Background
BigFix uses relays to communicate with the core server. By default the BigFix clients will search for relays in their subnet, then search for relays on all subnets at their physical location, and then fail-over to regional relays in the event the local relay(s) is unavailable. Each USGS office has deployed relays to reduce the impact on their WAN connection from BigFix client traffic.
What this means to you
BigFix has the ability to customize the order that clients look for relays. This means each office can specify that their clients will use the relays at an alternate site before failing over to the regional relays.
The USGS BigFix team has setup a SharePoint portal to allow USGS offices to do two things:
- Define the subnets that reside in each physical location (required)
- Specify the order in which their BigFix clients search for relays (optional)
What we’re asking you to do
We are asking the IT personnel from each USGS office who know the subnet information for their office to visit this SharePoint portal to complete this information. Submitting this information is a two-step process.
Step 1
- Visit the BigFix Relay Portal
- Under “Step 1” select “Add new item”
- Enter a unique name to identify each physical location (see below)
- Select the geographical region (ER/CR/WR)
- Select the subnet(s) housed at this physical location
- Enter the WAN connection speed in Megabits per second (Mbps)
- Click Save
Step 2
- Under “Step 2” select “Add new item”
- Select the unique name used in “Step 1”
- Select sites and click “Add” to configure clients to search for relays at those sites
- Click “Save”
Suggestions for unique names used in Step 1:
- Science Centers with multiple locations
- GS-Science Center Abbreviation-Physical Location Abbreviation
- GS-Active Directory OU Name-Physical Location Abbreviation
- Office with no field sites
- GS-Location Name
- GS-Active Directory OU Name
USGS BigFix Relay Portal
https://collaboration.usgs.gov/aei/ei/es/ca/IEM/SitePages/IEM%20Relay%20Portal.aspx