Desktop Central Blogs

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - June 16, 2009) - ManageEngine, makers of a globally renowned suite of cost effective network, systems, security and applications management software solutions, today announced an update to Desktop Central, the company's web-based Windows Desktop Management Software, with new features designed to control usage of USB devices on desktops across the enterprise.

With the enhanced Desktop Central application, administrators gain an even greater ability to manage desktop security and compliance. Now, from the same familiar Desktop Central management console, administrators may:

• Enable/Disable specific USB devices, such as portable hard drives, CD- ROM, Bluetooth, etc.
• Create and apply policies regarding USB access based on employee roles and departments.
• Generate comprehensive reports on policies and the users and computers that are governed by them.

The new features announced today join an extensive list of existing Desktop Central capabilities designed to maintain company policies and create ever-more-secure networks. For example, Desktop Central allows administrators to generate vulnerability assessments for better patch management; set user-specific desktop policies, disabling the Add/Remove Programs options in the Control Panel, for example; configure firewall settings to prevent unauthorized access; control and manage file and registry permissions; manage local user and group permissions; control Windows services; and detect and remove unauthorized software.

"Before Desktop Central, we had little to no knowledge of our enterprise's security and compliance picture," said Neil Schroeder, Director of Technology, Sioux City Community Schools. "Now we have strong reporting and management functions. We are now in a position to spend much less time running around in the dark trying to individually take care of machines. We have moved from being totally reactive to proactive."

"With the increasing use of portable USB devices, enterprises are constantly under threat of data theft and are focusing on security and compliance as it relates to these devices," said Mathivanan Venkatachalam, Director of Product Management at ManageEngine. "Desktop Central's Secure USB feature allows administrators to selectively limit the scope of USB device usage, either restricting, blocking or allowing full use, depending on the individual user. This will surely be a step toward protecting sensitive corporate data and also reducing the risk from viruses and spyware."

Availability and Pricing

The updated Desktop Central software is available now for download directly from the ManageEngine website at www.desktopcentral.com. ManageEngine offers a 30-day evaluation license of the Professional Edition, with pricing starting at $995 for 100 systems. A permanent Free Edition is also available for small businesses.

About ManageEngine

ManageEngine is the leader in low-cost enterprise IT management software. The ManageEngine suite offers enterprise IT management solutions including Network Management, HelpDesk & ITIL, Bandwidth Monitoring, Application Management, Desktop Management, Security Management, Password Management, Active Directory reporting, and a Managed Services platform. ManageEngine products are easy to install, setup and use and offer extensive support, consultation, and training. More than 30,000 organizations from different verticals, industries, and sizes use ManageEngine to take care of their IT management needs cost effectively. ManageEngine is a division of ZOHO Corporation. For more information, please visit www.manageengine.com.

Network Products Guide, an industry leading publication on information technologies and solutions, has named ManageEngine Desktop Central winner of the 2009 Best Products and Services Award.

This respected annual award honors products and services that represent the rapidly changing needs and interests of the end-users of technology worldwide. As part of the tech-industry’s leading global awards program, this year’s Best Products and Services were nominated from all over the world.

ManageEngine Desktop Central won Best in Systems Administration.  The application is capable of working across multiple network domains and wide area networks, providing software deployment, patch management, configuration management, asset management, service pack installation, remote control, system tools, user log-in and Active Directory reporting.

Cheers,
Ananth
www.manageengine.com/DesktopCentral
www.twitter.com/DesktopCentral

Hi Folks

Greetings.

This time its the similar request i discussed in my last blog, but in the Software Deployment module.    This query will help you to get the list of computers which don't have a specific software. We can call this as Software Exception Computer List :)

select Resource.NAME, Resource.DOMAIN_NETBIOS_NAME, InvComputerOS.OS_NAME, InvComputerOS.VERSION, InvComputerOS.SERVICE_PACK from ManagedComputer inner join Resource on ManagedComputer.RESOURCE_ID = Resource.RESOURCE_ID inner join InvComputerOS on Resource.RESOURCE_ID = InvComputerOS.COMPUTER_ID inner join InvComponent on InvComputerOS.COMPUTER_ID = InvComponent.COMPUTER_ID inner join InvSWInstalled on InvComponent.COMPONENT_ID = InvSWInstalled.COMPONENT_ID inner join InvSW on InvSWInstalled.SOFTWARE_ID = InvSW.SOFTWARE_ID where Resource.RESOURCE_ID Not IN (select Resource.RESOURCE_ID from ManagedComputer inner join Resource on ManagedComputer.RESOURCE_ID = Resource.RESOURCE_ID inner join InvComputerOS on Resource.RESOURCE_ID = InvComputerOS.COMPUTER_ID inner join InvComponent on InvComputerOS.COMPUTER_ID = InvComponent.COMPUTER_ID inner join InvSWInstalled on InvComponent.COMPONENT_ID = InvSWInstalled.COMPONENT_ID inner join InvSW on InvSWInstalled.SOFTWARE_ID = InvSW.SOFTWARE_ID where InvSW.SOFTWARE_NAME like "%Adobe%") group by Resource.RESOURCE_ID;

You need to replace the "%Adobe%" with the software you need to find where it is missing.

This will help in the scenarios, where you need to know the computers in which a particular software is not installed.

Cheers
Romanus

Hi Folks,

Here again for Query executor.  Trust me this is getting popular among desktop administrators for the reason it can get what they need to know about their network.

Now in to the subject, i'm going to present a query which can be used to find the computer list which was not scanned for inventory from a specific date.  This would be helpful during the internal/external auditing to check not-scanned computers and validate.  Please note, the date should be in mm/dd/yyy hh:mm:ss format.

Query to get unscanned computer list for inventory

select Resource.NAME, Resource.DOMAIN_NETBIOS_NAME, InvClientScanStatus.Last_successful_scan as LAST_SUCCESSFUL_SCAN_DATE_FORMAT  from ManagedComputer INNER JOIN Resource ON ManagedComputer.RESOURCE_ID = Resource.RESOURCE_ID Inner join invclientscanstatus on resource.resource_id = invclientscanstatus.resource_id where Last_successful_scan < DATE_TO_LONG(04/20/2009 00:00:00);

You need run this in the query executor.  Here are the instruction for those who try this for the first time.  Also, folks who don't see this option need to upgrade your build to the latest.  Contact support at desktopcentral-support@manangeengine.com

How to Execute?

1. Goto Admin  Tab -> Tools table -> click on Query Executor
2. Paste the given sql query in the text Area
3. Click on Execute Query
4. The result will be shown.
5. You have the option to export the data into CSV File for further manipulation.

cheers
Romanus

Hi Folks

Quick post on the latest request on Desktop Central forums. The requirement was on renaming the remote computer.

This functionality is not available with Desktop Central.  The Free windows tools from Desktop Central has various associated tools except remote PC rename.  So, Here is quick help with a script to rename one remote computer in the network which is under the Desktop Central Management.

How to use it?

Download and save the script.  Edit the first line "new-comp-name" value to change to your desired name.  Make sure it doesn't exceed 15 characters.

Download the Script and add it as a EXE software in Software Deployment.  Choose the reboot option while deploying the configuration.  This will rename the computer and reboot to come back with new name.

sNewName = "new-comp-name"

Set oShell = CreateObject ("WSCript.shell" )

sCCS = "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\"
sTcpipParamsRegPath = sCCS & "Services\Tcpip\Parameters\"
sCompNameRegPath = sCCS & "Control\ComputerName\"

With oShell
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname"
.RegDelete sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname"

.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName
.RegWrite sCompNameRegPath & "ActiveComputerName\ComputerName", sNewName
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "Hostname", sNewName
.RegWrite sTcpipParamsRegPath & "NV Hostname", sNewName
End With ' oShell

Trust this helps.  Please let me know your comments and concerns.

cheers
Romanus

Hi

This blog is about the new feature introduced in Desktop Central.

The new feature is called Query Executor (available under Admin -> Tools -> Query Executor.  This feature is supported from build 60316.  If you don't see this feature you can contact the tech support).  You can use it as SQL query executor.  Being a initial version you can send in your requirement and get the query from the Desktop Central Support Team.  Later, this can be improvised according to the need.

Query Executor can be used to generate custom reports which are not available ready-made with DC and many more what you like to generate out of DC.  For example, regarding the conficker worm, how to get the list of computers where intended patch KB 958644 (Bulletin ID : MS08-067) is installed or computers where the patch is missing.  Below given is the query to achieve the task using DC Query Executor.

select resource.name, patch.patchid, patch.bulletinid, affectedpatchstatus.status from affectedpatchstatus inner join patch on patch.patchid = affectedpatchstatus.patch_id inner join resource on resource.resource_id = affectedpatchstatus.resource_id where BULLETINID="MS08-067" and status="Available";

select resource.name, patch.patchid, patch.bulletinid, affectedpatchstatus.status from affectedpatchstatus inner join patch on patch.patchid = affectedpatchstatus.patch_id inner join resource on resource.resource_id = affectedpatchstatus.resource_id where BULLETINID="MS08-067" and status="Missing";

Hi Folk,

Great to see you all.

Tomorrow is April 1and there is a peril of Win32/Conficker worm.  Here is my findings when fiddling with this topic.

Win32/Conficker is a worm that infects other computers across a network by exploiting a vulnerability in the Windows Server service (SVCHOST.EXE). If the vulnerability is successfully exploited, it could allow remote code execution when file sharing is enabled. Depending on the specific variant, it may also spread via removable drives and by exploiting weak passwords. It disables several important system services and security products and downloads arbitrary files.

Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC) has identified the following variants of Win32/Conficker:

• Worm:Win32/Conficker.A: identified by the MMPC on November 21, 2008
• Worm:Win32/Conficker.B: identified by the MMPC on December 29, 2008
• Worm:Win32/Conficker.C: identified by the MMPC on February 20, 2009*
• Worm:Win32/Conficker.D: identified by the MMPC on March 4, 2009**

More information on this can be obtained from MS site.

The following MS links talks about the solution by applying the following patch updates.

1. KB 890830
2. KB 958644

These patches are released December'08 and January'09.  Desktop Central customers would have already applied the patches.  You can ensure this from Desktop Central Server web console -> Patch Management -> Missing Patches.  Use the search feature to check the KB articles and know the status of your network.

You have the provision to install the patches from the search result of missing patches.  Patch your network using Desktop Central and get protected from conficker worm.

cheers
Romanus

Automates Shutdown of Computers During Non-Office Hours; Generates Monthly Reports Used in Claiming Utility Rebates

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - January 27, 2009) - ManageEngine, makers of a globally renowned suite of cost effective network, systems and security management software solutions, today announced an update to Desktop Central, the company's web-based Windows Desktop Management Software, with new features designed to help enterprises reduce the level of power consumed by PCs. The updated Desktop Central allows administrators to virtually eliminate unnecessary power consumption, reducing their company's carbon footprint and its energy bills, while generating revenue through power-usage reporting, which is key to claiming rebates from local utility companies.

Desktop Central's power management feature allows IT administrators to standardize the power settings of all computers across the network at once from a central management console. Through Desktop Central, administrators may:

--  Create and apply different power schemes to various types of users
--  Hibernate or standby idle computers automatically
--  Schedule shutdown of computers during non-office hours
--  Schedule system start-up just prior to users arriving at work
--  Generate system uptime reports to claim rebates.

"With corporations focused on 'Go Green' initiatives and coping with tough economic times, saving energy and saving money are priorities," said Mathivanan Venkatachalam, director of product management at ManageEngine. "One of the easiest ways to cut expenses is to effectively reduce the power consumption of the computers in the organization. Desktop Central's Power Management helps enterprises save big on energy bills and protect the environment by reducing the amount of work that power plants must do, much of which produces harmful byproducts, such as air pollution and disruption of natural habitats."

Availability and Pricing

The updated Desktop Central software is available now for download directly from the company's website at http://manageengine.adventnet.com/products/desktop-central/index.html?prjan09. ManageEngine offers a 30-day evaluation license of the Professional Edition. A permanent Free Edition is also available for small businesses. The annual subscription price for the Professional Edition starts at $995 for 100 systems.

About Desktop Central

Desktop Central is a complete Desktop Management Software that provides Software Deployment, Patch Management, Service Pack Installation, Asset Management, Remote Control, Configurations, System Tools, User Logon Reports and Active Directory Reports. It is a network-neutral solution that can be used to manage desktops in Active Directory, Workgroups, or other directory services based network like Novell® eDirectory. It can manage computers in multiple domains and can also manage computers across WAN (branch offices).

About ManageEngine

ManageEngine is the leader in low-cost enterprise IT management software. The ManageEngine suite offers enterprise IT management solutions including Network Management, HelpDesk & ITIL, Bandwidth Monitoring, Application Management, Desktop Management, Security Management, Password Management, Active Directory reporting, and a Managed Services platform. ManageEngine products are easy to install, setup and use and offer extensive support, consultation, and training. More than 30,000 organizations from different verticals, industries, and sizes use ManageEngine to take care of their IT management needs cost effectively. ManageEngine is a division of AdventNet, Inc. For more information, please visit www.manageengine.com.