Advantage Javelina

If there was one part of your job you'd gladly give up, what would it be? ( " Meetings with my manager " isn't up for discussion, though.) Would it be something on this list?

*Adding users.

*Analyzing Access Control Lists (ACL) in Active Directory.

*Analyzing ACLs on Files and Shares.

*Deleting users.

*Modifying users.

*Monitoring and analyzing User Data.

*Resetting passwords.

*Resynching Active Directory.

*Changing Active Directory User Attributes.

*Changing ACLs in Active Directory.

*Changing ACLs on Files and Shares.

Would you at least like to make all of those things easier to do?

Javelina Software (www.javelinasoftware.com) wants to help. Now why a company in Severna Park, Md., (just outside Washington, D.C.) should be named after the " collared peccary " (actually, a wild boar) found in Texas and Arizona in the U.S. (as well as in Mexico and points south) is a mystery (hint: find the " what's a Javelina? " page on the Web site).

Nevertheless, the folks at Javelina were very happily supporting Banyan Vines users when an odd thing happened. Banyan, essentially, disappeared. Fortunately, the Javelina folks were quick on their feet and swiftly came up with an ideal migration solution for Vines networks to become Windows networks and for Vines StreetTalk directory to migrate to Windows Active Directory.

In the process, the Javelina folks found that Windows networks were shockingly behind Vines networks in terms of ease-of-use, especially for administrators and managers (i.e., you). They cogitated and produced ADvantage, a package of tools to do all those things I listed above.

ADvantage does this by organizing multiple tasks into single operations, allowing you to get more done in a shorter amount of time. It helps by easing the bulk import, export and maintenance of directory objects while incorporating an easy to use search-and-replace engine for both Active Directory attributes and Access Control Lists. All that plus allowing almost all of its tasks to be scheduled for off-hours or other nonpeak times to minimize impact on your users and network.

Check out the ADvantage feature list at www.javelinasoftware.com/ad_features.html - there's just too many to list here.

And while you're at the Web site, download the 30-day evaluation version so you can try it out yourself. If you like it, head back and get the real thing, but pause long enough to sign on as a beta tester. After all, while ADvantage does make your job easier, there's always more it can do, right? I, for one, am still waiting for the module that lets you schedule a new pot of coffee.

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. His most recent book is "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks" published by SAMS. Dave's company, Virtual Quill, provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more at Virtual Quill or by e-mail at info@vquill.com