Client systems get better management tools

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
09/21/05

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* The use of client-management systems is on the rise
* Links related to Networking Technology Update
* Featured reader resource
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This newsletter is sponsored by HP
FROM THE NETWORK CORE TO THE NETWORK EDGE

Traffic management becomes critical as your network
infrastructure expands to support different types of traffic and
users. Most traffic management solutions have serious
limitations: too expensive, difficult to use, and overly taxing
on bandwidth. However ProCurve Networking by HP addresses these
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gives you valuable insight into LAN performance. Click here to
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Today's focus:

Client systems get better management tools

By Denise Dubie

Managing client devices presents a conundrum to IT managers
looking to monitor activity, secure systems and improve
performance across disparate machines that require constant
attention and upkeep.

Best practices would dictate standardization as the logical way
to monitor thousands of like systems, but achieving homogeneity
among client devices is nearly impossible. Desktops - and other
client devices such as laptops and PDAs - can vary widely across
a large company. Diversity among machines can range from the
applications end users employ to various versions of operating
systems to customized interfaces and the hardware sitting on the
desktop.

"We are a schizophrenic organization. On the one hand, we are
corporate and have standardized machines and controls in place,
and on the other hand, we are like a college campus with unknown
devices logging on to our network," says Ethan Fener, associate
director of IS for Partners HealthCare Systems in Wellesley,
Mass. "We have about 27,000 machines that are closely aligned
and potentially an equal number of IP addresses for machines
that are not standard. There is no way to achieve 100% certainty
and visibility into each machine."

But the use of client-management systems by users is on the
rise. According to a 2004 Forrester Research survey of 137 IT
managers, 92% of companies use client-management tools or
software, while 69% of small and midsize businesses (SMB) report
doing so, as well. In response, vendors have augmented their
products to better address the range of capabilities needed to
tackle client systems.

For instance, HP acquired Novadigm to improve its
client-management tools and recently made available a
scaled-down version of its software to appeal to the
fast-growing SMB market, which Yankee Group estimates includes
about 6 million companies with two to 1,000 employees. Companies
such as Symantec and BigFix have expanded capabilities in their
software suites beyond security and patch management,
respectively, to include more systems-management capabilities.

For the whole story, go to:
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7250>

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. McAfee, Omniquad top anti-spyware test
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate6919>

2. Security technology targets the LAN
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7460>

3. The rise of the IT architect
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7022>

4. Cisco targets SMBs with convergence
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7461>

5. DemoFall preview
<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7462>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact:

Senior Writer Denise Dubie covers network and systems management
for Network World. Reach her at ddubie@nww.com
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by HP
FROM THE NETWORK CORE TO THE NETWORK EDGE

Traffic management becomes critical as your network
infrastructure expands to support different types of traffic and
users. Most traffic management solutions have serious
limitations: too expensive, difficult to use, and overly taxing
on bandwidth. However ProCurve Networking by HP addresses these
requirements, overcomes the limitations of other solutions, and
gives you valuable insight into LAN performance. Click here to
download HP's Traffic Management Whitepaper
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=115475
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Technology Update archive:
http://www.networkworld.com/news/tech/index.html
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FEATURED READER RESOURCE

Network World Technology Insider on Security: Is Encryption the
Perspective?

Encryption won't solve all your security issues but these days
there is no excuse for not safeguarding your organization's
sensitive data. From Clear Choice product coverage to new
regulations and high-profile breaches, this Technology Insider
on Security covers it all. Click here to read now:

<http://www.networkworld.com/nltechupdate7463>
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