LANDesk Server Manager focuses on servers

LANDesk Server Manager focuses tightly on the heart of your network -- its servers.

Server Manager, which runs on HP-UX, SUSE, Red Hat Linux and Windows (2000, 2003 and XP), monitors servers and their applications, tracks your software licenses and automates the deployment of new software versions, updates and patches.

Server Manager's monitoring function uses a customizable browser-based dashboard to quickly and accurately show you what's running in your servers -- and what's not. Whether sitting in- or out-of-band (through the existing network or a separate link you establish), Server Manager displays a wealth of information about each server.

Its corrective-action feature lets you remotely repair a server configuration. Server Manager's firewall-friendly remote agents collect server performance data via CIM, WMI, SMBIOS, WBEM and WfM, and Server Manager can examine log files for unusual events. You have to install the agents on every monitored server, but once in place, they work well and unobtrusively.

Server Manager's predictive failure-analysis feature looks at historical trends and real-time error situations to help you understand the scope and cause of server problems. Server Manager's reports are excellent for showing detail on server health and identifying server-use trends.

Server Manager includes a host-based intrusion-detection feature, which LANDesk terms integrated active vulnerability scanning, to alert you to security problems. To further enhance security as well as licensing agreements, Server Manager monitors software license activity and can deny the execution of unauthorized computer programs. Server Manager acts as a central repository for the distribution of application changes and even whole operating-system deployments.