Review: Adding More Control To Network Management

Many administrators are finding that security is a way of life, not just a technology, and that way of life is defined by the processes and controls introduced into management of the network. Getting a handle on active processes, patch status and the elements that make up a network are a key ingredient to building a successful security strategy.

LANDesk's recently released LANDesk Process Manager (LPM) 3.0 is a method to get a handle on what is occurring on the network. The product not only tracks automated processes, but also offers control of projects in the form of process management. What's more, when paired with LANDesk's other products, administrators literally have complete control of the networkpast, present and future.

LPM offers a centralized console that allows administrators to focus on change management on the networkthis proves to be the key to building reliable network services, defeating security problems and addressing growth. LPM automates the change approval and documentation process via an easy to understand management console. Administrators have access to all relevant current and historic information associated with change requests. This is an important capability when it comes to security audits focusing on legislative requirements, such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley. What's more, the ability to manage and view change helps to improve service by allowing collaboration among clients and workgroups. Subordinates are not excluded from the happenings and a graphical report dashboard can be enabled so that managers and technicians can compare data and progress on tasks.

When it comes to managing patches or reducing operations' overhead, LPM has task automation, which identifies triggers and then automatically accomplishes what was once a manual task.

To speed deployment, LANDesk bundles in multiple ready-to-use templates for common tasks, such as change management, HR items, operating-system deployment and more. Basic installation is wizard-driven and in-place upgrades are supported to help future proof the product.

Most of the product's capabilities are driven by the process designer, a component that allows users to design, model, document and optimize business processes with a simple drag-and-drop activity and enables editing on demand.