Configuresoft Integrates Enterprise Configuration Manager with Microsoft Systems Management Server.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers MICROSOFT MANAGEMENT SUMMIT LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2004 Three Phase Integration Addresses Standards Compliance, Software Installation Verification, and Systems Center Support Configuresoft, the configuration management company, today announced the integration of Enterprise Configuration Manager (ECM (1) (Enterprise Change Management) See version control and configuration management. (2) (Error Correcting Mode) A Group 3 fax capability that can test for errors within a row of pixels and request retransmission. ) with Microsoft Systems Management Server Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) is a systems management software product by Microsoft for managing large groups of Windows-based computer systems. SMS provides remote control, patch management, software distribution, and hardware and software inventory. (SMS (1) (Storage Management System) Software used to routinely back up and archive files. See HSM. (2) (Systems Management Server) Systems management software from Microsoft that runs on Windows NT Server. ) 2003 to provide centralized cen·tral·ize v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate. 2. assessment, verification and control of system configurations before and after software distribution operations. Through this integration, ECM will provide continuous change management to extend the software provisioning and distribution functions of SMS during the complete lifecycle of server and client machines. Configuresoft will demonstrate ECM this week at Microsoft Management Summit booth 400. "Configuresoft's support for Systems Management Server 2003 and the Microsoft management road map will help customers benefit from the self-automating capabilities of Dynamic Systems Initiative," said David Hamilton David Hamilton may refer to:
According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Gartner, Inc. 80 percent of system outages are due to hardware and software upgrades. ECM provides automated configuration assessment and management facilities to pinpoint and correct problems encountered during initial system provisioning and subsequent software upgrades performed by SMS. In addition, ECM can ensure the proper operation of SMS by auditing the configuration settings of every instance of the product deployed in a network. Phase 1: Compliance Templates Initially, Configuresoft will deliver compliance templates for managing SMS. These templates will enable administrators to rapidly assess whether SMS is installed on all target machines in the network, whether the SMS service is turned on, and whether it is configured correctly. ECM templates provide an exception list of machines and the respective configurations that are out of compliance with the expected results. These templates will eliminate the guesswork and manual operations required to maintain an optimal SMS environment. "The ability of ECM to enforce configuration standards for Systems Management Server and the software it is used to deploy dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of managing large Windows-based networks," said Alexander Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer of Configuresoft. "The combination of Systems Management Server and ECM makes it possible to quickly and easily deploy the right software configurations to each machine in the enterprise, and keep those configurations in compliance to avoid security vulnerabilities and performance problems." Phase 2: Patch and Software Deployment Software deployment is all of the activities that make a software system available for use. The general deployment process consists of several interrelated activities with possible transitions between them. Assessments Next, Configuresoft will provide integrated capabilities to perform enterprise-wide patch assessments using ECM that allow customers the option to automatically deploy patches via SMS. In addition, ECM will automatically verify that software programs and security patches A fix to a program that eliminates a vulnerability exploited by malicious hackers. See vulnerability and patch. deployed by SMS were successfully installed, and remain installed and properly configured over time. Application-specific templates will enable administrators to identify and correct software builds on individual machines that are out of compliance with standards. For example, a template could be configured to assess machines for correct installations of Microsoft Excel (tool) Microsoft Excel - A spreadsheet program from Microsoft, part of their Microsoft Office suite of productivity tools for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh. Excel is probably the most widely used spreadsheet in the world. Latest version: Excel 97, as of 1997-01-14. , or the successful deployment of a security patch distributed by SMS. Phase 3: Support for Systems Center Finally, Configuresoft will integrate ECM with Microsoft Operations Manager See datacenter manager. (MOM) to provide Microsoft Systems Center the ability to analyze and correlate configuration data and assess optimal configurations for specific machines. For example, ECM will gather exception data from SMS and MOM in order to identify machines, or dependencies between configurations, that consistently experience problems. These capabilities will enable administrators to isolate and eliminate the root causes of recurring problems and reduce downtime. Pricing and Availability Enterprise Configuration Manager with phase one integration for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 will be available in the second quarter of 2004 from Configuresoft and its business partners worldwide. Pricing starts at $995 per server and $30 per workstation. ECM supports Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. Server 4.0 or higher, Windows NT Workstation 4.0 or higher and Microsoft SQL Server A relational DBMS from Microsoft that is a major component of the Windows Server System. It is Microsoft's high-end client/server database and is closely integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft Office System. 2000 or higher. About Enterprise Configuration Manager ECM centralizes and automates the labor-intensive task of monitoring, managing, and auditing the hardware and software configurations of Windows systems deployed in large enterprise networks or Web server farms. ECM standardizes server and client configurations, and can automatically enforce compliance with policies to prevent security vulnerabilities, minimize downtime, and enhance system performance. ECM can identify and help correct configuration problems before users even know they exist. ECM Security Update Manager, an add-on module for ECM, automates security patch management by alerting administrators of new security bulletins issued by Microsoft, instantly assessing entire networks to detect vulnerabilities, and deploying required patches to all the target machines with a single mouse click. Company Background Founded in 1999, Configuresoft provides the world's leading companies, including seven of the Fortune Global 25, software that automates the management of hardware and software configurations for Windows-based systems deployed in large networks. Enterprise Configuration Manager (ECM) and Security Update Manager (SUM) enforce IT standards and remediate re·me·di·a·tion n. The act or process of correcting a fault or deficiency: remediation of a learning disability. re·me security vulnerabilities before problems occur. One Configuresoft customer manages 4,700 servers and 72,000 workstations using ECM and SUM. Configuresoft is privately held and headquartered in Woodland Park, Colorado Woodland Park is a city in Teller County, Colorado, United States. Many residents in this bedroom community, which is surrounded by the Pike National Forest, make the 17-mile commute to Colorado Springs. Ute Pass lies 12 miles to the west of Woodland Park on US 24. . To contact Configuresoft, call 719.447.4600, visit us on the Web at http://www.configuresoft.com or write to marketing@configuresoft.com |
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