Good News !

ManageEngine Desktop Central, the Windows Desktop Management Software, has increased the number of computers that can be managed using its Free version to 25 from 10. This means that the small businesses having up to 25 computers can use Desktop Central for free to manage their computers even if they are spread across WAN.

The Free Edition of Desktop Central provides all the features of the Enterprise Edition like Software Deployment, Patch Management, Asset Management, Remote Control, Windows Configuration (Desktop Standardization), Windows System Tools, and User Logon Reports.

Why wait, go ahead and download the Free Edition right away.

Cheers,

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

The new free tool "Remote Command Prompt" will be one of the important tools can be used in windows troubleshooting. Using this tool administrator can silently connect to the remote PC in the network and execute various commands. The remote end user will not be disturbed when administrator is troubleshooting the problem. By default it has following commands to

1. Get System Information from the Remote Computer
2. Get Current IP Details of the Remote Computer
3. Get ARP entries of the Remote Computer
4. Get the Active Network Connection Details of the Remote Computer
5. Get the Hardware specification of the Remote Computer
6. Get the Running Process details of the Remote Computer
7. Get the Hard disk usage details of the Remote Computer
8. Get the clock value of the Remote Computer
9. Invoke the GpUpdate in the Remote Computer
10. Get the Resultant Set Policy of the Remote Computer
11. Get the Environment variables value of the  Remote Computer

Download the latest version of the Desktop Central Free Windows tools and give a try. If you have any feedback feel free to post it.

Thanks
Mathi

Hi Folks

Here is a critical patch release for Internet Explorer.  Below given is the description of the issue as described by secunia security advisory.

Description : A vulnerability has been discovered in Internet Explorer, which can be exploited by malicious people to disclose potentially sensitive information.  The vulnerability is caused due to an error in the handling of redirections for URLs with the "mhtml:" URI handler. This can be exploited to access documents served from another web site.

Technical Explanation from MS (Bulletin MS08-078 - Critical)

A remote code execution vulnerability exists as an invalid pointer reference in the data binding function of Internet Explorer. When data binding is enabled (which is the default state), it is possible under certain conditions for an object to be released without updating the array length, leaving the potential to access the deleted object's memory space. This can cause Internet Explorer to exit unexpectedly, in a state that is exploitable.

An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted Web page. When a user views the Web page, the vulnerability could allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user.

Microsoft has released the fix for the reported IE Security hole.  You can deploy these latest critical patches to your network using Desktop Central Patch Management.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-078.mspx

Above mentioned URL has the information about the fixes and other details.  Desktop Central supports the deployment of all the 18 patches.  You can update you vulnerability Data Base through DC and do a scan to deploy this critical patch.  Since its a Critical patch, lets patch it immediately and with ease through DC.

Merry Christmas.

cheers
Romanus

Hi Folks

Check out the cool new features added to the Free Windows Tools.  Check your version, 1.5 is the latest.

1. Currently Logged On User Tool
2. Hard Disk Space Monitor Tool

The first one will get the currently logged on users on the selected computers and the later will get the hard disk details in selected computers.

You can download the software from the given link

http://manageengine.adventnet.com/products/free-windows-tools/download.html?blogs

Let us know your feedback and suggestion.

Cheers
R. Romanus Prabhu

Hi Folks

Highlights of the release

• Remote Control :  Remote control Connection problem for renamed SoM computer issue is fixed.
• Help Desk Enhancements :  New settings for changing E-Mail domain,  and provision to add prefix to Help Desk request subjects
• Patch Management :  Issues in Vulnerability report is fixed,  MS-Office Patching Support added.
  

Instructions to Apply Service Packs & Hot Fixes

1. Shut down Desktop Central. (either through Start --> Programs -->ManageEngine Desktop Central 6--> Stop Desktop Central or Right click Desktop Central logo on the Notification area of Task bar and click Shut down Server)
2. Take a backup of the entire <DesktopCentral_Server> directory (goto cmd and from <DesktopCentral_Server\bin> run the stopDB.bat) ; now zip the contents and keep in a safe place. (for this time)
3. Execute the UpdateManager.bat file present in the <Desktop Central_Home>/bin directory.
4. Click "Browse" and select the.ppm file that you have downloaded.
5. Click "Install" to install the service pack. This may take few minutes depending on the amount of data that needs to be migrated.
6. Wait until the service pack / hotfix is fully installed.
7. Click "Close" and then click "Exit" to exit the Update Manager tool.
8. Start the Desktop Central.

Cheers
Romanus