Device Scout

The Device Scout scans your network to discover devices and collect comprehensive device information. It then sends the information to HP Insights.

The Discover > Device Scout screen displays details of the Device Scout record. As scouts are created and deployed, you can view their details here, including the deployment state and registration date.

Customizing the Table View

To personalize the data display:

  1. Click the Columns button (found on the right hand side of the screen).

  2. Select the data you want to see.

  3. Deselect any data you don’t need.

You can also filter, sort, and group the table. See the Using Tables section for more guidance.

Deployment Considerations

  • Single Scout per Site: Normally, a site would need only one Device Scout.

  • Distributed Networks: For large or multi-location deployments, consider installing multiple scouts across servers to ensure full coverage.

Note: The Device Scout is not required for Secure Print Cloud Connector configuration.

Workflow-Specific Functions

Secure Release Local Connector

  • Performs continuous device discovery and data collection and sends device data to HP Insights.

  • Installs and manages the MFP Secure Print app for authentication workflows (username/password or card reader).

  • Facilitates user registration and authentication at the printer.

QR Release

Discovers network printers for QR-based release workflows.

Direct Print

Identifies printers compatible with Direct Print.

Where Discovered Devices Appear

Once discovered, your network print devices will be listed in:

  • Secure > Secure Printers (for Secure Print)

  • Direct > Direct Printers (for Secure Print Direct)

The following table outlines the key columns displayed in the Device Scout interface and their corresponding descriptions

Field Name Description
Scout Name The name given to the Device Scout.
Customer GUID The Unique identifier for the site.
Scout GUID The unique identifier for the Device Scout.
Registration Code The unique Registration Code for the Device Scout.
Registration Date The date and time the Device Scout was registered to the HP server.
Last Heartbeat The date and time the Device Scout last sent its health status to the server. By default, the Device Scout sends its status to the server once per day.
Scout State
  • OK – This indicates that the machine has contacted the HP server and is functioning correctly.
  • Uninstalled – This indicates that the Device Scout has been uninstalled and therefore is not collecting data.
  • Requires attention – This indicates that the Device Scout is running, but there's an outstanding issue. An error message provides more information about the state.
    • Note: If the scout monitoring task finds the scout service stopped and cannot restart the service, it will log to both the Scout logs and the Windows Event Log. If the Scout service successfully restarts, this will be communicated to HP Insights via the Scout health report, where the Scout status will be reported as 'Requires Attention'. This state means that the Scout had a problem requiring a restart at least once in the last 24 hours. The state will revert to 'OK' if there are no further problems for 24 hours.
Scout Version The version of the Device Scout software installed on the machine.
Scout Rules Version The SNMP rules version that the Device Scout uses to capture device information.
Secure Print Enabled

Yes - The Device Scout is licensed for Secure Print.

No - The Device Scout is not licensed for Secure Print.
Networks  
Uninstall Date The date and time that the Device Scout software was uninstalled on the machine.
Network Hostname The network name of the machine on which the Device Scout is installed.
Network Domain The machine’s domain name.
IPv Address The machine’s IP address.
Operating System The operating system in use on the machine.

Action Buttons

Create

Use the Create button to create a new Device Scout record.

  1. On the Discover > Device Scout screen, click the Create button to open the Create Device Scout dialog box.
  2. Enter a Device Scout Name and then click Save.

Download

Use the Download button to download the Device Scout installation package.

  1. On the Discover > Device Scout screen, select a Scout to download.

  2. Enter the Site Encryption Key.
  3. Click the Download button to download the scout.

Configure

Use the Configure button to configure a Device Scout. You can configure only one scout at a time. Please refer to the Device Scout Configuration document for more information.

Delete

Use the Delete button to delete a Device Scout. Please refer to the Delete a Device Scout document for more information.

Mark as Uninstalled

Use the Mark as Uninstalled to mark the device as uninstalled regardless of its status.

Collect Logs

The Collect Logs feature allows administrators to collect diagnostic log files from multiple scouts from a single location in the web console. Logs are collected from the machines where the Print Scouts and Device Scouts are installed and made available for download via email.

  • Enable admins to easily collect logs from as many scouts as required from one central place.

  • Support troubleshooting by providing log bundles from affected Print Scouts and Device Scouts.

Collect Log Status shows the current state of a log collection request that was triggered using the Collect Logs button for a Scout.

  • While logs are still being gathered, the status shows “Collecting”.

  • Once the email with the log-download link has been sent, the status changes to “Emailed”.

Note: The Collect Logs feature is supported only for scouts with a status of OK, Reboot Required, or Needs Attention. Logs cannot be collected from inactive, uninstalled, or unregistered scouts. When a scout is uninstalled or unregistered, the Collect Logs action button is unavailable (greyed out). The Health Updated column indicates whether a scout is actively communicating with the system. If the health information is not current, the scout may not receive the log collection request even if its status supports log collection.