10. Using the reporting functions in WAPT

10.1. Working principle

WAPT Enterprise offers advanced reporting capabilities.

Indeed, you are best to know what you want in your reports.

With WAPT you can write your own SQL queries in the WAPT Console, or you can download ready-to-run queries from Internet.

You can get the latest db structure diagram from the package tis-db-structure-diagram-wapt. Once the package is installed, you will find different formats of the diagram in C:/Program Files (x64)/waptdbdiagram (Windows) or /opt/wapt/dbdiagram (Linux, MacOS).

10.2. WAPT Query Designer

The query designer allows to edit and run SQL queries on the WAPT Server PostgreSQL database.

Note

The PostgreSQL database is set to Read-Only mode, so queries run from the Report Designer that attempt to update, delete or insert data will fail.

You can import SQL queries by clicking on Reporting → Import queries.

Importing a SQL query report in the WAPT Console

You have two choices :

From File

If you want to import a SQL from your computer, Use From File.

Import a query from a file, select your query from the file explorer. The query can be either a .query or a .json formated file.

Importing a SQL query report in the WAPT Console from a file

From Url

If you want to import a SQL from the WAPT Store (or another), use From Url.

Select one or several queries, then click on Save selected queries. The new queries will appear in the WAPT Console.

Importing a SQL query report in the WAPT Console from a URL

Note

Irrelevant of the method you use to import queries, remember to click on the button Save Queries to save the imported queries.

To create a new SQL report, click on Reporting → Design Mode → New query.

Designing a SQL query report in the WAPT Console

Hint

• To rename a query, select the query and press the F2 key.

• In the top banner, you can write your SQL query.

To edit / modify / save your reports:

• The Refresh button is used to reload queries saved on the WAPT Server, for example, if a colleague has just edited a new query.

• The New query button adds a new blank query to the list.

• The Delete query button deletes the selected query from the WAPT Server.

• The Save queries button saves the query on the WAPT Server.

• The Execute button executes the selected query.

• The Export to spreadsheet button exports the result of your query to a spreadsheet. The button is enabled only in edit mode.

• The Duplicate button duplicates an existing query to avoid writing a SQL query from scratch. The button is enabled only in edit mode.

You have several options available when you right click on a query.

Options available for a SQL query report in the WAPT Console

List of actions available on a selection of query on WAPT Console

Name	Description
Execute	Executes the SQL query.
Edit	Edits the SQL query.
Edit Name	Edits the name of the SQL query.
Export to spreadsheet	Exports the result of the SQL query to a csv formatted file.
Duplicate	Duplicates the SQL query.
Export queries to file…	Exports the selected SQL queries to a file. This method allows to share or backup the SQL queries.
Import queries…	Imports queries from a file.
Delete queries	Deletes the selected queries.

Note

• SQL queries are saved in the PostgreSQL WAPT database.

• Using CTRL+space allows to build queries more effectively as it will auto-complete some fields.

10.3. Using queries as a filter in the inventory tab

You can create a filter for use in the Inventory tab based on a SQL query. You need to add an UUID column, is absolutely necessary in the query results.

In this exemple, we use a query which lists hosts onto which the 7zip software has been installed.

Hint

This method is powerful because it allows to seach search for software that have not been installed using WAPT.

Do a right-click on the query result and click on the Choose as Host UUID button. On the query result, right-click on host_id, which is a unique identifier, select this entry and click on the Choose as Host UUID button.

Querying on host UUID to create a dynamic view in the inventory tab

When done, save the query by pressing the Save query button then go to the Main Inventory tab.

Then, enable the Advanced Search panel and select the query in the drop-down field Filter hosts on SQL query.

Filtering the host inventory using a SQL query

You will then see a host list based on the selected query.

Note

It is also possible to click on the “Show selected machines in inventory” button by right-clicking after selecting one or more machines appearing in the result of your query.

Prior to this, it is necessary to click on “Choose as hosts UUID”.

10.4. Query examples

10.4.1. Computers query

sql Counting hosts

select count(*) as “number_of_hosts” from hosts

SQL listing computers

select computer_name, os_name, os_version, os_architecture, serialnr from hosts order by 4,3,1

SQL listing computers MAC addresses and IP

select distinct unnest(mac_addresses) as mac, unnest(h.connected_ips) as ipaddress, computer_fqdn,h.description, h.manufacturer||’ ‘||h.productname as model, h.serialnr, h.computer_type from hosts h order by 1,2,3

SQL listing Windows versions

select host_info->’windows_version’ as windows_version, os_name as operating_system, count(os_name) as nb_hosts from hosts group by 1,2

SQL listing operating systems

select host_info->’windows_version’ as windows_version, os_name as “Operating_System”, count(os_name) as “number_of_hosts” from hosts group by 1,2

SQL listing hosts not seen in a while

select h.uuid, h.computer_fqdn, install_date::date, version, h.last_seen_on::timestamp, h.connected_users from hostsoftwares s left join hosts h on h.uuid=s.host_id where s.key=’WAPT_is1’ and h.last_seen_on<’20190115’

SQL filtering hosts by chassis types

select case dmi->’Chassis_Information’->>’Type’ when ‘Portable’ then ‘01-Laptop’ when ‘Notebook’ then ‘01-Laptop’ when ‘Laptop’ then ‘01-Laptop’ when ‘Desktop’ then ‘02-Desktop’ when ‘Tower’ then ‘02-Desktop’ when ‘Mini Tower’ then ‘02-Desktop’ else ‘99-‘||(dmi->’Chassis_Information’->>’Type’) end as type_chassis, string_agg(distinct coalesce(manufacturer,’?’) ||’ ‘|| coalesce(productname,’’),’, ‘), count(*) as “number_of_hosts” from hosts group by 1

SQL listing of hosts with their Windows Serial Key

select computer_name, os_name, os_version, host_info->’windows_product_infos’->’product_key’ as windows_product_key from hosts order by 3,1

10.4.2. WAPT query

SQL listing WAPT packages in the WAPT Server repository

select package, version, architecture, description, section, package_uuid, count(*) from packages group by 1,2,3,4,5,6

SQL listing hosts needing upgrade

select computer_fqdn, host_status, last_seen_on::date, h.wapt_status, string_agg(distinct lower(s.package),’ ‘) from hosts h left join hostpackagesstatus s on s.host_id=h.uuid and s.install_status != ‘OK’ where (last_seen_on::date > (current_timestamp - interval ‘1 week’)::date and host_status!=’OK’) group by 1,2,3,4

10.4.3. Packages query

SQL listing packages with their number of installation

select package, version, architecture, description, section, package_uuid, count(*) from hostpackagesstatus s where section not in (‘host’,’unit’,’group’) group by 1,2,3,4,5,6

10.4.4. Software query

SQL listing WAPT Discovery Agents

select h.uuid, h.computer_name, install_date::date, version, h.listening_timestamp::timestamp, name from hostsoftwares s left join hosts h on h.uuid=s.host_id where s.key=’WAPT_is1’ and (name ilike ‘WAPT%%Discovery%%’ or name ilike ‘WAPT %%’)

SQL listing hosts with their 7zip version associated

select hosts.computer_name, hostsoftwares.host_id, hostsoftwares.name, hostsoftwares.version from hosts, hostsoftwares where hostsoftwares.name ilike ‘7-zip%%’ and hosts.uuid=hostsoftwares.host_id order by hosts.computer_name asc

SQL listing hosts with their software

select n.normalized_name, s.version,string_agg(distinct lower(h.computer_name),’ ‘), count(distinct h.uuid) from hostsoftwares s left join normalization n on (n.original_name = s.name) and (n.key = s.key) left join hosts h on h.uuid = s.host_id where (n.normalized_name is not null) and (n.normalized_name<>’’) and not n.windows_update and not n.banned and (last_seen_on::date > (current_timestamp - interval ‘3 week’)::date) group by 1,2

SQL listing normalized software

select n.normalized_name, string_agg(distinct lower(h.computer_name),’ ‘), count(distinct h.uuid) from hostsoftwares s left join normalization n on (n.original_name = s.name) and (n.key = s.key) left join hosts h on h.uuid = s.host_id where (n.normalized_name is not null) and (n.normalized_name<>’’) and not n.windows_update and not n.banned and (last_seen_on::date > (current_timestamp - interval ‘3 week’)::date) group by 1

You can also find several more examples of queries on Tranquil IT’s Forum.

Feel free to post your own queries on the forum with an explanation of what your query does, ideally with a screen capture or a table showing a sample of your query result.

10.5. Normalizing software names

Sometimes, the version of the software or its architecture are an integral part of the software name. When the software titles register with the WAPT Server inventory, they appear as different software titles whereas they are just one software for us humans.

To solve this problem, the name of software titles can be standardized in WAPT. Go to the Softwares Inventory tab.

Normalizing the name of software titles in the WAPT Console

• Click Normalize Software Names in the Tools menu.

• Select the software titles whose names to standardize, for example, all different versions of Adobe Flash Player.

• On the column normalized, press F2 to assign a standardized name to the selected software titles. Finally press Enter to save the changes.

Note

• To select several software titles, select them with the shift-up/down key combination.

• You can also indicate a software like windows update or banned (press spacebar in the corresponding column).

• Press on the Save Modifications button to upload the changes onto the WAPT Server.

You can now run queries using this standardized name.

Hint

The Show host checkbox allows to see the software titles that are installed on the hosts.

Showing hosts with selected software in the Software Inventory tab

10.5.1. Using normalized software titles as a filter in the inventory tab

You can create a filter in the Main Inventory tab that uses the normalized software title names. To do so, normalize the software title names in Software Inventory then select one or several hosts. In the Software inventory tab of the selected hosts, drag and drop the software in the inventory list, it will create a view.

This method is powerful because it allows to seach search for software titles that have not been installed using WAPT.

Do not forget to normalize software titles beforehand.

Adding a normalized software title name to the software inventory for the selected hosts

Hint

You can also use the Show Hosts Softwares, you will see a host list sorted according to the normalized software title name.

Defining a normalized software title name

10.6. Connecting to the WAPT database using a PostgreSQL client

You can connect a PostgreSQL client to the WAPT database if you prefer to use a PostgreSQL client.

To do so, you will have to change some configuration files on your WAPT Server.

• First, find the version of your PostgreSQL database.

ps -ef | grep -i sql
postgres   512     1  0 Jan05 ?        00:00:24 /usr/lib/postgresql/15/bin/postgres -D /var/lib/postgresql/15/main -c config_file=/etc/postgresql/15/main/postgresql.conf

• Modify pg_hba.conf of the PostgreSQL version in use. In /etc/postgresql/15/main/pg_hba.conf for Debian and /var/lib/pgsql/15/data/pg_hba.conf for RedHat and derivatives, add the IP address of the PostgreSQL client under # IPv4 local connections section.

host    wapt             all             192.168.0.65/32              md5

where 192.168.0.65 is your IP address that is authorized
to connect to the WAPT database.

• Allow PostgreSQL to listen on every interface in /etc/postgresql/15/main/postgresql.conf for Debian and /var/lib/pgsql/15/data/postgresql.conf for RedHat and derivatives, section Connection Settings.

listen_addresses = '*'

• Restart the service for your PostgreSQL version.

systemctl restart postgresql@12-main.service

• Connect to PostgreSQL on the WAPT Server.

sudo -u postgres psql wapt

• Then give a password to the wapt user.

wapt=# ALTER USER wapt WITH PASSWORD 'PASSWORD';

Note

To create a user with read-only access to the database, follow this procedure:

Create a Read-Only User

Note

1. Connect to PostgreSQL

sudo -u postgres psql

2. Create the User

SET password_encryption = 'scram-sha-256';

CREATE USER wapt_readonly
WITH PASSWORD 'your_password';

3. Verify Encryption Used

SELECT rolname, rolpassword
FROM pg_authid
WHERE rolname = 'wapt_readonly';

4. Grant Connection to the WAPT Database

GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE wapt TO wapt_readonly;

5. Connect to the WAPT Database

\\c wapt

6. Grant Access to the Public Schema

GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO wapt_readonly;

7. Grant Read Permissions on All Existing Tables

GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO wapt_readonly;

8. Grant Read Permissions on All Existing Sequences

GRANT SELECT ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public TO wapt_readonly;

9. Automatically Grant Read Permissions on Future Tables Created by the WAPT User

ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES FOR ROLE wapt IN SCHEMA public
GRANT SELECT ON TABLES TO wapt_readonly;

10. Automatically Grant Read Permissions on Future Sequences Created by the WAPT User

ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES FOR ROLE wapt IN SCHEMA public
GRANT SELECT ON SEQUENCES TO wapt_readonly;

11. Verification

SET ROLE wapt_readonly;
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM hosts;
RESET ROLE;

12. Modify the PostgreSQL Configuration File

Debian and derivatives

/etc/postgresql/17/main/pg_hba.conf

Add the following line at the end of the file:

host    wapt    wapt_readonly    GRAFANA_SERVER_IP/32    scram-sha-256

Redhat and derivatives

/var/lib/pgsql/data/pg_hba.conf

Add the following line at the end of the file:

host    wapt    wapt_readonly    GRAFANA_SERVER_IP/32    scram-sha-256

13. Reload PostgreSQL

systemctl reload postgresql.service
systemctl status postgresql.service