Problems with Adobe Acrobat DC 2016/2017 edition recognition

[cic softwarea28046610]

Software recognition for Acrobat DC 2016 & 2017 is a challenge. The SWID (SWID Tags - Software Identification (SWID) Tags - The Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) - ... )  tags used for recognition aren't working. When we view Windows Programs and Features we see Adobe Acrobat DC. This becomes a huge challenge when you are managing hundreds or thousands of installs/licenses and you are unable to tell the difference. This problems extends to some of the larger vendors who offer software asset management solutions as well as tools like Microsoft SCCM. How can we resolve this?

[kglad]

[moved from Installing, Updating, & Subscribing to Acrobat to Enterprise Deployment (Acrobat and Reader)]

[Steve Cordero]

What is not working for the SWID tags?

[cic softwarea28046610]

I understand that the DC (2015 & 2017) releases use the same installer for Standard and Pro and that recognition is based on a combination of SWID tags and Registry entries. Our installs of DC as reported by Microsoft SCCM look like this Adobe Acrobat DC  - 17.012.20095, Adobe Acrobat DC - 15.006.30033, or this Adobe Acrobat DC (2015). We have a dedicated SAM solution but recognition is  inconsistent. We've never had any issues with recognition with pre DC releases.  We are looking to upgrade approximately 2000 Acrobat licenses to the newest release but I'm very concerned about additional DC installs and being able to manage those. This occurs with our CC users and our Standard Vol license installs.

[Steve Cordero]

While it may be a more manual process, if you are identifying product installation tracks ( Classic vs Continuous ) by the dot versions then you may want to use the Release Notes which documents each version number by the install tracks.  The drawback to that is that it won't tell you if it's Pro or Standard.  The SWID tag files do tell you that information.  The CC installs identify the install as Creative Cloud and it is only Acrobat Pro DC that is installed with the CC installs.  I hope that helps.

[cic softwarea28046610]

I do appreciate the information on identifying product installation tracks but not being able to tell the difference between Standard or Pro could become a huge problem for us not just a drawback.

[Steve Cordero]

Have you seen the table in the ETK?

License type	Serial #	Product	LeID	Status	Channel type	License type
Acrobat DC ETLA - std	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatETLA-12-Win-GM-MUL	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat DC ETLA -pro	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatETLA-12-Win-GM-MUL	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat DC Vol – std	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat DC Vol – pro	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat DC ret – std	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	RETAIL	RETAIL
Acrobat DC Ret –pro	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	RETAIL	RETAIL
Acrobat DC Std subscription	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V6{}AcrobatStd-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL
Acrobat DC pro subscription	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V6{}AcrobatPro-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL
Acrobat DC Std upgrade serial	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	RETAIL	RETAIL
Acrobat DC Pro upgrade serial	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-en_US	activated	RETAIL	RETAIL
Acrobat DC offline - prov.xml std	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatETLA-12-Win-GM-MUL	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat DC offline - prov.xml pro	9707xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatETLA-12-Win-GM-MUL	serialized	UNKNOWN	UNKNOWN
Acrobat DC offline type1 - std	9101xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}AcrobatESR-12-Win-GM-MUL	serialized	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat XI Retail – Pro	9707xxxxx	Acrobat XI Pro	V6{}AcrobatPro-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	UNKNOWN	UNKNOWN
Acrobat XI Subscription Pro	9707xxxxx	Acrobat XI Pro	V6{}AcrobatPro-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	serialized	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL
Acrobat XI Volume Pro	9707xxxxx	Acrobat XI Pro	V6{}AcrobatPro-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat XI Retail Standard	9101xxxxx	Acrobat XI Standard	V6{}AcrobatStd-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	UNKNOWN	UNKNOWN
Acrobat XI Volume Standard	9101xxxxx	Acrobat XI Standard	V6{}AcrobatStd-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	VOLUME	VOLUME
Acrobat XI Subscription Standard	9101xxxxx	Acrobat XI Standard	V6{}AcrobatStd-AS2-Win-GM-MUL	activated	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL
Acrobat DC - CC Full Subscription (Type2)	9096xxxxx	Adobe Acrobat	V7{}CreativeCloudEnt-1.0-Win-GM-MUL	activated	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL
Acrobat Pro XI - CC Full Subscription (Type 2)	9096xxxxx	Acrobat XI Pro	V7{}CreativeCloudEnt-1.0-Win-GM-MUL	activated	SUBSCRIPTION	RETAIL

[cic softwarea28046610]

I have. Are you indicating that we need to use the toolkit for our enterprise deployments to enable successful recognition?  I can't C$ or use remote registry to determine edition.I don't work in an IT role, I'm responsible for license compliance and make purchase decisions based on what I see in our SAM console.