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Enterprise User Manual
Chapter 1
Introducing PC-Duo Enterprise
PC-Duo Enterprise is a PC network management suite designed to reduce the cost of managing PC desktops and increase their efficiency through pro-active management. It offers interactive and scheduled PC management, using its flexible and powerful Active Host Architecture.
Enterprise gives you true integration of PC management functions, based on a common database. With minimal intrusion on the user and on desktop performance, it enables you to:
- Get comprehensive hardware inventory information for the PCs at your Site. The spectrum of PC hardware is covered, from DOS to XP systems. A wealth of accurate hardware configuration information is available and key system details are checked for changes.
- Gather user information, such as location, department, cost code, phone number and other asset information using customizable user-prompting.
- Find out what software is installed on your networked PCs - including the software that shouldn't be installed - using the Software Inventory facilities. A Packages Database is supplied, along with discovery utilities which assist you with identifying unrecognized applications. You can easily define new Package identification rules for your own applications.
- Track the authorized and unauthorized software applications installed at your Site. Using the Package Policy Manager, you can identify discrepancies and ensure compliance with software licenses.
- Install software packages and service upgrades across your network using the Distribute Software Operation. Use the integrated Software Distribution Viewer to monitor the progress of the software installation on each user's PC.
- Generate reports based on inventory and other data. Over 50 pre-defined reports are supplied with the Enterprise Console.
- Integrate your network management work with other utilities and external applications.
- Access Hardware Inventory and other data in the ODBC-compliant database using external reporting and analysis applications.
- Collect configuration diagnostics and protect and restore critical desktop applications with Enterprise Diagnostics. By comparing system and software configurations in real-time, critical applications can be restored within minutes ensuring minimum end user downtime.
- Track and manage help desk issues and calls centrally using Enterprise HelpDesk, a powerful, web-based module that is easily customizable to meet all helpdesk requirements.
- Control any Windows PC on a LAN, WAN or Internet using Enterprise Remote Control. It enables your help desk staff to interact with users' PCs remotely, and offers help desk support, training facilities and text-based communication.
System Requirements
PC-Duo Enterprise Console
PC-Duo Enterprise Client
Architecture
Enterprise's Active Host Architecture contains four major components:
Site Database
The Site Database can be any ODBC-compliant database such as Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle. It is typically installed on a file server.
When you have Consoles and Scheduler installed on more than one PC, the Database location must be shared to allow access to all Consoles and Schedulers.
The managed Clients do not access the Database themselves. All Database access is performed by Enterprise Consoles and Schedulers.
Clients
The Enterprise Client software includes hardware interrogation agents, a customizable user information collection program and Agent software for software distribution. Clients are accessed using shared repositories, called Offline Areas, which can be located on any PC on your network.
For PCs that are never connected to the network, you can collect inventory data on diskette. This can then be transferred to an Offline Area and loaded into the Site Database using standard Operations.
Consoles
The Enterprise Console defines, manages and processes Clients. Consoles are used to execute Operations on Clients, and to view, analyze and print Client data. Consoles are also used to submit Jobs to Schedulers.
Schedulers
Enterprise Schedulers automate the performance of tasks on Client PCs. Schedulers can run as a background application on Windows 95 or later, or as a Service on Windows NT, 2000 and XP.
Benefits of the Architecture
The Active Host Architecture has several benefits:
Consistent Support for Networked and Non-Networked PCs
Operations are performed through an intermediate server which automatically collects inventory data and transfers instructions to PCs when they are connected to the network. This means that PCs do not have to be permanently connected to a network. In addition, Online Client functionality permits direct access to networked PCs real-time. Console users can perform most Operations without consideration for the type of access involved. For PCs that are never connected to a network, Enterprise also supports a diskette-based auditing facility.
Interactive and Scheduled Use
Enterprise can execute most Operations, interactively and at a scheduled date and time. This enables users to automate regular tasks, and to minimize the effects on the network by scheduling Operations for periods of low usage. At the same time, it gives users the ability to access the latest information when they need it.
Minimum Impact on Network and Servers
Users can limit the number of scheduled Jobs which a Scheduler is allowed to process concurrently. This allows you to prevent burst problems when, for example, several urgent Jobs may be submitted together for immediate processing.
You can also limit the frequency at which Client PCs access the server and, because they use data compression, the network load is minimized when data transfers are made.
Maximum Compatibility for Networks
Enterprise uses the standard Microsoft Windows Networking functions used by Windows Explorer. This ensures maximum compatibility with most PC networks, reduces installation problems and improves support for NetWare-based networks.
Feedback and Visibility
In addition to the flexibility of on-demand Operation, the Active Host Architecture is ideal for providing feedback of event and progress information in real-time.
Total Control
Users can stop and reschedule Jobs, or change the list of Client PCs to be processed. All of this, and immediate, real-time management of PCs can be accomplished through the single, consistent user interface presented by the Enterprise Console.
 Vector Networks http://www.vector-networks.com Voice: +44 (0) 1827 67333 Fax: +44 (0) 1827 67068 info@vector-networks.co.uk |
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