How to trace Inventory Files (Mac computer)
If you need to diagnose a problem with Mac Inventory or you just want to trace the route that the Inventory files take, then this article will explain. When the Certero Client agent on a Mac computer performs an Inventory on a computer the following steps occur.
The Certero agent contacts an Endpoint Server based upon the Polling Interval.
The Endpoint Server notifies the agent it should perform an inventory.
The inventory process is executed by the agent, core and inventory data files are generated.
These data files are uploaded to the Endpoint Server
These data files are received by the Endpoint Server. (in the Endpoint Server\UploadDir folder).
A separate service on the Endpoint Server will process the inventory data files.
The processed inventory data is written to .BCP files and compressed into a .ZIP file.
The .ZIP is passed to the Certero Application Server (to the Application Server\UploadDir folder).
The Certero Application Server will open the .ZIP file and attempt to write the inventory data .BCP files to tables in a Temp Certero SQL database.
SQL stored procedures copy the inventory data from the Temp database to tables in the live Certero Data SQL database.
At this point the inventory data can be seen within the Certero website under Computer Systems.
An error could occur during the above steps. Using the relevant log files, it is possible to trace the inventory process for a computer and to find when and where a problem has occurred.
For this example, we will use a Mac computer called CERT-AP01-3. Within Certero, we can see this computer under Client Management - Computers.
Starting on the Mac Computer we look in the logs folder (usually \Library\assetstudio\client\logs). The appropriate logs files and relevant extracts are:
Core_YYYYMMDD.log
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Performing inventory
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Performing system information queries
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Performing processor information queries
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Querying installed modules
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Inventory process was running for 0 seconds
Inventory_YYYYMMDD.log
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Performing inventory
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Querying system profiler
2026-01-14 10:56:33 - INFO: Checking installed memory
2026-01-14 10:56:34 - INFO: Querying disk and partition information
2026-01-14 10:56:34 - INFO: Checking disc burning capabilities
2026-01-14 10:56:34 - INFO: Querying network configuration
2026-01-14 10:56:35 - INFO: Checking for bluetooth adapters
2026-01-14 10:56:35 - INFO: Querying graphics adapters
2026-01-14 10:56:36 - INFO: Querying display information
2026-01-14 10:56:36 - INFO: Querying Printer information
2026-01-14 10:56:36 - INFO: Querying USB information
2026-01-14 10:56:37 - INFO: Retrieving list of system groups
2026-01-14 10:56:38 - INFO: Retrieving list of system users
2026-01-14 10:56:38 - INFO: Retrieving list of system processes
2026-01-14 10:56:38 - INFO: Retrieving list of disk free counts
2026-01-14 10:56:39 - INFO: Retrieving list of machine event times
2026-01-14 10:56:39 - INFO: Retrieving list of installed applications
2026-01-14 10:56:39 - INFO: Retrieving list of installed fonts
2026-01-14 10:56:49 - INFO: Scanning for software identification (SWID) tags
2026-01-14 10:56:50 - INFO: Checking for docker
2026-01-14 10:56:50 - INFO: Inventory process was running for 17 seconds
Daemon_YYYYMMDD.log
2026-01-14 10:56:34 - INFO: File /Library/assetstudio/client/watch/Core.tgz uploaded to server
2026-01-14 10:56:50 - INFO: File /Library/assetstudio/client/watch/Inventory.tgz uploaded to server
Steps 1. to 4. can be seen to have occurred. No specific inventory file names are shown. But we can use the timestamp that the inventory results were sent.
If we look at the Endpoint Server in the UploadDir folder. We see inventory files appearing and disappearing over time as they are received and then processed. The uploaded Core.tgz and Inventory.tgz files are given unique files names by the Endpoint server.
Of the two files, a Core file is smaller than the Inventory file. 1 KB compared to 19KB in the above example.
Next on the Endpoint Server, we look at the Collection Service log file (called CollectionService_YYYYMMDD.log in the Endpoint Servers\Logs folder). Searching for the events after the time of 10:56 we see:
2026-01-14 11:00:21.266 - INFORMATION: Processing file [486304242.tgz]
2026-01-14 11:00:21.283 - DEBUG: Started executing 'ProcessFile' method in module 0
2026-01-14 11:00:21.283 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486304242\Core.ComputerSystemInventory.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.289 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486304242\Core.ComputerSystemModule.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.308 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486304242\Core.ComputerSystemProcessorInfo.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.312 - INFORMATION: Processing file [486320258.tgz]
2026-01-14 11:00:21.335 - DEBUG: Started executing 'ProcessFile' method in module 1
2026-01-14 11:00:21.336 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemApplication.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.338 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemDiscBurning.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.338 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemDiskFree.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.356 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemDisplay.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.358 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemFont.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.379 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemGraphicsAdapter.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.381 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemGroup.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.384 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemNetworkAdapterConfiguration.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.386 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemory.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.388 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemoryArray.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.390 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemPrinter.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.390 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemProcess.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.412 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemStartupShutDownEvent.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.430 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemSystemInfo.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.446 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemUSB.txt
2026-01-14 11:00:21.465 - DEBUG: Processing D:\Certero\AssetStudio\Endpoint Server\UploadDir\Temp\486320258\Inventory.AppleSystemUser.txt
…
2026-01-14 11:00:23.980 - INFORMATION: Processing BCP files
2026-01-14 11:00:23.980 - INFORMATION: Adding data files to "139B409C80FE44E28F24F200E080AB45.zip"
2026-01-14 11:00:24.321 - INFORMATION: Uploading data to primary server
2026-01-14 11:00:24.321 - INFORMATION: Uploading file 139B409C80FE44E28F24F200E080AB45.zip
Inventory data from multiple computers may be processed by the Endpoint Server. The Collection service will process whatever data exists in the Endpoint Server\UploadDir folder at the time that it runs. Therefore, the inventory data in this resulting 139B409C80FE44E28F24F200E080AB45.zip file may not just be the inventory of CERT-AP01-3 but could also contain inventory data of other computers.
Steps 5. to 8. have now occurred, Inventory data has been processed into .BCP files and a new data .Zip file created.
Now on the Certero Application server. This may or may not be the same computer as the Endpoint Server. We look at the Data Controller Service log file (called DataControllerService_YYYYMMDD.log in the same Application Server\Logs folder). Searching for the uploaded data filename of 139B409C80FE44E28F24F200E080AB45.zip we see:
2026-01-14 11:02:23.602 - INFORMATION: Processing data files
2026-01-14 11:02:23.618 - INFORMATION: Extracting data from file: "D:\Certero\Provisioning Services\InstanceRoot\<Tenant ID>\Application Server\UploadDir\139B409C80FE44E28F24F200E080AB45.zip"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.621 - DEBUG: Zip file opened
2026-01-14 11:02:23.626 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Autodesk.WindowsSystemAutodeskComponent.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.631 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Autodesk.WindowsSystemAutodeskComponent"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.646 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Core.ComputerSystemEndpointServer.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.651 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Core.ComputerSystemEndpointServer"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.661 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Core.ComputerSystemInventory.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.666 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Core.ComputerSystemInventory"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.680 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Core.ComputerSystemModule.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.684 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Core.ComputerSystemModule"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.695 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Core.ComputerSystemProcessorInfo.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.701 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Core.ComputerSystemProcessorInfo"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.713 - DEBUG: Processing file: "dbo.BCPUpload.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.718 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "dbo.BCPUpload"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.739 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemApplication.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.744 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemApplication"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.761 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemDiskFree.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.767 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemDiskFree"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.778 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemDisplay.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.780 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemDisplay"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.796 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemFont.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.800 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemFont"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.819 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemGraphicsAdapter.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.822 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemGraphicsAdapter"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.832 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemGroup.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.835 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemGroup"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.850 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemNetworkAdapterConfiguration.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.853 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemNetworkAdapterConfiguration"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.864 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemory.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.866 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemory"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.876 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemoryArray.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.880 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemPhysicalMemoryArray"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.888 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemProcess.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.893 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemProcess"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.919 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemStartupShutDownEvent.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.921 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemStartupShutDownEvent"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.931 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemSystemInfo.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.933 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemSystemInfo"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.945 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemUSB.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.948 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemUSB"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.960 - DEBUG: Processing file: "Inventory.AppleSystemUser.bcp"
2026-01-14 11:02:23.962 - DEBUG: Performing bulk copy into table: "Inventory.AppleSystemUser"
…
2026-01-14 11:02:25.610 - INFORMATION: Shrinking transaction log in C_Tmp
2026-01-14 11:02:25.725 - INFORMATION: Executing BCP stored procedures
2026-01-14 11:02:25.725 - DEBUG: Executing Core.BCPRemoveDuplicateData
2026-01-14 11:02:25.749 - DEBUG: Executing Core.BCPMoveComputerSystemModuleData
2026-01-14 11:02:25.780 - DEBUG: Executing Core.BCPMoveComputerSystemInventoryData
Steps 9. to 11. have now occurred. Within Certreo, looking in Computer Systems - All Systems or Computer Systems - macOS we can see:
Selecting this computer shows the full inventory for this computer.
The frequency by which Inventory occurs is controlled by the Global Settings - Frequencies.
E.G.
