Tracking AssetsNetwork Tracking

Inventory Services

The University of Texas at Austin

Objectives What is NETL? Who can participate in NETL? How does NETL work?

The NETwork Locator (NETL) System Purpose: To reduce the amount of computers

departments need to physically locate while conducting inventory

Queries the NetContacts system, which is primarily used for the annual campus-wide risk assessment (ISORA)

Detects items connected to the network that are up-to-date in the NetContacts system. Refreshes every Thursday night

Who can participate in NETL? Departments that have computers connecting to

the ITS network server UTNET Devices connected to UTNET and are setup on

NetContacts will be detected. Please note that devices located off campus will not be detected by this process

NETL Setup Work with your department’s LAN personnel or

IT Network Custodian to ensure that the MAC addresses are up to date The MAC address will change if either an Ethernet

card or processor has been replaced in a computer. Contact information for your department may be

found in the OHS Contacts System: https://

utdirect.utexas.edu/ohs/contacts/list-contacts/index.WBX

What is a MAC address? Also known as the Hardware/Ethernet

address It is a unique identifier specific to your

computers. This is how devices will be detected

How does NETL work? Once a device is detected:

Item will be marked as “Found” in DEFINE and FRMS

Location updates if needed Remember: Your department may not necessarily

have custody of the device even though it is “Found” by the NETL program Physically locate and scan the device if possible

What does NETL do? Marks the item as “Found” Add transaction comments to DEFINE, command

NV1 (screen 3) Update physical location (site, building, floor, and

room)

What NETL will not do Display transaction comments on FRMS Identify items which are not connected to the campus

network (i.e. vehicles, off-campus, or offline computers) Mark “Missing” items as found

Inventory Contacts still need to scan and/or update manually Locate items which do not have a valid and up-to-date

MAC address in the NetContacts system Update inactive items such as those removed after being

missing for two years or removed from DEFINE because of thresholds (i.e. printers, monitors)