Tool to collect developer environment parameters

I would like to start collecting parameters from local developer environments on my team, such as to see how they configure their properties files (not in source control), what directory they use as their application root, where they have this and that software installed etc.

So I was envisioning having a script that each would run daily and which would post that data to some web service within some application that does this kind of stuff within the DevOps realm -- team management etc. Is there such an app for local developer management, just like Jenkins does builds or Chef does deployments?

Ideally, I would go into this console and get an idea of how each developer on my team has their environment configured without that developer letting me see their laptop, provided that, of course, my data collection script includes all the relevant parameters.

Instead of trying to watch, how about working together to define a scripted way of defining environments that is scm managed. Having the configuration for deployment in the SCM insures they are always consistent and allows the collaboration and communication between team members about the ways they want to work.

There are many tools that can be used to script the configuration of the system level as well as the application level definitions. Using this kind of definition based environment configuration not only helps with the development level, but then also helps with the deployment to later stages capabilities.

This would also facilitate the communication between team members a fundamental principle of DevOps.

StackExchange DevOps Q#3020, answer score: 4