fixlets or Tasks, which means that the source content may change or become obsolete, while the Baseline component remains unchanged. This can cause issues such as incorrect relevance, missing downloads, or failed actions.
• To avoid these issues, Baseline components should be synchronized with their source Fixlets or Tasks regularly, either manually or automatically. Synchronization updates the Baseline components with the latest content from the source Fixlets or Tasks, and also removes any components that are no longer available or relevant.
• Baselines can be created by any user who has the permission to create content in a custom site. This includes Master Operators, who have full permissions to manage all aspects of the BigFix environment, as well as Non-Master Operators, who have limited permissions to manage specific sites or domains.
• Baselines can include more than 100 components, but this is not recommended for performance and usability reasons. The optimal number of components for a Baseline depends on various factors, such as the size of the deployment, the complexity of the content, the frequency of the updates, and the network bandwidth. Generally, it is advisable to keep the Baseline components as few and simple as possible, and to group them logically by function or category.
• Baselines can include other Baselines as components, which allows for creating nested or hierarchical Baselines. This can be useful for organizing and managing complex or large-scale deployments, such as patching multiple operating systems or applications. However, nesting Baselines also adds more layers of complexity and potentialsynchronization issues, so it should be done with caution and proper planning. References:
• Introducing Baselines
• Creating or Customizing Baselines
• Baselines

• The BigFix Console is a graphical user interface that allows you to interact with the BigFix Platform and perform various tasks, such as deploying actions, creating content, managing sites, and viewing reports1.
• The BigFix Console operators are the users who can access the BigFix Console and perform different activities based on their permissions and roles2.
• There are two types of Console operators: Master Operators (MO) and Non-Master Operators (NMO)2.
• Master Operators are the administrative users of the BigFix Console. They have access to all the computers defined in the BigFix environment and the authority to create and manage other Console operators2.
• Non-Master Operators are the users who manage the day-to-day BigFix operations, including Fixlet management and action deployment, against a subset of computers they are allowed to manage by the Master Operator2.
• Some of the activities that can only be performed by a Master Operator are23:
• Some of the activities that can be performed by both Master Operators and Non-Master Operators are23:

References:

• The BigFix Console
• The Console Operators
• Accessing the console

• If UDP is not allowed on a network segment, the BigFix clients on that segment will not receive the UDP notifications from the server or relay, and will rely on the default 45-minute polling interval to check for new actions.1
• To reduce the delay in receiving new actions, you can enable the client polling feature, which allows the clients to poll the server or relay more frequently for new commands.2
• To enable the client polling feature, you need to set two client settings on the target clients:2
• You can set these client settings either through the console or manually on the endpoint.4
• After setting these client settings, the clients will poll the server or relay at the specified interval and receive new actions faster.

References:

• 1: https://help.hcltechsw.com/bigfix/9.5/platform/Platform/Installation/c_sample_proxy_configurations.html
• 2: https://help.hcltechsw.com/bigfix/9.5/platform/Platform/Config/r_client_set.html#_BESClient_Comm_CommandPollEnable
• 3: https://forum.bigfix.com/t/an-overview-on-the-client-evaluation-cycle/28056
• 4: https://help.hcltechsw.com/bigfix/9.5/platform/Platform/Config/r_client_set.html#Making_a_configuration_setting

• Message Level Encryption (MLE) allows your Clients to encrypt upstream data using a combination of an RSA public/private key-pair and an AES session key1.
• When MLE is enabled, the BigFix Root server (or a decrypting Relay) needs to use the corresponding RSA private key to decrypt the AES session key, which is then used to decrypt the Client report1.
• This decryption process consumes CPU resources on the BigFix Root server, and the amount of CPU usage depends on the number of encrypted reports received and the key length used1.
• Therefore, the BigFix Root server requires additional CPU resources appropriate to the number of managed endpoints to process the encrypted reports1.
• The other options are incorrect because:
• 1: Message Level Encryption (MLE) Overview
• 2: [Enabling encryption on Relays]

• The Site Administrator key is a private key that is used to perform site-level tasks such as setting global system options, editing mastheads, and administering Distributed Server Architecture (DSA)1.
• The Site Administrator key is generated during the installation of the BigFix Server, when the site administrator is prompted to enter a password to encrypt the key2.
• The Site Administrator key is stored in a file named license.pvk in the BigFix Enterprise\BES Server folder on the BigFix Server3.
• The Site Administrator key is required to run the BESAdmin.exe tool, which is used to manage the BigFix Server configuration and settings.
• The Site Administrator key is also required to create the masthead file, which is a file that contains the digital signature and configuration information of the BigFix deployment.
• The Site Administrator key is different from the Master Operator key, which is used to access the BigFix Console and create other operators.

References:

• 1: The Site Administrator
• 2: Admin site key for installation
• 3: Site administrator responsibilities
• : Using the BESAdmin Tool
• : Creating the Masthead
• : BigFix Site Administrator and Console Operators

According to the BigFix Platform documentation, when creating a new property, you need to provide a name and a relevance expression for the property. You also have the option to specify an evaluation period for the property, which controls how often the property is evaluated by the clients. This field is called Evaluate Every, and you can choose a time period from 5 minutes to one month, or use the default value of Every Report, which reevaluates the property with each report1.

The other options (A, B, and D) are not available fields when creating a new property, because:

• Create in site is not a field, but a button that allows you to create the property in a specific site2.
• Applicability is not a field, but a concept that determines whether a property is relevant for a given client or not3.
• CVEID is not a field, but an identifier for a common vulnerability and exposure that can be used in fixlets or analyses.

References:

• Creating Retrieved Properties
• Manage Properties
• Applicability Relevance
• [CVEID]

To create a patch policy, you need to follow these steps12:

• On the Policies page, click Add Policy. The Add Policy page is displayed.
• Provide the following information under Policy Criteria page: Policy Name, Site, Description, Custom Content Criteria, and External Content Criteria.
• Click Next to configure the Pre-Patch and Post-Patch behaviour of the new policy.
• Click Next to configure the Schedule for the new policy. You can set the Start Date, End Date, Frequency, and Execution Window for the policy deployment.
• Click Next to select the Targets for the new policy. You can choose from Manual Selection, Automatic Group, or Relevance Expression.
• Review the Summary of the new policy and click Save to activate it. References:
• Patch Policy Overview
• Create a Patch Policy

• When an action is performed by the Master Operator, the action is saved in the Master Action Site, which is a special site that contains all the actions taken by the Master Operator.
• The Master Action Site is replicated to all the relays and clients in the deployment, so that they can receive and execute the actions from the Master Operator.
• The Master Action Site is also visible to all the operators in the console, but only the Master Operator can create, modify, or delete actions in this site.
• The Master Action Site is different from the Master Operator Site, which is a custom site that contains content created by the Master Operator, such as Fixlets, tasks, analyses, and baselines.
• The Master Operator Site is not replicated to the relays and clients, but it can be subscribed to by other operators or computers.
• The Master Operator Site is also different from the source site of a Fixlet, which is the site where the Fixlet was originally published by the content provider, such as HCL or a third-party vendor.
• The source site of a Fixlet is not affected by the actions taken by the Master Operator, unless the Master Operator modifies the Fixlet itself and republishes it to the same site or a different site.
• The Local Operator Site is a custom site that contains content created by a non-master operator, such as Fixlets, tasks, analyses, and baselines.
• The Local Operator Site is not replicated to the relays and clients, but it can be subscribed to by other operators or computers.
• The Local Operator Site is not affected by the actions taken by the Master Operator, unless the Master Operator modifies the content in the Local Operator Site and republishes it to the same site or a different site. References:
• Understanding sites
• Creating and managing actions
• Creating and managing custom sites

• The Fixlet Updated Windows Installation Folders - BigFix version 10 0 8 Nov; Available! is a special Fixlet that is released by HCL when a new version of the BigFix platform is available1.
• This Fixlet allows the administrator to update the BigFix installers that were created by the Installation Generator during the initial BigFix Server installation1.
• The administrator can use the BigFix console to take action on this Fixlet and target the BigFix Server computer1.
• The action will download the latest version of the BigFix installers from the License Download portal and replace the existing files on the BigFix Server1.
• This way, the administrator can ensure that the BigFix installers are always up to date and ready to be used for upgrading or installing other BigFix components1. References:
• 1: Upgrading the BigFix platform using Fixlets
• 2: BigFix Download Center

• To reconfigure a proxy server on a Windows BigFix Root server, the administrator needs to run the command BESAdmin.exe /setproxy from the BES Server folder with the appropriate parameters1.
• The command BESAdmin.exe /setproxy allows the administrator to edit the proxy configuration settings after installation by specifying the proxy host, port, user, password, exception list, secure tunneling, authentication methods, and downstream notification1.
• The command BESAdmin.exe /setproxy can also be used to delete the existing proxy settings by using the /delete parameter1.
• The command BESAdmin.exe /setproxy is only available on Windows systems. On Linux systems, the equivalent command is BESAdmin.sh -setproxy2. References:
• Setting a proxy connection on the server - HCL Product Documentation
• Configuring the proxy - HCL Product Documentation

• A BigFix Enterprise Server (BES) is the central component of the BigFix architecture that manages and communicates with the BigFix agents and relays1.
• The BES consists of several subcomponents, such as the root server, the console, the web reports, the web UI, and the server API1.
• The BES can support up to 300,000 endpoints in a single deployment, depending on the hardware configuration, network bandwidth, and workload2.
• The BES capacity planning document provides guidelines and recommendations for sizing and scaling the BES components based on various factors, such as cores, memory, network, storage, cloud, and concurrent users2.
• The BES capacity planning document also provides examples of typical deployments and best practices for optimizing the BES performance and stability2. References:
• BigFix Platform Overview
• BigFix Capacity Planning

• The WebUI cache is used to improve the response time of the WebUI by storing and refreshing some data that requires complex calculations, such as the number of applicable devices or patches1.
• The cache refresh interval, also known as the cache Time To Live (TTL) value, determines how often the cached data is invalidated and updated1. The default value is 600 seconds (10 minutes)1.
• To change the cache refresh interval, you can use the client setting _WebUIAppEnv_CACHE_TTL and enter the desired interval in seconds1. The minimum value is 180 seconds (3 minutes)1.
• Increasing the cache refresh interval can reduce the impact on system resources, especially for large deployments and intensive patching activities1. However, it can also affect the freshness of the cached data1.
• Another setting that affects the WebUI caching is _WebUIAppEnv_CACHE_INTERVAL, which determines how often the WebUI checks for new data from the BigFix server1. The default value is 60 seconds1.
• Decreasing the cache interval can improve the responsiveness of the WebUI, but it can also increase the load on the BigFix server1. Therefore, you should balance the cache interval and the cache TTL values according to your needs and environment1.
• The other settings, _WebUIAppEnv_SP_QUEUE_CONCURRENT, _WebUIAppEnv_DATA_REFRESH_SECONDS, and _WebUIAppEnv_SITE_CACHE_SIZE, are not related to the WebUI cache refresh interval12.
• _WebUIAppEnv_SP_QUEUE_CONCURRENT limits the number of stored procedures that run simultaneously per app in the background that update cache values1. The default value is 51.
• _WebUIAppEnv_DATA_REFRESH_SECONDS determines how often the WebUI polls the BigFix server for new data2. The default value is 15 seconds2.
• _WebUIAppEnv_SITE_CACHE_SIZE specifies the maximum size of the site cache in megabytes2. The default value is 100 MB2.

References:

• Caching - HCL Product Documentation
• Server settings definitions - HCL Product Documentation

The Four Eyes Approval feature is a security mechanism that requires the approval of another console operator who is a member of a specified role before an action can be executed. This feature is useful for preventing unauthorized or accidental actions that could affect the endpoints in the BigFix deployment. To enable this feature, you need to follow these steps:

• Use the BigFix Administration Tool to add the useFourEyesAuthentication advanced option and set its value to true.
• Restart the BES Root Server service and the BigFix Console.
• Create a role for the approvers and add one or more operators to it.
• Select the Actions Require Approval option for the operators who need to get approval for their actions and choose the approvers role from the drop-down list.
• When an operator takes an action that requires approval, they will see a dialog box asking them to enter the credentials of an approver. The action will be pending until an approver logs in and approves it. References:
• Four Eyes Approval Capability
• Has anyone tried SAML Authentication with Four-Eyes authentication?
• BigFix Platform Security Configuration Guide

• The default port used by BigFix for communication between servers, relays, and clients is 5231112. This port must be unblocked for TCP/IP and UDP traffic on all internal routers and firewalls1. Therefore, option D is correct.
• The default port used by BigFix WebUI for communication on HTTPS is 90313. This port must be opened to allow access to the WebUI from a web browser. Therefore, option E is correct.
• The other ports listed are not used by BigFix by default, and can be ignored or changed during installation. Therefore, options A, B, and C are incorrect. References:
• Network configuration requirements
• Modifying port numbers
• Network Port Conflicts

• The BigFix Diagnostics Tool is a program that checks the status and configuration of the server components, such as the database, the gather service, and the web reports server.
• The tool can be run at any time, either after installing the server or later, to troubleshoot any issues or monitor the server performance.
• To run the tool, you need to log on to the server as an administrator and launch the program from the Start menu.
• The tool will analyze the server components and display the results in a graphical interface, with green, yellow, or red lights indicating the health of each component.
• You can also click on the Full Interface button to see more details and access the knowledge base articles for each component.
• The tool can also be run remotely by taking action on the Troubleshoot: Execute Server Diagnostic task located in the BES Support site, but this requires the client to be installed on the server. References:
• Running the BigFix Diagnostics tool
• Running the IBM BigFix Diagnostics tool
• Waiting for downloads to be mirrored - BigFix Forum
• BigFix Wiki - BES Client Diagnostics

• When creating a scheduled activity in Web Reports, the Activity Actions box allows the user to specify what actions to take when the activity runs1.
• The available options are:
• The user can select one or more of these options for each scheduled activity. For example, the user can email and archive the report, or email and run the executable, or archive and run the executable, or do all three1.

References:

• 1: Creating Scheduled Activities

To create a new retrieved property in BigFix, the following steps are required:

• From the BigFix Console, select Manage Properties from the Tools menu. The Manage Properties dialog is displayed.
• You can filter the properties by using the left filter panel to select a subset of the properties to view on the right. If you cannot find what you want in this list, create a new property: click Add New, then enter a name for the property and a valid Relevance expression. This can access hardware characteristics, registry entries, and even data in specific files on the client computers.
• After you define the new property, the Clients automatically compute the value of the corresponding relevance expression and return it to the Database. Click the OK button.
• The new property will be available in the column headers of computer listings, allowing you to sort and filter on its values. It can also be used to target Fixlet actions and generate Web Reports.

References:

• Creating Retrieved Properties
• Adding new properties under “By retrieved properties”

• Launch the BigFix Administration Tool from the Start menu or from the installation folder.
• Enter the current password for the Site Administrator private key and click OK.
• Click the Advanced Options tab and select Change Site Administrator Private Key Password.
• Enter the new password, confirm it, and click OK.
• Restart the BigFix Server service for the changes to take effect. References:
• Re-creating Site Credentials
• Change Private Key Password
• Need help in to recover or set a new password for the Bigfix Admin