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September 2006

Systems Management

From the September 2006 Edition
of Windows IT Pro
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Software Deployment Tool. For the third year, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 is our readers' choice for Best Software Deployment Tool. SMS gives administrators the tools to distribute crucial applications to users and specify when and where the distribution should take place. It integrates and makes more manageable the process of planning, testing, analyzing, optimizing, and deploying applications. SMS lets you perform compatibility testing and planning to determine whether software you plan to deploy might cause problems with existing hardware and software, then it helps you mitigate those problems. SMS's hardware and software inventory component features integrated Web-based reporting.

See associated figure

Virtualization Software. In 2005, VMware ESX Server occupied third place in the competition for Best Virtualization Software; this year, ESX Server 3 takes first-place honors. ESX Server 3 lets you directly partition hardware into virtual machines (VMs) and virtual resources without requiring a host OS because the application runs directly on hardware. You can create as many as 128 VMs on a single server for Windows, FreeBSD, Linux, and Novell NetWare OSs. VMware states that "ESX Server 3 has broader x86 support that unlocks the power of newer dual-core processor hardware and added NAS and iSCSI networked storage compatibility. Expanded virtual machine memory limits and new 4-way Virtual SMP further enable the most memory and processor-intensive server applications to run in virtual machines."

See associated figure

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

Active Directory Management Tool
1st—Microsoft Group Policy Management Console
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—ScriptLogic Active Administrator
http://www.scriptlogic.com
3rd—Sunbelt Software Directory Inspector
http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com

Applications and Operations Management Tool
1st—Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—VMware VirtualCenter
http://www.vmware.com
3rd—Identify Software AppSight for Microsoft Windows/.NET
http://www.identifysoftware.com

Asset Management Software
1st—Help Desk Technology International HelpSTAR
http://www.helpstar.com
2nd—Numara Software Numara Track-It!
http://www.numarasoftware.com
3rd—Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003
http://www.microsoft.com

Capacity Planning and Trend Analysis Software
1st—VMware Capacity Planner
http://www.vmware.com
2nd—BMC Software Performance Assurance Suite for Virtual Servers
http://www.bmc.com
3rd (tie)—Quest Software MessageStats
http://www.quest.com
HP OpenView Performance Insight
http://www.hp.com

Change and Configuration Management Tool
1st—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com
2nd—Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003
http://www.microsoft.com
3rd—DesktopStandard PolicyMaker
http://www.desktopstandard.com

Compliance Reporting Solution
1st—ScriptLogic Enterprise Security Reporter
http://www.scriptlogic.com
2nd—Shavlik Technologies NetChk Compliance
http://www.shavlik.com
3rd—HP OpenView Compliance Manager
http://www.hp.com

Disk Imaging Software
1st—Symantec Ghost Solution Suite
http://www.symantec.com
2nd—Altiris Deployment Solution
http://www.altiris.com
3rd—Acronis True Image Series
http://www.acronis.com

Event Log Manager
1st—NETIKUS.NET EventSentry
http://www.netikus.net
2nd—GFI Software GFI LANGuard Security Event Log Monitor
http://www.gfi.com
3rd—TNT Software ELM Event Log Monitor
http://www.tntsoftware.com

Help Desk Software
1st—Help Desk Technology International HelpSTAR
http://www.helpstar.com
2nd—Numara Software Numara Track-It!
http://www.numarasoftware.com/uk
3rd—Citrix Systems Citrix GoToAssist
http://www.citrix.com

Meta/Virtual Directory
1st—Windows Server 2003 R2 Distributed File System (DFS)
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—HP OpenView Select Identity
http://www.hp.com
3rd—Availl WAFS
http://www.availl.com

Monitoring and Alerting Software
1st—Microsoft MOM 2005
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—Numara Software Numara Network Monitor
http://www.numarasoftware.com/uk/
3rd—Netikus.NET EventSentry
http://www.netikus.net

OS Migration Tool
1st—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com
2nd—Altiris Deployment Solution
http://www.altiris.com
3rd—LANDesk Software LANDesk Management Suite
http://www.landesk.com

Patch Management Tool
1st—Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—Numara Software Numara PatchManager
http://www.numarasoftware.com/uk
3rd—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com

Performance Tuning Tool
1st—Identify Software AppSight for Microsoft Windows/.NET
http://www.identifysoftware.com
2nd—HP OpenView Performance Manager
http://www.hp.com
3rd—Embarcadero Technologies Embarcadero Performance Center
http://www.embarcadero.com

Registry Management Tool
1st—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com
2nd—DesktopStandard PolicyMaker Registry Extension
http://www.desktopstandard.com
3rd—Altiris Software Virtualization Solution
http://www.altiris.com

Remote Management Tool
1st—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com
2nd—VMware VirtualCenter
http://www.vmware.com
3rd (tie)—LogMeIn IT Reach
http://www.logmein.com
Altiris Client Management Suite
http://www.altiris.com

Software Deployment Tool
1st—Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003
http://www.microsoft.com
2nd—VMware Workstation
http://www.vmware.com
3rd—ScriptLogic Desktop Authority
http://www.scriptlogic.com

Virtualization Software
1st—Vmware ESX Server
http://www.vmware.com
2nd—Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2
http://www.microsoft.com
3rd (tie)—Altiris Software Virtualization Solution
http://www.altiris.com
Swsoft Virtuozzo for Windows
http://www.swsoft.com

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