 |
|
|
Asset Management
NetSupport DNA (Dynamic Network Administration) facilitates central management of your enterprise PCs in a secure, coordinated and efficient manner. Combining powerful Hardware and Software Inventory with Software Distribution, Application and Internet Metering, and PC Remote Control, NetSupport DNA ensures compliance with corporate configuration standards whilst simultaneously reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of your Windows and Linux systems.
Special Offer valid until 31st December 08
NEW customers purchasing Pack 1 will be automatically upgraded to pack 4. View 'Features & Benefits' tab for pack details. |
IT assets account for the largest proportion of the overall IT spend, therefore, ensuring they are properly managed and maintained becomes one of the highest priority corporate goals for any organisation where TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is high on the agenda.
Without a comprehensive management program in place, IT assets can cost far more than necessary through waste and redundancy (direct costs) and overly complex management and maintenance (indirect costs). By implementing an effective IT asset management program, companies can view every asset in their enterprise, allowing them to control and manage IT assets, eliminate waste and redundancy, and comply with ever-tightening government compliance regulations.
The annual cost of supporting this IT infrastructure can often result in costs spiralling out of control, where the initial purchase price of IT assets pales into insignificance. Understanding leasing arrangements and undertaking proactive asset management ensures compliance with software license agreements and makes budget forecasting more accurate. Knowing how many of your users are using a specific application at any given time will allow for both effective trimming of software budgets and a realistic prediction of future software investment.
Information is key. Without this, decisions on upgrades and the roll-out of new technology will not be taken from an entirely informed position. From a cost-saving standpoint, knowing the inventory of IT assets is critical when deciding whether to purchase more assets, redistribute current assets, or retire them completely - along with their costly maintenance contracts and renewal fees.
Recognising that organisations have differing requirements, NetSupport DNA is available in a modular format, allowing you to pick and choose only those features that best meet the current needs of your organisation.
|
DNA
INVENTORY
|
DNA
Inventory |
DNA
SUITE |
| Pack |
Pack 1 |
Pack 2 |
Pack 3 |
Pack 4 |
Pack 5 |
Pack 6 |
| User Management |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hardware Inventory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Software Inventory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Application Metering |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Internet Metering |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Software Distribution |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DNA Remote Control |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| NetSupport Manager |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inventory
SHARED INVENTORY FEATURES
Inventory reports are displayed either for a single Client, Department, Dynamic Group or for the overall Company.
� Multi-platform support. Support for all Windows systems from 98 and above, Red Hat 9, Red Hat Enterprise, SuSE 9 and Fedora Core 6 Linux distributions are also supported.
Inventory frequency can be configured to run at different time intervals. Specific settings can be set for the overall Company or for separate departments. Furthermore, the DNA Operator is able to run a quick Inventory outside of the pre-selected settings whereby all current hardware information from an individual Client, Department or the Company can be updated on demand.
Hardware Inventory
- Dynamically retrieve inventory information from those Windows and Linux PCs with a DNA Client installed
- Manual inventory for non scanned items or stand alone scan to input instances where peripheral equipment, such as routers, will not be identified or even in the case of remote PCs where they are unconnected to the network.
Software Inventory
- File Scan option whereby files of certain types can be identified eg. "How many MP3 files are located on user computers".
History
Effective Asset Management not only relates to knowing what assets are currently located on the network but also to being able to identify historical changes.
The History option enables you to track changes to a Clients Hardware and Software. Each time DNA gathers Inventory data it compares the current details against information already held on the server and if there are any differences they are recorded in the History.
The History component provides a full chronological summary of all activities recorded.
These include:-
Hardware History - full summary by PC and Hardware item detailing previous and current inventory data and all changes detected for a given period. If a PCs performance has deteriorated, using the Hardware history an Operator can identify in seconds any changes to the specific PC that have occurred previously.
Software History - a full summary for all PCs of applications installed, removed and updated for a given period. Quickly identify which new applications have been installed on a users PC, and review those that have been uninstalled over a given period.
User History - a full summary of all changes made to both standard and custom user details within DNA. Identify changes to user contact details or maintenance agreements in force.
Alert History - a full summary of all Alerts triggered for a given period. Provide support notes on the resulting resolution and assigned DNA Operator details. All Historical can be archived and exported for storage and future use on a component by component basis.
Alerting
Alerting & Reporting
System Alerts - (Win 98, ME, NT, 2000, 2003 and XP Clients)
Identify any changes across the overall enterprise, including alerts for:
- New PCs Added.
- Changes in key Hardware Inventory (i.e. Memory / CPU changed on a PC, New Monitor installed).
- Application installation or removal.
- Application licensing warnings (i.e. total copies of Acrobat installed now exceeds company license limit).
- Changes to user details.
- Internet and Application Metering behaviour (access to restricted sites or applications attempted).
- Software Distribution delivery alerts (delivery fail, or advertised package used).
Console Alerts refers to any changes in conditions not related to a specific PC, for example when a PC is removed / deleted or a change is made to an operator's rights or configuration.
PC Alerts - (Win 2000, 2003 and XP Clients)
Identify real-time changes or conditions that occur on a specific PC, including alerts for:
- CPU or Network utilisation alerts (i.e. CPU utilisation exceeds 90% for X mins).
- Process alerts.
- Disk space alerts (i.e. Free Disk space below X Gb or Y %).
- Application and Services Start / Stop alerts (i.e. alert if Antivirus service is stopped).
- File size change alerts.
- Print spooler alerts (number of outstanding jobs).
- Security alerts - failed login attempts.
- Security alerts - USB device activation alerts (i.e. a memory stick is installed).
- Security alerts - New drive mappings alert.
- Security alerts - CD / DVD disk insertion alert.
- Windows systems event logs - Alert based on new entries posted in the windows event log for application, security or system categories.
- Alerts can be configured to trigger based on their recorded status of Error, Warning, Information, Audit Success, Audit Failure or All.
PC alerts can also be grouped into user-defined profiles (i.e. server alerts, desktop alerts) to allow for easy allocation to enterprise systems.
All alerts can be assigned on either an enterprise or departmental basis with variable priority levels. Alert notifications can be directed to specified email recipients and/or active console users (on a per alert basis, so the nature of the alert may dictate which operators are notified). In addition outstanding alerts are identified against matching PCs on the main company hierarchy tree view.
Once Alerts have been identified, suitable action notes are added by the Console Operator and the Alert is subsequently closed and a full history of all PC alerts is then accessible from the History component.
Metering
Application Metering
Knowing how frequently a specific application is being used, will allow for both effective trimming of software budgets and a realistic prediction of future software investments.
NetSupport DNA offers an Application Metering component which reports back all applications used on a target PC, detailing the time the application was both started and finished and the actual time in use. Additionally, when the data is viewed at "department" level, summaries by frequency of use or by duration are shown.
Application usage can be restricted on target PCs by time of day, for all users or usage can be limited to specific nominated PCs. This information can be shown for any preferred time-scale and also allows for further customisation whereby the collection frequency of activity information can be specified.
In essence, Application Metering enables the Operator to perform the following critical functions:
- Monitor and Report current license usage levels of selected applications.
- To improve management effectiveness by controlling and restricting application usage throughout the enterprise.
- To ensure that application usage complies with corporate policy.
- Lists of Approved and Restricted applications together with "apply" time frames for when restrictions apply can be created and enforced by the Operator.
- Analysis and reporting by PC or Logged on User.
Internet Metering
Details a summary of Internet (or Intranet) activity on a users PC, allowing for effective monitoring of current URL viewing levels across the enterprise.
Reporting:
- Start and Finish time of each URL visited.
- Active time spent viewing each website.
- Page analysis within a specific URL.
- Quick URL link provided for reviewing specific URL's.
- Internet metering information detailed by Client, Department, Dynamic Group or overall Company.
- Analysis and Reporting by PC or Logged On User.
Restrictions:
- To ensure that Internet usage complies with corporate standards, lists of Approved and Restricted URL's together with "apply" time frames for when restrictions apply, can be created and enforced by the Operator.
- Use the "Filter" option and enter a keyword used to identify a website or a generic theme of sites to be Approved or Restricted.
- Internet usage restrictions by time of day, available for complete enterprise or on a per user basis.
- Internet activity information can be ignored if active for less than a preset configurable time period.
- Metering records are print optimised and available in multiple pre-defined report formats.
Distribution
Software Distribution over Local and Wide Area networks
|
NetSupport DNA provides a multi-delivery option for Software Distribution.
Firstly, an Operator will define a software package to be deployed, either a collection of Files and Folders specified with appropriate action parameters once successfully delivered to a target system or by recording and scripting any user prompts required during an application install so that the package can be deployed onto a users' system without the need for intervention.
Once created, the application package can be automatically "Pushed" to the target PCs for deployment or alternatively "Published" centrally on the DNA server. Once published, a user can check to see which applications are available for their PC, based on their departmental membership and install these on demand.
However, when initiating large scale deployments, the need to minimise network traffic congestion becomes a priority. In this case, NetSupport DNA allows a Client PC, ideally local to the target machines, to be nominated as a "Distribution Warehouse". When the package is deployed, rather than distributing the package individually to each PC, it delivers the package directly to the "Warehouse" Client which then takes over and distributes it to the target PCs on its local LAN segment.
Schedule
When operating across a range of locations and networks, the timing of any major package deployment is critical as this may result in a detrimental effect on other critical applications and services, in terms of performance degradation. To reduce this threat, a "Scheduling" facility, whereby a specific date and time can be scheduled by an Operator for initiating the package deployment - usually out of core office hours when network traffic is at its lowest.
To further simplify the package deployment process, an "Application Packager", designed for situations where the application to be rolled out does not include its own silent install routine. The Packager enables the operator to record and playback a 3rd party installer, including all the necessary keystrokes and movements. These are stored in a script which is then replayed back at the Client PC without the need for user intervention.
|
|
Software Distribution
- Software Distribution now provides a range of Retry options allowing control of frequency, delay between attempts and support for PCs powered off at time of distribution. On power on they will be notified of a pending distribution and deployed to automatically.
- Software Distribution: Broadcast. When deploying to computers on a local subnet from the server or distribution warehouse, UDP can now be utilised for significant performance benefits. For example:
To Distribute a 50Mb package to 90 computers over a regular 100mb network: Traditional deploy:
- 8 minutes 48 seconds
- UDP deploy: 1 minute 39 seconds
Both distribution methods are supported.
Remote Control
Watch, Share and Control Remote Systems, manage real time problem resolution.
As networks continue to evolve, organisations are faced with the continuous challenge of providing support to a diverse range of platforms, protocols and physical assets.
To ensure that critical IT infrastructure is available when needed most, NetSupport DNA offers 2 types of PC Remote Control providing differing levels of remote user support.
NetSupport Manager (NSM) - the leading PC Remote Control software solution, offering complete remote PC Management and Support.
NetSupport Manager offers comprehensive multi-platform support for Windows, Linux, MAC, Solaris, CE, Pocket PC and Windows Mobile systems, providing complete compatibility to match today's business environment. In addition NetSupport Manager now offers support for 64 bit Intel and AMD platforms, including Windows XP 64 and Windows 2003 64. The support is available for x64-based systems.
For Microsoft based systems NetSupport Manager supports: Dos, Windows 95, 98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, XP and Vista.
Features available for all Windows devices include:
Environment
- Browse, locate and connect to all systems across your LAN or WAN.
- Fully integrated remote deployment utility.
- Connect over TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NETBIOS, NETBEUI or HTTP protocols.
- Communicate over LAN, WAN, Internet, PSTN, ISDN, CAPI/TAPI, GSM, GPRS, 3G or Wireless connections.
- Support for 64 bit Intel and AMD processors.
- Communicate seamlessly between systems that are all located behind different firewalls using the included NetSupport Internet Gateway component.
Remote Control
- Watch, Share or Control the screen, keyboard and mouse of a workstation irrespective of colour resolution, network protocol or operating system.
- Optimise the Remote Control colour quality when managing systems over very slow connections.
- Monitor the screens of all connected systems with real time thumbnails of each connected system. Mouse over a selected PC to Zoom your view.
- Scan multiple systems, cycle through one or multiple workstations' displaying their screens on your control console.
- Show your screen, a selected Monitor or just a selected application to any number of connected computers for real-time instruction.
- Annotate your screen with a range of drawing tools during a Remote Control session or Show session.
Support Tools
- Gather a full Hardware and Software inventory from the client PC to aid in remote support.
- Gather details of all hotfixes installed on the client PC.
- View and Control Applications, Processes and services running on the client.
- Remotely edit the registry of a Remote system.
- Launch a local Command Prompt from the Remote System on your PC.
- Remotely Power On/Off, Log On/Off or Reboot a client PC.
- Request Help - users can create help requests that can be sent direct to all or specific Control systems based on custom criteria.
Move Information
- Transfer Files between the Control and Client computer, syncronise folders and more.
- File Distribution - Drag and drop files from the Control PC to any number of connected systems in a single action.
- Remotely launch applications on remote computers.
- Capture and redirect the remote computers Print Queue to the Control PC.
- Powerful Scripting and Scheduling suite to automate frequent tasks.
Flexibility
- Seamless desktop integration with explorer allowing you to launch key functionality direct from your system without needing to first start NetSupport.
- Connect back to a known PC from any Web-browser using the Active-X based Control.
Security
- Full data encryption options from 56bit DES to 256bit AES encryption.
- User acknowledgements and encrypted passwords.
- Security keys to make your copy of NetSupport unique and incompatible with other copies.
- Integrate directly with NT administration and authenticate connections directly.
- Active Directory Integration and ADM Templates provided for enterprise wide policy management.
- Profiled functionality allowing different features to be disabled depending on which User is attempting to connect to a selected PC.
- Full event and history logs including integration with OS event logs.
No Extra Cost
- All features in NetSupport Manager are included as standard.
- Internet Gateway included as standard.
- NetSupport School - Instruction and Training suite provided
Reporting
User Details
Locate and Manage your Users
NetSupport DNA provides a range of features to locate and Manage PCs and Users within a networked environment. Not only does DNA store key user data (Name, Telephone etc.) but it also provides detailed storage of supporting Asset, Lease and Maintenance data. In addition DNA provides the customer with the ability to customise the data to be gathered and collated from each user.
DNA also provides the mechanism to create Dynamic groups, these are added to the main Company Tree view and can contain PCs from any number of departments. A typical group might be "all PCs with Windows XP and more than 256Mb of Ram".
Other supporting Tools include Connection Statistics, Find User, Chat, Message and a powerful Data Query Tool. DNA also keeps a history of changes to the data entered in User Data. Changes to Custom User Details are recorded including the following fields: Employee Number, Location, Asset Tag and Owner.
On Screen and Print optimised Reporting
One of the main principles of NetSupport DNA, is to offer the means for capturing comprehensive enterprise information, ensuring administrators are fully informed in order to make effective decisions.
However, the data gathered must be made available in an intuitive and user friendly format or else the efficiency benefits gained from implementing NetSupport DNA will be cancelled out by the time spent filtering this information and manipulating it into a useable format.
With this in mind, NetSupport DNA offers two "Styles" of Reporting.
1) On Screen reports which are provided with supporting Bar and Pie charts and drill down capabilities on all key summary data.
2) Print Optimised reports which are powered by a Crystal Report engine that provides the Administrator with additional pre-defined management reports.
All reports include the option to print or export to PDF, DOC and XLS.
Custom Reporting
The DNA Query Tool for those users who would rather view information from NetSupport DNA in their own reports, then the NetSupport DNA Query tool provides an easy interface for defining limitless reports covering all of the available data within the DNA database.
Once created, these reports (Queries) can be assigned to specific components within the DNA console, such as the Hardware Inventory or User Details components and are then available to all operators in a single click from within the main console view.
Case Studies 
Product Manuals 
Testimonials 
"We have recently implemented DNA Helpdesk (May 2005) as a replacement to a Lotus Notes based system. I found DNA Helpdesk to be very easy to install and customise to our needs.
I was particularly impressed with the notification and escalation functionality which have ensured that our Helpdesk calls are being resolved within the designated timeframes. The reporting functionality allows us to graphically view the status of existing and completed calls. From our perspective the Solution bank has been the most useful feature. We can use the solution bank to search for solutions to common problems. I would be happy to recommend this product."
Brooke Humphries, Network Administrator, Lake Macquarie City Council
“We have PCs in various locations that we have to administer, our IT support centre is quite small so we need to have all information at our fingertips to analyse the needs of our users” says Damien Clark, Finance & Administration Manager.
“We have implemented NetSupport DNA in all locations. NetSupport DNA has made it very easy to see all computer infrastructures at a glance and analyse issues and needs for now and the future. It has also helped us analyse what is actually being used on these computers, enabling us to respond to the user needs in a far more timely manner.”
About District Council of Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy is an opal mining town located in the harsh Outback of South Australia, some 850 kilometres north of Adelaide and 680 kilometres south of Alice Springs. Coober Pedy is recognised as the largest producer of opal in the world with an estimated 70% of the world's precious opal being mined in the opal fields of the area.
The continued development of Coober Pedy can be attributed to the maintenance of its opal mining industry and the increasingly important role of tourism. Its recognition as a major regional centre for the Outback of South Australia has seen its importance to the delivery of Government services grow.
Damien Clark, Finance & Administration Manager, District Council of Coober Pedy
NetSupport DNA Server
Recommended Hardware: Pentium III 500Mhz or higher, with 256Mb Ram
Free Space required: 100 Mb+ (dependant on number of clients supported)
OS Supported: Windows 2000, XP or 2003 Server
Databases supported: Microsoft MSDE (supplied), SQL7 or SQL2000. TCP/IP network
Console
Free Space required: 35 MB
OS Supported: Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server and Vista
Pre-Requisites: Internet Explorer 6 or higher. TCP/IP network
Client
Free Space required: 5 MB
OS Supported: Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 Server and Vista, Linux under SuSE 9, Fedora Core 6, RedHat 9 or Enterprise and a TCP/IP network
|
