diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.environment b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.environment
index 6e25e315a..2c057ec18 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.environment
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.environment
@@ -21,8 +21,13 @@ check:rc==0
 
 cmd:rootimgdir=`lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep rootimgdir|awk -F'=' '{print $2}'`; if [ -d $rootimgdir ]; then mv $rootimgdir $rootimgdir.regbak -f;fi
 check:rc==0
+cmd:osarch=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osarch|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSARCH/$osarch/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+cmd:osvers=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSVERS/$osvers/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+cmd:pkgdir=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkgdir|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGDIR!$pkgdir!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+cmd:pkglist=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkglist|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGLIST!$pkglist!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+cmd:postinstall=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w postinstall|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!POSTINSTALL!$postinstall!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+cmd:osmajor=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSMAJOR/$osmajor/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
 cmd:xcat-inventory import -f /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml -e GITREPO=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo -e SWDIR=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir
-check:output=~Importing object: test.environments.osimage
 check:output=~Inventory import successfully!
 check:rc==0
 cmd:lsdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage
@@ -85,12 +90,23 @@ label:others,xcat_inventory
 cmd:lsdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage >/dev/null 2>&1;if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then lsdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage -z >/tmp/test.environments.osimage_image.stanza ;rmdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage;fi
 check:rc==0
 cmd:dir="/tmp/export";if [ -e "${dir}" ];then mv ${dir} ${dir}".bak"; fi; mkdir -p $dir
+cmd:osarch=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osarch|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSARCH/$osarch/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+cmd:osvers=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSVERS/$osvers/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+cmd:pkgdir=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkgdir|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGDIR!$pkgdir!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+cmd:pkglist=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkglist|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGLIST!$pkglist!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+cmd:postinstall=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w postinstall|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!POSTINSTALL!$postinstall!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+cmd:osmajor=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSMAJOR/$osmajor/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
 cmd:xcat-inventory import -f /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml -e GITREPO=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo -e SWDIR=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir
-check:output=~Importing object: test.environments.osimage
 check:output=~Inventory import successfully!
 check:rc==0
 cmd:lsdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage -z >> /tmp/export/test.environments.osimage.yaml.stanza
 check:rc==0
+cmd:osarch=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osarch|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSARCH/$osarch/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+cmd:osvers=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSVERS/$osvers/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+cmd:pkgdir=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkgdir|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGDIR!$pkgdir!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+cmd:pkglist=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkglist|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGLIST!$pkglist!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+cmd:postinstall=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w postinstall|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!POSTINSTALL!$postinstall!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+cmd:osmajor=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSMAJOR/$osmajor/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
 cmd:diff -y /tmp/export/test.environments.osimage.yaml.stanza /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
 check:rc==0
 cmd:xcat-inventory export  -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage -f /tmp/export/test.environments.osimage.yaml --format yaml
@@ -100,8 +116,13 @@ cmd:diff -y  /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templat
 check:rc==0
 cmd:rmdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage
 check:rc==0
+cmd:osarch=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osarch|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSARCH/$osarch/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+cmd:osvers=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSVERS/$osvers/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+cmd:pkgdir=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkgdir|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGDIR!$pkgdir!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+cmd:pkglist=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w pkglist|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!PKGLIST!$pkglist!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+cmd:postinstall=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep -w postinstall|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s!POSTINSTALL!$postinstall!g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+cmd:osmajor=$(lsdef -t osimage __GETNODEATTR($$CN,os)__-__GETNODEATTR($$CN,arch)__-netboot-compute|grep osvers|awk -F'=' '{print $2}');sed -i "s/OSMAJOR/$osmajor/g" /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
 cmd:xcat-inventory import -f /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json -e GITREPO=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo -e SWDIR=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir
-check:output=~Importing object: test.environments.osimage
 check:output=~Inventory import successfully!
 check:rc==0
 cmd:lsdef -t osimage -o test.environments.osimage -z >> /tmp/export/test.environments.osimage.json.stanza
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.include b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.include
index e1c85460f..6c12aff9f 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.include
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/cases.include
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ check:rc==0
 cmd:rm -rf /tmp/imagedata/test_osimage
 cmd:xcat-inventory import -t osimage -d /tmp/imagedata/export
 check:rc==0
-check:output=~Importing object: test_osimage
 check:output=~Inventory import successfully!
 check:output=~The object test_osimage has been imported
 cmd:lsdef -t osimage -o test_osimage
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/change_name.sh b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/change_name.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b37eb278f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/change_name.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+file1=$1
+file2=$2
+tmp_diff_file=$3
+rm -rf $tmp_diff_file
+echo "copy /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff.result to $tmp_diff_file and modify compare file name in $tmp_diff_file"
+cp /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff.result $tmp_diff_file
+echo "copy command exit code $?"
+sed -i "s|#FILE1#|$file1|g" $tmp_diff_file
+echo "sed command exit code $?"
+sed -i "s|#FILE2#|$file2|g" $tmp_diff_file
+echo "sed command exit code $?"
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff.result b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff.result
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4a54c114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff.result
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+
+====================BEGIN=====================
+
+
+--- #FILE1#
++++ #FILE2#
+{
+    "node": {
+        "node1": {
+            "obj_info": {
+-                "groups": "ipmi"
++                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+-                    "engine_type": "ipmi"
+                    "engine_info": {
+-                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN"
+                    },
++                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+                }
+            }
+        },
+-        "node3": {
+-            "obj_info": {
+-                "groups": "openbmc"
+-            },
+-            "role": "compute",
+-            "device_type": "server",
+-            "engines": {
+-                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+-                    "engine_info": {
+-                        "bmc": "10.1.1.2",
+-                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN"
+-                    },
+-                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+-                }
+-            },
+-            "obj_type": "node"
+-        }
+        "node2": {
+            "network_info": {
+                "primarynic": {
+                    "mac": [
+-                        "42:73:0a:03:11:0a!*NOIP*",
++                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0b"
+                    ]
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "osimage": {
+        "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le-install-compute": {
+            "package_selection": {
+                "pkgdir": [
++                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le/test"
+                ],
+                "otherpkgdir": [
+-                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le",
++                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64"
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "site": {
+        "clustersite": {
+-            "xcatdebugmode": "1",
+-            "domain": "test.com",
+-            "master": "10.1.1.2",
+-            "forwarders": "10.0.0.1"
++            "xcatdebugmode": "0",
++            "domain": "cluster.com",
++            "master": "10.1.1.1"
+        }
+    },
+    "network": {
+        "10_0_0_0-255_0_0_0": {
+            "basic_attr": {
+-                "mgtifname": "eth1"
++                "mgtifname": "eth0"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+====================END=====================
+
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_files.result b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_files.result
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4a54c114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_files.result
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+
+====================BEGIN=====================
+
+
+--- #FILE1#
++++ #FILE2#
+{
+    "node": {
+        "node1": {
+            "obj_info": {
+-                "groups": "ipmi"
++                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+-                    "engine_type": "ipmi"
+                    "engine_info": {
+-                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN"
+                    },
++                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+                }
+            }
+        },
+-        "node3": {
+-            "obj_info": {
+-                "groups": "openbmc"
+-            },
+-            "role": "compute",
+-            "device_type": "server",
+-            "engines": {
+-                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+-                    "engine_info": {
+-                        "bmc": "10.1.1.2",
+-                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN"
+-                    },
+-                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+-                }
+-            },
+-            "obj_type": "node"
+-        }
+        "node2": {
+            "network_info": {
+                "primarynic": {
+                    "mac": [
+-                        "42:73:0a:03:11:0a!*NOIP*",
++                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0b"
+                    ]
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "osimage": {
+        "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le-install-compute": {
+            "package_selection": {
+                "pkgdir": [
++                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le/test"
+                ],
+                "otherpkgdir": [
+-                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le",
++                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64"
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "site": {
+        "clustersite": {
+-            "xcatdebugmode": "1",
+-            "domain": "test.com",
+-            "master": "10.1.1.2",
+-            "forwarders": "10.0.0.1"
++            "xcatdebugmode": "0",
++            "domain": "cluster.com",
++            "master": "10.1.1.1"
+        }
+    },
+    "network": {
+        "10_0_0_0-255_0_0_0": {
+            "basic_attr": {
+-                "mgtifname": "eth1"
++                "mgtifname": "eth0"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+====================END=====================
+
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_source.result b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_source.result
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..45f78d822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/diff_source.result
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+
+====================BEGIN=====================
+
+
+--- xCAT DB
++++ /opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file2.json
+{
+    "node": {
+        "node1": {
+            "obj_info": {
+-                "groups": "ipmi"
++                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+-                    "engine_type": "ipmi"
+                    "engine_info": {
+-                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN"
+                    },
++                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+                }
+            }
+        },
+        "node2": {
+            "network_info": {
+                "primarynic": {
+                    "mac": [
+-                        "42:73:0a:03:11:0a!*NOIP*",
++                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0b"
+                    ]
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "osimage": {
+        "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le-install-compute": {
+            "package_selection": {
+                "pkgdir": [
++                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le/test"
+                ],
+                "otherpkgdir": [
+-                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le",
++                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64"
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "site": {
+        "clustersite": {
+-            "xcatdebugmode": "1",
+-            "domain": "test.com",
+-            "master": "10.1.1.2",
+-            "forwarders": "10.0.0.1"
++            "xcatdebugmode": "0",
++            "domain": "cluster.com",
++            "master": "10.1.1.1"
+        }
+    },
+    "network": {
+        "10_0_0_0-255_0_0_0": {
+            "basic_attr": {
+-                "mgtifname": "eth1"
++                "mgtifname": "eth0"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+====================END=====================
+
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file1.json b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file1.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a77ff9b95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file1.json
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+{
+    "network": {
+        "10_0_0_0-255_0_0_0": {
+            "basic_attr": {
+                "gateway": "<xcatmaster>",
+                "mask": "255.0.0.0",
+                "mgtifname": "eth1",
+                "mtu": "1500",
+                "net": "10.0.0.0"
+            },
+            "service": {
+                "tftpserver": "<xcatmaster>"
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "node": {
+        "node1": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "bmc": "10.1.1.1",
+                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN",
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "ipmi"
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_info": {
+                "groups": "ipmi"
+            },
+            "obj_type": "node",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "node2": {
+            "device_info": {
+                "arch": "ppc64le",
+                "uuid": "7d6ca5da-9485-11e8-821f-426e0a03110a"
+            },
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "console_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "consoleenabled": "1",
+                        "serialport": "0",
+                        "serialspeed": "115200"
+                    }
+                },
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "id": "10",
+                        "vmcpus": "2",
+                        "vmhost": "node_host",
+                        "vmmemory": "6144",
+                        "vmnics": "brenP3p9s0f0,brenP3p9s0f1",
+                        "vmstorage": "phy:/dev/mapper/vdiskvg01-vdisk01n10"
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "kvm"
+                },
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "osimage": "rhels7.5-ppc64le-install-compute"
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "grub2"
+                }
+            },
+            "network_info": {
+                "primarynic": {
+                    "mac": [
+                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0a",
+                        "42:73:0a:03:11:0a!*NOIP*"
+                    ]
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_info": {
+                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "obj_type": "node",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "node3": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "bmc": "10.1.1.2",
+                        "bmcusername": "ADMIN",
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_info": {
+                "groups": "openbmc"
+            },
+            "obj_type": "node",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "service": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "postscripts": "servicenode"
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_type": "group",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "xcatdefaults": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "postbootscripts": "otherpkgs",
+                        "postscripts": "syslog,remoteshell,syncfiles"
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_type": "group",
+            "role": "compute"
+        }
+    },
+    "osimage": {
+        "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le-install-compute": {
+            "basic_attributes": {
+                "arch": "ppc64le",
+                "distribution": "rhels7.5-alternate",
+                "osdistro": "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le",
+                "osname": "Linux"
+            },
+            "imagetype": "linux",
+            "package_selection": {
+                "otherpkgdir": [
+                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le"
+                ],
+                "pkgdir": [
+                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le"
+                ],
+                "pkglist": [
+                    "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/install/rh/compute.rhels7.pkglist"
+                ]
+            },
+            "provision_mode": "install",
+            "role": "compute",
+            "template": "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/install/rh/compute.rhels7.tmpl"
+        },
+    },
+    "schema_version": "latest",
+    "site": {
+        "clustersite": {
+            "SNsyncfiledir": "/var/xcat/syncfiles",
+            "auditnosyslog": "0",
+            "auditskipcmds": "ALL",
+            "blademaxp": "64",
+            "cleanupxcatpost": "no",
+            "consoleondemand": "no",
+            "databaseloc": "/var/lib",
+            "db2installloc": "/mntdb2",
+            "dhcplease": "43200",
+            "dnshandler": "ddns",
+            "domain": "test.com",
+            "enableASMI": "no",
+            "forwarders": "10.0.0.1",
+            "fsptimeout": "0",
+            "installdir": "/install",
+            "ipmimaxp": "64",
+            "ipmiretries": "3",
+            "ipmitimeout": "2",
+            "master": "10.1.1.2",
+            "maxssh": "8",
+            "nameservers": "10.1.1.1",
+            "nodesyncfiledir": "/var/xcat/node/syncfiles",
+            "powerinterval": "0",
+            "ppcmaxp": "64",
+            "ppcretry": "3",
+            "ppctimeout": "0",
+            "sharedtftp": "1",
+            "sshbetweennodes": "ALLGROUPS",
+            "syspowerinterval": "0",
+            "tftpdir": "/tftpboot",
+            "timezone": "US/Eastern",
+            "useNmapfromMN": "no",
+            "vsftp": "n",
+            "xcatconfdir": "/etc/xcat",
+            "xcatdebugmode": "1",
+            "xcatdport": "3001",
+            "xcatiport": "3002",
+            "xcatsslversion": "TLSv1"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file2.json b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file2.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a3f7b243e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/diff/xcat-inventory_diff_file2.json
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+{
+    "network": {
+        "10_0_0_0-255_0_0_0": {
+            "basic_attr": {
+                "gateway": "<xcatmaster>",
+                "mask": "255.0.0.0",
+                "mgtifname": "eth0",
+                "mtu": "1500",
+                "net": "10.0.0.0"
+            },
+            "service": {
+                "tftpserver": "<xcatmaster>"
+            }
+        }
+    },
+    "node": {
+        "node1": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "bmc": "10.1.1.1",
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "openbmc"
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_info": {
+                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "obj_type": "node",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "node2": {
+            "device_info": {
+                "arch": "ppc64le",
+                "uuid": "7d6ca5da-9485-11e8-821f-426e0a03110a"
+            },
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "console_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "consoleenabled": "1",
+                        "serialport": "0",
+                        "serialspeed": "115200"
+                    }
+                },
+                "hardware_mgt_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "id": "10",
+                        "vmcpus": "2",
+                        "vmhost": "node_host",
+                        "vmmemory": "6144",
+                        "vmnics": "brenP3p9s0f0,brenP3p9s0f1",
+                        "vmstorage": "phy:/dev/mapper/vdiskvg01-vdisk01n10"
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "kvm"
+                },
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "osimage": "rhels7.5-ppc64le-install-compute"
+                    },
+                    "engine_type": "grub2"
+                }
+            },
+            "network_info": {
+                "primarynic": {
+                    "mac": [
+                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0a",
+                        "42:6e:0a:03:11:0b"
+                    ]
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_info": {
+                "groups": "all"
+            },
+            "obj_type": "node",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "service": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "postscripts": "servicenode"
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_type": "group",
+            "role": "compute"
+        },
+        "xcatdefaults": {
+            "device_type": "server",
+            "engines": {
+                "netboot_engine": {
+                    "engine_info": {
+                        "postbootscripts": "otherpkgs",
+                        "postscripts": "syslog,remoteshell,syncfiles"
+                    }
+                }
+            },
+            "obj_type": "group",
+            "role": "compute"
+        }
+    },
+    "osimage": {
+        "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le-install-compute": {
+            "basic_attributes": {
+                "arch": "ppc64le",
+                "distribution": "rhels7.5-alternate",
+                "osdistro": "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le",
+                "osname": "Linux"
+            },
+            "imagetype": "linux",
+            "package_selection": {
+                "otherpkgdir": [
+                    "/install/post/otherpkgs/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64"
+                ],
+                "pkgdir": [
+                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le",
+                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le/test"
+                ],
+                "pkglist": [
+                    "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/install/rh/compute.rhels7.pkglist"
+                ]
+            },
+            "provision_mode": "install",
+            "role": "compute",
+            "template": "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/install/rh/compute.rhels7.tmpl"
+        },
+    },
+    "schema_version": "latest",
+    "site": {
+        "clustersite": {
+            "SNsyncfiledir": "/var/xcat/syncfiles",
+            "auditnosyslog": "0",
+            "auditskipcmds": "ALL",
+            "blademaxp": "64",
+            "cleanupxcatpost": "no",
+            "consoleondemand": "no",
+            "databaseloc": "/var/lib",
+            "db2installloc": "/mntdb2",
+            "dhcplease": "43200",
+            "dnshandler": "ddns",
+            "domain": "cluster.com",
+            "enableASMI": "no",
+            "fsptimeout": "0",
+            "installdir": "/install",
+            "ipmimaxp": "64",
+            "ipmiretries": "3",
+            "ipmitimeout": "2",
+            "master": "10.1.1.1",
+            "maxssh": "8",
+            "nameservers": "10.1.1.1",
+            "nodesyncfiledir": "/var/xcat/node/syncfiles",
+            "powerinterval": "0",
+            "ppcmaxp": "64",
+            "ppcretry": "3",
+            "ppctimeout": "0",
+            "sharedtftp": "1",
+            "sshbetweennodes": "ALLGROUPS",
+            "syspowerinterval": "0",
+            "tftpdir": "/tftpboot",
+            "timezone": "US/Eastern",
+            "useNmapfromMN": "no",
+            "vsftp": "n",
+            "xcatconfdir": "/etc/xcat",
+            "xcatdebugmode": "0",
+            "xcatdport": "3001",
+            "xcatiport": "3002",
+            "xcatsslversion": "TLSv1"
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
index 903363536..79166e511 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.stanza
@@ -2,20 +2,20 @@
 
 test.environments.osimage:
     objtype=osimage
-    environvar=GITREPO=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo,SWDIR=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir
+    environvar=GITREPO=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo,OBJNAME=test.environments.osimage,SWDIR=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir
     imagetype=linux
-    osarch=ppc64le
-    osdistroname=rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le
+    osarch=OSARCH
+    osdistroname=OSVERS-OSARCH
     osname=Linux
-    osvers=rhels7.5-alternate
+    osvers=OSVERS
     otherpkgdir=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir/otherpkgdir/
     otherpkglist=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/otherpkglist/test1.otherpkglist,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/otherpkglist/test2.otherpkglist,
     permission=755
-    pkgdir=/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir/pkgdir/
-    pkglist=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.pkglist,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/pkglist/test1.pkglist,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/pkglist/test2.pkglist
-    postinstall=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.postinstall,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/postinstall/test1.postinstall
+    pkgdir=PKGDIR,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/swdir/pkgdir/
+    pkglist=PKGLIST,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/pkglist/test1.pkglist,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/pkglist/test2.pkglist
+    postinstall=POSTINSTALL,/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/postinstall/test1.postinstall
     profile=compute
     provmethod=netboot
     rootimgdir=/install/custom/test.environments.osimage
     synclists=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/tools/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/gitrepo/syncfiles/synclist
-    usercomment=rhels7.5,test_environment_variables
+    usercomment=OSMAJOR,test_environment_variables
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
index 68752808b..2dad18b47 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.json
@@ -2,13 +2,16 @@
     "osimage": {
         "test.environments.osimage": {
             "basic_attributes": {
-                "arch": "ppc64le",
-                "distribution": "rhels7.5-alternate",
-                "osdistro": "rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le",
+                "arch": "OSARCH",
+                "distribution": "OSVERS",
+                "osdistro": "OSARCH-OSVERS",
                 "osname": "Linux"
             },
             "deprecated": {
-                "comments": "rhels7.5,test_environment_variables"
+                "comments": [
+                    "OSMAJOR",
+                    "test_environment_variables"
+                ]
             },
             "filestosync": [
                 "{{GITREPO}}/syncfiles/synclist"
@@ -16,10 +19,10 @@
             "genimgoptions": {
                 "permission": "755",
                 "postinstall": [
-                    "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.postinstall",
+                    "POSTINSTALL",
                     "{{GITREPO}}/postinstall/test1.postinstall"
                 ],
-                "rootimgdir": "/install/custom/test.environments.osimage"
+                "rootimgdir": "/install/custom/{{OBJNAME}}"
             },
             "imagetype": "linux",
             "package_selection": {
@@ -32,11 +35,11 @@
                     ""
                 ],
                 "pkgdir": [
-                    "/install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le",
+                    "PKGDIR",
                     "{{SWDIR}}/pkgdir/"
                 ],
                 "pkglist": [
-                    "/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.pkglist",
+                    "PKGLIST",
                     "{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test1.pkglist",
                     "{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test2.pkglist"
                 ]
@@ -47,4 +50,4 @@
     },
     "schema_version": "1.0"
 }
-#Version 2.14.2 (git commit 09f0772835afdc0f962c9e7fe8cef862e9505ad7, built Tue Jun 19 01:58:56 EDT 2018)
+#Version 2.14.4 (git commit 722709b61e63feb7f6d3ee787afa8113eefbe27e, built Wed Sep 26 06:17:57 EDT 2018)
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
index c4f10968e..6ace48a22 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.update.yaml
@@ -1,20 +1,22 @@
 osimage:
   test.environments.osimage:
     basic_attributes:
-      arch: ppc64le
-      distribution: rhels7.5-alternate
-      osdistro: rhels7.5-alternate-ppc64le
+      arch: OSARCH
+      distribution: OSVERS
+      osdistro: OSVERS-OSARCH
       osname: Linux
     deprecated:
-      comments: rhels7.5,test_environment_variables
+      comments:
+      - OSMAJOR
+      - test_environment_variables
     filestosync:
     - '{{GITREPO}}/syncfiles/synclist'
     genimgoptions:
       permission: '755'
       postinstall:
-      - /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.postinstall
+      - POSTINSTALL
       - '{{GITREPO}}/postinstall/test1.postinstall'
-      rootimgdir: /install/custom/test.environments.osimage
+      rootimgdir: /install/custom/{{OBJNAME}}
     imagetype: linux
     package_selection:
       otherpkgdir:
@@ -24,10 +26,10 @@ osimage:
       - '{{GITREPO}}/otherpkglist/test2.otherpkglist'
       - ''
       pkgdir:
-      - /install/rhels7.5-alternate/ppc64le
+      - PKGDIR
       - '{{SWDIR}}/pkgdir/'
       pkglist:
-      - /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.pkglist
+      - PKGLIST
       - '{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test1.pkglist'
       - '{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test2.pkglist'
     provision_mode: netboot
diff --git a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
index 82143abc4..adb23f662 100644
--- a/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
+++ b/xCAT-test/autotest/testcase/xcat-inventory/templates/environment/test.environments.osimage.yaml
@@ -1,23 +1,35 @@
 osimage:
   test.environments.osimage:
     basic_attributes:
-      arch: ppc64le
-      distribution: rhels7.5
-      osdistro: rhels7.5-ppc64le
+      arch: OSARCH
+      distribution: OSMAJOR
+      osdistro: OSVERS-OSARCH
       osname: Linux
-    filestosync: {{GITREPO}}/syncfiles/synclist
+    filestosync: 
+    - {{GITREPO}}/syncfiles/synclist
     deprecated:
-      comments: rhels7.5,test_environment_variables
+      comments: 
+      - OSMAJOR
+      - test_environment_variables
     genimgoptions:
       permission: '755'
-      postinstall: /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.postinstall,{{GITREPO}}/postinstall/test1.postinstall
-      rootimgdir: /install/custom/test.environments.osimage
+      postinstall: 
+      - POSTINSTALL
+      - {{GITREPO}}/postinstall/test1.postinstall
+      rootimgdir: /install/custom/{{OBJNAME}} 
     imagetype: linux
     package_selection:
       otherpkgdir: {{SWDIR}}/otherpkgdir/
-      otherpkglist: {{GITREPO}}/otherpkglist/test1.otherpkglist,{{GITREPO}}/otherpkglist/test2.otherpkglist,
-      pkgdir: /install/rhels7.5/ppc64le,{{SWDIR}}/pkgdir/
-      pkglist: /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels7.ppc64le.pkglist,{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test1.pkglist,{{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test2.pkglist
+      otherpkglist: 
+      - {{GITREPO}}/otherpkglist/test1.otherpkglist
+      - {{GITREPO}}/otherpkglist/test2.otherpkglist,
+      pkgdir: 
+      - PKGDIR
+      - {{SWDIR}}/pkgdir/
+      pkglist: 
+      - PKGLIST
+      - {{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test1.pkglist
+      - {{GITREPO}}/pkglist/test2.pkglist
     provision_mode: netboot
     role: compute
 schema_version: '1.0'