Execution

The program deletes old patch files if no computer in the database needs them, based on file access time. The system's trash routine is used, so if the program is run on the core, patch files should be in the Recycle Bin.

It logs into the database and gets a list of all patches which are not currently required by managed computers. Each file in the list is checked for its last access time; if that time is greater than X days, the file is deleted.

Typical usage

Recommended usage is to create a scheduled task to run once, nightly. The scheduled task should use the -db_pass option as well as the -x option.

The program does not need to run on the core, but if it is on the core or a remote console, it will be able to read useful information from the registry. Otherwise, all database login information and the location of the error scan directory will have to be specified on the command line. The database user needs read access to the COMPUTERVULNERABILITY table.

Command-line switches

These utilities all contain command-line help; to access the accurate options for the version of ldms_patch_purge you're using, type ldms_patch_purge.exe -h in a command window. Example: ldms_patch_purge.exe -db_pass=landesk -x=30

-h	Use -h to display the applicable command line options.
-d	Use -d to specify debug mode, which increases the verbosity of logging. All logs, debug or otherwise, are written to the Windows Event Viewer.
-db_type	Use -db_type=SQL to specify a database type of Microsoft SQL. Use -db_type=ORA to specify a database type of Oracle. Typically this value is read from the registry.
-db_instance	Use -db_instance=SERVER to specify the Microsoft SQL database server's name. If you've installed LANDesk using the "Create a database" option to produce a local MSDE instance, this option should be -db_instance=SERVER\LDMSDATA. This value is not needed at all for Oracle databases, and typically this value is read from the registry.
-db_name	Use -db_name=DB to specify the name of the database, in SQL or Oracle. If you've installed LANDesk using the "Create a database" option to produce a local MSDE instance, this option should be -db_name=lddb. Typically this value is read from the registry.
-db_user	Use -db_user=USER to specify the account name of the database user. Typically this value is read from the registry, but it can be overridden to specify a user with lower rights than the full Management Suite needs. If you are creating a user for the purpose of running this tool, read and write rights to the UNMANAGEDNODES table will be required.
-db_pass	Use -db_pass=PASS to specify the password of the database user. This value cannot be read from the registry and must always be specified on the command line.
-x	Use -x=14 to delete patch files which have not been accessed in greater than 14 days. Deleted files can be recovered from the Windows Recycle Bin if the program is used on the core.