Notification Server (NS) has a marvelous feature called Resource Explorer (RE). The RE is an ASP page that will load most of the information NS has for a particular resource, typically a computer in your inventory. The default method for getting to the RE is to go to the NS console and browse to the standard collections and drill down until you find the computer you want. When you double click on the computer, the RE will appear for that computer.

But did you know that there is an easier way? Since the RE is just an ASP, you can open an Internet Explorer page anywhere and browse to the RE URL. The problem with this method is that you must supply at least one of two variables in a query string at the end of the URL, either Name or WrkstaID. Unless you have memorized the contents of the Wrksta table in the NS database, the Name variable is the way to go.

The example below will launch the RE for the computer AIMEE that is in my NS database:

http://boston/aexns/reports/resourceexplorer.asp?name=AIMEE

But wait, there is more. The above URL launches into the RE showing the Summary page. This is great for a help desk worker who needs to get a quick view into the PC but what if the person launching the URL is interested in virus information? Well the first trick to learn is that you can add a variable to the URL called "resource" which will change the default view to one of the tabs at the top of the page.

Options include Summary, Inventory, Event, and History. So for our example, you can add "&resource=Inventory" to the URL to get save the virus guy an extra click.

(http://boston/aexns/reports/resourceexplorer.asp?name=AIMEE&resource=Inventory)

But why stop there? Why not make the URL go to a specific inventory class? Just add "&class=AeX+SW+Virus+Protection" to the URL. The class name is just the name as it appears in the Inventory tab replacing spaces with + signs.

One more tip: The RE ASP page is stored in the Reports directory on the NS server making very easy to set security rights for help desk and other workers, without giving them access to the full NS admin console.
Reprinted from www.myitforum.com