1. Q: What is the primary function of the BigFix Server? ANSWER The
BigFix Server is the central component that manages all communications, stores
content, processes client reports, and distributes actions across the BigFix
infrastructure.
2. Q: What port does the BigFix Server use by default for client
communications? ANSWER Port 52311 (TCP)
3. Q: What is the role of a BigFix Relay? ANSWER A BigFix Relay reduces
network traffic by caching content locally and serving as an intermediary
between clients and the server in remote locations.
4. Q: What database systems are supported for BigFix Platform 11?
ANSWER Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, and PostgreSQL
5. Q: What is the BigFix Console used for? ANSWER The BigFix Console is
the primary administrative interface for managing endpoints, creating content,
deploying actions, and viewing reports.
6. Q: What is a BigFix Agent? ANSWER The BigFix Agent is software
installed on endpoints that evaluates relevance, reports status, and executes
actions sent from the BigFix Server.
7. Q: How often does a BigFix Agent report to the server by default?
ANSWER Every 6 hours for standard reporting cycles
8. Q: What is the purpose of the BES Client Setting
"RelaySelect_Automatic"? ANSWER It allows clients to automatically select
the best relay based on network proximity and availability.
9. Q: What component stores all BigFix content and site data? ANSWER
The BigFix Database
,10. Q: What is a DSA Relay? ANSWER A Download/Caching Relay that
downloads content from the BigFix Server and caches it for distribution to
clients.
11. Q: What protocol do BigFix Agents use to communicate with Relays
and Servers? ANSWER HTTP/HTTPS
12. Q: What is the default port for the BigFix Web Reports? ANSWER
Port 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS)
13. Q: What is the BigFix Root Server? ANSWER The primary BigFix
Server in the deployment that hosts the master database and manages all
infrastructure components.
14. Q: Can you have multiple BigFix Servers in a single deployment?
ANSWER Yes, but only one Root Server; others would be additional servers in
a distributed deployment architecture.
15. Q: What is the maximum number of clients a single BigFix Server can
support? ANSWER Approximately 250,000 clients (varies based on hardware
and configuration)
16. Q: What is the BigFix Client Compliance service? ANSWER A service
that provides compliance reporting and audit capabilities for managed
endpoints.
17. Q: What is the purpose of gathering in BigFix? ANSWER Gathering is
the process where agents evaluate and report on properties defined in analyses
and fixlets.
18. Q: What file format does BigFix use for content distribution?
ANSWER Typically .exe, .msi, or compressed archives, managed through the
content delivery system.
19. Q: What is a Client Setting in BigFix? ANSWER Client Settings are
configuration parameters that control agent behavior, such as relay selection,
reporting intervals, and download priorities.
20. Q: What happens when a BigFix Relay goes offline? ANSWER Clients
automatically failover to another available relay or directly to the server.
21. Q: What is the BigFix Enterprise Suite (BES)? ANSWER BES is the
legacy term for the comprehensive BigFix platform encompassing server,
console, agents, and relays.
, 22. Q: How does BigFix ensure secure communications? ANSWER
Through SSL/TLS encryption, certificate-based authentication, and signed
content.
23. Q: What is the BigFix Masthead? ANSWER A digitally signed file that
contains server location information and trust relationships for client
deployment.
24. Q: What information is contained in the actionsite.afxm file? ANSWER
The masthead file contains server URLs, gathering intervals, relay selection
parameters, and cryptographic signatures.
25. Q: What is the purpose of the BES Admin account? ANSWER The BES
Admin is the primary administrative account with full permissions across the
BigFix deployment.
26. Q: What service must be running on the BigFix Server for it to
function? ANSWER The BES Root Server service (or BES Server service)
27. Q: What is the BigFix FillDB service? ANSWER FillDB populates the
database with client reports, property values, and action results.
28. Q: What happens if the BigFix database becomes unavailable?
ANSWER The server continues to queue data but cannot process new reports or
distribute new content until database connectivity is restored.
29. Q: What is a computer group in BigFix? ANSWER A logical collection
of endpoints based on property values, manual selection, or dynamic criteria.
30. Q: What is the Web Reports component? ANSWER A web-based
reporting interface that provides dashboards, compliance reports, and analytical
views of BigFix data.
31. Q: What authentication methods does BigFix Console support?
ANSWER Local BigFix authentication, LDAP/Active Directory integration,
and SAML-based authentication.
32. Q: What is the BigFix Inventory product? ANSWER A solution for
software asset management and license compliance tracking.
33. Q: What is a manual computer group? ANSWER A static group where
endpoints are manually added or removed by administrators.
34. Q: What is an automatic computer group? ANSWER A dynamic group
where membership is determined by relevance criteria that are continuously
evaluated.
BigFix Server is the central component that manages all communications, stores
content, processes client reports, and distributes actions across the BigFix
infrastructure.
2. Q: What port does the BigFix Server use by default for client
communications? ANSWER Port 52311 (TCP)
3. Q: What is the role of a BigFix Relay? ANSWER A BigFix Relay reduces
network traffic by caching content locally and serving as an intermediary
between clients and the server in remote locations.
4. Q: What database systems are supported for BigFix Platform 11?
ANSWER Microsoft SQL Server, IBM Db2, and PostgreSQL
5. Q: What is the BigFix Console used for? ANSWER The BigFix Console is
the primary administrative interface for managing endpoints, creating content,
deploying actions, and viewing reports.
6. Q: What is a BigFix Agent? ANSWER The BigFix Agent is software
installed on endpoints that evaluates relevance, reports status, and executes
actions sent from the BigFix Server.
7. Q: How often does a BigFix Agent report to the server by default?
ANSWER Every 6 hours for standard reporting cycles
8. Q: What is the purpose of the BES Client Setting
"RelaySelect_Automatic"? ANSWER It allows clients to automatically select
the best relay based on network proximity and availability.
9. Q: What component stores all BigFix content and site data? ANSWER
The BigFix Database
,10. Q: What is a DSA Relay? ANSWER A Download/Caching Relay that
downloads content from the BigFix Server and caches it for distribution to
clients.
11. Q: What protocol do BigFix Agents use to communicate with Relays
and Servers? ANSWER HTTP/HTTPS
12. Q: What is the default port for the BigFix Web Reports? ANSWER
Port 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS)
13. Q: What is the BigFix Root Server? ANSWER The primary BigFix
Server in the deployment that hosts the master database and manages all
infrastructure components.
14. Q: Can you have multiple BigFix Servers in a single deployment?
ANSWER Yes, but only one Root Server; others would be additional servers in
a distributed deployment architecture.
15. Q: What is the maximum number of clients a single BigFix Server can
support? ANSWER Approximately 250,000 clients (varies based on hardware
and configuration)
16. Q: What is the BigFix Client Compliance service? ANSWER A service
that provides compliance reporting and audit capabilities for managed
endpoints.
17. Q: What is the purpose of gathering in BigFix? ANSWER Gathering is
the process where agents evaluate and report on properties defined in analyses
and fixlets.
18. Q: What file format does BigFix use for content distribution?
ANSWER Typically .exe, .msi, or compressed archives, managed through the
content delivery system.
19. Q: What is a Client Setting in BigFix? ANSWER Client Settings are
configuration parameters that control agent behavior, such as relay selection,
reporting intervals, and download priorities.
20. Q: What happens when a BigFix Relay goes offline? ANSWER Clients
automatically failover to another available relay or directly to the server.
21. Q: What is the BigFix Enterprise Suite (BES)? ANSWER BES is the
legacy term for the comprehensive BigFix platform encompassing server,
console, agents, and relays.
, 22. Q: How does BigFix ensure secure communications? ANSWER
Through SSL/TLS encryption, certificate-based authentication, and signed
content.
23. Q: What is the BigFix Masthead? ANSWER A digitally signed file that
contains server location information and trust relationships for client
deployment.
24. Q: What information is contained in the actionsite.afxm file? ANSWER
The masthead file contains server URLs, gathering intervals, relay selection
parameters, and cryptographic signatures.
25. Q: What is the purpose of the BES Admin account? ANSWER The BES
Admin is the primary administrative account with full permissions across the
BigFix deployment.
26. Q: What service must be running on the BigFix Server for it to
function? ANSWER The BES Root Server service (or BES Server service)
27. Q: What is the BigFix FillDB service? ANSWER FillDB populates the
database with client reports, property values, and action results.
28. Q: What happens if the BigFix database becomes unavailable?
ANSWER The server continues to queue data but cannot process new reports or
distribute new content until database connectivity is restored.
29. Q: What is a computer group in BigFix? ANSWER A logical collection
of endpoints based on property values, manual selection, or dynamic criteria.
30. Q: What is the Web Reports component? ANSWER A web-based
reporting interface that provides dashboards, compliance reports, and analytical
views of BigFix data.
31. Q: What authentication methods does BigFix Console support?
ANSWER Local BigFix authentication, LDAP/Active Directory integration,
and SAML-based authentication.
32. Q: What is the BigFix Inventory product? ANSWER A solution for
software asset management and license compliance tracking.
33. Q: What is a manual computer group? ANSWER A static group where
endpoints are manually added or removed by administrators.
34. Q: What is an automatic computer group? ANSWER A dynamic group
where membership is determined by relevance criteria that are continuously
evaluated.
