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Data SheetUnicenter AssetManagement r11 Unicenter Asset Management r11 is a comprehensive solution for proactivelymanaging IT assets in your business environment and provides instant knowledgeof what assets are deployed. It delivers full-featured asset tracking capabilitiesthrough automated discovery, hardware and software inventory, configurationmanagement, software usage monitoring, software license management andextensive cross-platform reporting. Top Three Key Features Continuous and Active Discovery Hardware Inventory Software InventoryWhat’s New Open Source Database Support Common Application Framework Improved LDAP Directory Support Common Server Infrastructure Improved Inventory and DetectionSupporting Environments Windows Server and Client Platforms PDAs Linux x86 HP-UX, AIX SolarisManaging IT Assets in anEnterprise Report on historical changes to criticalsystems in an IT environment forimproved change controlAt the highest level, organizations investin people and technology to get businessdone. Similar to managing humanresources from cost, availability, skills andproductivity standpoints, IT assets mustbe managed as well. The foundation ofany enterprise IT management solutionmust be the ability to provide factualinformation of what assets are deployed,how they are configured, where they arelocated and the ability to completelymanage them throughout their life cycle.To efficiently manage assets, IT mustbe able to: Discover and inventory systems tooptimize usage patterns and aidpurchasing decisions View detailed information aboutexisting hardware and software tomake informed decisions duringmigration and deployment of software Have “at a glance” knowledge of assetsat the software patch level to mitigatesecurity risksHowever, the complexity, volume anddiversity of today’s assets, combined withconstant change, make it difficult tomanage assets and, more importantly,improve their availability to lower yourcost of ownership. To mitigate this, ITmust have the ability to automate themanual, error-prone and reactive day-today maintenance processes, or the resultwill be an inconsistent environment thatis difficult to maintain.
Data Sheet2UnderstandingWhat You HaveUnicenter Asset Management helpsIT overcome these challenges and lessenrisk, while helping to optimize thedecisions that must be made regarding ITassets. With this solution, IT can monitorsoftware usage on desktops, servers andother client devices. In addition, it willautomate asset management processes,including discovery of network assets,inventory, maintenance activities, licenseadministration and reporting, all in aheterogeneous environment.Unicenter Asset Management empowersIT departments to become more agile andcost-effective while supporting variouslines of business. For instance, one of thesimplest ways to reduce service costs isto enforce standards and policies on assetconfigurations. Doing so eliminates thepossibility of users running unauthorizedsoftware, and provides a known environment to speed diagnosis by servicepersonnel. This makes it easier toanticipate and effectively correctproblems. Plus, it can help control costsby measuring the usage of IT resources,for both hardware and software, givingdifferent business groups the ability tomonitor and measure how IT resourcesare actually used.Distinctive Features andFunctionalitiesContinuous and Active Discovery. Newsystems constantly enter the corporatenetwork either as completely new systemsor systems which have been re-built. Itis imperative for IT to automaticallydiscover and proactively manage thesenew systems in a fully automated fashion;otherwise the foundation starts to break,because it was built with inaccurateinformation.Figure 1. Get an instant view on the status of the IT environment, or quickly access mainfeatures and useful task wizards. Unicenter Asset Management willdiscover all connected devices using acombination of traditional IP baseddiscovery process supplemented with anew continuous, active discovery thatincorporates “sniffer” technology. Newly discovered devices are assigneda proper OS classification and predefined policies will determine whetherthe asset should be fully inventoried byactively scanning the system. WMIsettings can be adjusted to gatherspecific user settings, printer information, etc., allowing custom WMIdetection and inventory.Hardware Inventory. Hardware inventoryinformation is the underpinning for asuccessful IT management strategy,which includes software distribution,financial asset management, securitymanagement and help desk support.Unicenter Asset Management meetsthese needs by detecting and reportingon detailed inventory factors, such asserial numbers, CPU information, RAM,internal and peripheral disc drives, OSversions and service packs, networksettings, power settings, and more. Hardware and Network DetectionModules. Accelerate environmentscanning by using Unicenter AssetManagement’s structured inventoryand customizable detection modules,which can detect specific informationabout PC hardware and networkhardware. Windows Management Instrumentation(WMI) Inventory. Supports the WMIstandard for gathering inventory andconfiguration information. Inventory Change History. Automaticallytrack changes to assets, such as whensoftware is installed or removed,changes in hardware configuration,and other key events. Unicenter AssetManagement shows an asset’shistorical information based on thedate/time of recorded changes, inaddition to its current state. Zero in onasset changes with intuitive visual cuesin the easy-to-use user interface.
Data Sheet3 Additional Inventory. Responsivescanning and inventory reportingprovides detailed information that canbe enabled or disabled automaticallyfor each inventory module. Theinventory’s quick response timeenables scanning to be refined untilthe results are exactly as they shouldbe for any given enterprise.Software Inventory. Detect applicationsand software with intelligent detection.The environment is accurately discoveredand reported on by using innovativemethodologies with a higher degree ofgranularity than traditional softwareinventory scanning solutions. Intelligent Detection. Detectionaccuracy is improved by using multipletechniques for analyzing whether, ornot, applications are installed. Themethods used include both file andregistry scanning, and MicrosoftInstaller database look-up. Recognition Database. The UnicenterAsset Management recognition database includes entries for over 13,000applications, which are categorized intothree major groups: applications thatare known, applications that areunknown and main applications. Thisdepth of information provides ITadministrators a quick overview ofwhich applications are installed andwhere, right out of the box. Research and Information Service.Dedicated CA content research teamresponsible for the creation of application definitions (APDEF), which areused to extend the recognition database.Newly available APDEF’s are quicklycreated, enhanced with additionalresearch metadata, validated and madeavailable to the Unicenter AssetManagement system. OS Inventory. Delivers detailed andaccurate information about the operatingsystem, including version, languagesettings, service packs, patch leveland more. Up to date and detailedinformation benefits the environmentby providing the necessary informationfor quick patch remediation.Figure 2. Unicenter Asset Management delivers in-depth information about PCcomponents, such as processors. Microsoft Hot-Fixes. Unicenter AssetManagement maintains a complete listof all Microsoft hot-fixes, making iteasy to find non-compliant systems andenforce compliance through integrationwith Unicenter Software Delivery. File Manager Information. Enables fullcontrol over every hard drive in yournetwork, improving efficiency andproductivity by delivering a completeimage of files and directories on anyPC. Features a drag and drop capabilityto delete or copy files across thenetwork. Partition Inventory. Collect detailedinventory about hard drive partitionson systems with multiple partitions.Software Usage Monitoring. Enterpriseorganizations must regulate the use ofsoftware to keep costs in check andcomply with licensing restrictions.Software metering allows total controlover specific application use. In addition,by monitoring usage patterns, UnicenterAsset Management can redeploy anunused software asset instead ofpurchasing a new license for a user thatneeds it. Software Usage Metering. Regaincontrol over your software assets byknowing who is using what software,when and how often. In addition,policies can be created and enforced toprevent unapproved applications frombeing run on the corporate network. Application Suite Metering. Individualapplications can be categorized into asuite with other applications. Forexample Microsoft Word, Excel andPowerPoint can be identified as theMicrosoft Office suite. This ensuresaccurate license tracking and thatindividual applications are not countedin lieu of the suite they belong to. Offline and Online Metering. Manageapplications even if PCs are offline.Passive (offline) metering, logs usageinformation locally, whereas active(online) metering, will strictly limit thenumber of users for any application orsuite.
Data Sheet4 Queuing. Users may enter a queue, iftheir PC is being monitored online andthe licensing limit has been reached foran application. A fair, consistent licensedistribution system is ensured by usinga first-come, first-served queue and bynotifying users when a license for anapplication becomes available. VIP Users. The queue process can beover-ridden for key users, so theyalways have access to critical software.Configuration Management andSoftware Maintenance. Increaseefficiency and enforce organizationalpolicies and standards with UnicenterAsset Management’s built-in features. Built-in Script Language. Scripting canbe used to change desktop settings,including registry information from acentral location. Scripts can also beused to build custom inventorymodules for collecting companyspecific information. Locking Configurations. UnicenterAsset Management can detect changesat boot time, and restore the lockedfiles immediately enforcing standardsand policies across your organization.Automate IT Processes. Automation isthe key to an effective desktop management strategy that manages IT assets inan increasingly complex environment. Alarms. Alarm thresholds can be setto alert IT and automatically triggeractions that include sending emails ormessages to an external system suchas Unicenter Network and SystemsManagement or Unicenter ServicePlusService Desk. Dynamic Grouping. Groups of assetscan be defined based on a databasequery. The query can then becontinually evaluated, dynamicallyupdating the members of the group.Figure 3. Make informed decisions by quickly viewing detailed information about PCs inthe enterprise.Enterprise-Ready. Unicenter AssetManagement scales easily to support anynetwork topology, from one location withthousands of nodes, or thousands oflocations with only a few nodes in each.Once implemented it can grow and adaptto the changing needs of any environment. Scalability. Unicenter Asset Management components are designed forflexibility during deployment andongoing operations. All services can allbe installed on one server or distributedacross multiple servers. A scalabletiered architecture ensures support foreven the largest environments. Broad Platform Support. UnicenterAsset Management offers the broadestrange of support for desktops andservers including Windows, UNIX, andmajor Linux distributions. In addition todesktops and servers it can also managePDAs and other mobile devices. Portal Integration. Integration with theUnicenter Management Portal deliversrole-based, dynamic and personalizedmanagement securely over the Web.Data can be consolidated from manydifferent data sources while providingunified querying and reporting and thatsuits each user’s unique needs.Ease-of-Use. Technology is useless unlessit’s easy to use. Today’s business climatedemands that less time be spent onlearning new software and applicationsand more time spent on leveraging thebenefits of the investment. Task Wizards. Wizards assistadministrators with initial deploymentand periodic maintenance activities,including database housekeeping, jobhandling and policy configuration,minimizing the learning curve. Tutorials. Unicenter Asset Managementprovides in-depth tutorials, guidingnew administrators through dailymaintenance tasks. Through the use ofstep by step comprehensive tutorials,learning curves are reduced.
Data Sheet Web Admin Console. Assets andtheir properties can be monitored andmanaged anywhere by using thelightweight Web Admin Console.Informed Decision Making. You cannotmanage what you don’t know you have.Making management decisions aboutenterprise assets can and must be done,but only after all information about theasset(s) is known. Unicenter AssetManagement delivers this knowledge byproviding a robust reporting infrastructure. Unicenter Asset Management Reporter.Information about software inventory,hardware inventory, software usage andconfiguration can be combined for amultifaceted view of the enterpriseenvironment. Out-of-the-Box Reports. Prefabricatedreports can be modified based upon theneeds of the enterprise. Publishing and Exporting Reports.Automatically publish reports tostandard web servers in standard fileformats such as CSV and XML, or savethe results in a database to easilyintegrate with third-party applications.Works with Other Unicenter DesktopManagement Solutions. Extend thecapabilities of Unicenter Asset Management by seamlessly including Unicenter Software Delivery, Unicenter RemoteControl and Unicenter Service Desk.Including one or more of these solutionsin addition to Unicenter Asset Management delivers an effective desktopmanagement strategy, essential formanaging today’s complex businessenvironments. Unicenter DesktopManagement enables easy deploymentof new hardware, software and patches,Unicenter Service Desk allows helpdeskdepartments to efficiently support endusers and Unicenter Remote Controlhelps troubleshoot PCs or guide userswithout visiting the workstation.5 Software Distribution Management.Centrally control and manage softwareon IT devices such as PDAs, desktopsand laptops, servers and midrangesystems, and Linux for zSeries.Automatically create software distribution packages by recording the stateof a PC before and after installing andconfiguring software. Distributiongroups and templates, plus integrationwith directory services, make it easyto schedule and automate softwarepackage deliveries for a specific group,or to set up policies to ensurecompliance. In addition to deployingsoftware, self-service software catalogscan be set up so that individuals canorder software that they are authorizedto install. Remotely Support Users. View and/orcontrol host computers using differentconnection modes. Bandwidth awareconnections adjust the color depth ofthe viewer to optimize the connection.Simplify the access to remote computersby using global and local address booksthat organize computers in a businessenvironment. Remote sessions can berecorded and played back at a later time. Automate Service Requests. UnicenterAsset Management policies can automatically generate requests or changeorders, or launch Unicenter ServiceDesk within the context of a specificasset. Unicenter Service Desk providesaccess to all Unicenter AssetManagement functionalities withenforceable security policies.What’s New in r11CA continues to innovate by deliveringnew features that make the product morerobust and easier to use. Release 11continues to deliver software aligned withthe customer’s business objectives, whichis important when providing a comprehensive Desktop Management strategy. Simplified Management Infrastructure.A simplified infrastructure means lessmaintenance allowing quicker andeasier deployments of a comprehensivedesktop management strategy. It doesthis by replacing disparate managementservers with a set of common servers,the health of which can be shown in thecommon WorldView component. Inaddition, multiple databases andagents are replaced with a commonopen-source database foundation andsingle agent. Improved Agent Delivery. The agentcan be delivered automatically tosystems throughout the enterprise bydefining policies that evaluate eachsystem and deploy the agent whennecessary. Improved User Interface. A newapplication framework for all UnicenterDesktop Management products makesit easier to manage an ever-morecomplex enterprise by providing allmanagement tools at your fingertips.Performance is increased within theuser interface by employing intelligentmanagement lists, while the updateddiscovery mechanism providescontinuous, active auto-discovery ofenterprise assets. Embedded Asset Viewer. The assetviewer provides a common interfacefor viewing more information about apurchased and discovered asset. Theinformation that can be viewed includesasset types, model definitions, assetfamilies, classes, status and GL codes. Better LDAP Directory Support. Accessany LDAP directory on Windows andLinux/UNIX to utilize organized assetinformation that is contained to thedirectory’s hierarchy. LDAP directorysupport has been updated to allowqueries and deployments to be appliedto only those systems within a LDAPsource or directory container. Linux Support. The Manager Componentof Unicenter Asset Management maybe installed on Linux. Improved Inventory and Detection.A new inventory module will reporton minimum, maximum and averagemachine utilization over configurabletime periods. A more granular software
Data Sheetdetection mechanism now reportsdown to the software patch level, whichhas been optimized for better performance over a network. In addition,signatures are now shared betweenCA products providing access to anexisting, comprehensive set of softwaresignatures. Enhanced Security Model. Incorporatespeer to peer mutual authentication withdigital certificates. Site specific certificates may be used to guard againstthe potential threats of Spoofing,Byte-Stream Messaging (ReverseEngineering) and Hacking attempts. Allauthentication data, user credentialsand traffic between client and serverand communication streams areencrypted using RSA, DES or 3DESalgorithms. Easily assign user-basedpermission through a 3-tier accesscontrol model covering defaultpermissions, group level permissionsand individual object level permissions.Assign different sets of permissions fordifferent roles of user which may beidentified from Windows or Linux useror group accounts or from and LDAPdirectory hierarchy.6Supported Environments Windows Server and Client Platforms PDAs Linux x86 HP-UX, AIX SolarisFor more information,call 1-888-864-2368or visit ca.comCopyright 2006 CA. All rights reserved. All trademarks, trade names, service marks and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.MP303750606
as Unicenter Network and Systems Management or Unicenter ServicePlus Service Desk. Dynamic Grouping.Groups of assets can be defined based on a database query. The query can then be continually evaluated, dynamically updating the members of the group. Enterprise-Ready. Unicent
