RE: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS

["Rod Trent" <rodtrent () yahoo com>]

With Altiris' acquisition of Wise Solutions today, this will improve
quickly.

SMS 2003 already tracks the patches installed. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Depp, Dennis M. [mailto:deppdm () ornl gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 6:10 AM
To: Matt Burnett; Steve; ZyberGeek () comcast net;
security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS

Yes they can check the OS and Service Pack level.  However, their ability to
check what patches are installed was spotty at best.  They may have improved
this since I did my evalutation. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Burnett [mailto:marukka () mac com]
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2003 4:20 PM
To: Depp, Dennis M.; Steve; ZyberGeek () comcast net;
security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS

I know they can check what OS the client is running.

On 11/29/03 8:40 AM, "Depp, Dennis M." <deppdm () ornl gov> wrote:

> Yes you can do this, but how do you identify which machines need 
> hotfixes installed?
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matt Burnett [mailto:marukka () mac com]
> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 10:59 PM
> To: Depp, Dennis M.; Steve; ZyberGeek () comcast net; 
> security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: Re: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS
>
> As far as installing hotfixes with altiris. Couldn¹t you just use 
> RapiDeploy and make a RIP that just executes the hotfix and push that 
> out via the console?
>
> On 11/26/03 5:56 AM, "Depp, Dennis M." <deppdm () ornl gov> wrote:
>
> > We have recently installed SMS 2.0.  Before that we evaluated both 
> > Altiris and SMS.  Both products were very similar in setup, design 
> > and architecture.  There were two items that pushed us to choose SMS 
> > over Altiris.  First we have an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft 
> > which includes the CALS for SMS.  This made the cost of implementing 
> > SMS very affordable.  Second Altiris lack the ease of deploying 
> > hotfixes that came with the SUS Feature Pack for SMS.  Both of these 
> > products require significant planning for a smooth installation.
> >
> > Denny
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Steve [mailto:securityfocus () delahunty com]
> > Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 4:59 PM
> > To: Depp, Dennis M.; ZyberGeek () comcast net; 
> > security-basics () securityfocus com
> > Subject: Re: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS
> >
> > I'll assume you mean "wins" in terms of security.  I think the 
> > security areas/issues would resolve around:
> >   - encryption from the server to the desktop
> >   - system admin management access control
> >   - what else?
> >
> > Network Computing covered some of the above issues but not in too 
> > much depth.  You could review sales technical literature from both 
> > products online for your comparison.
> >
> > I tried getting SMS working years ago and would have rather hit 
> > myself in the head with a hammer, which I think we tried at one time 
> > during the deployment.  I have desktop management experience with 
> > LANdesk Manager when it was an Intel product and another product 
> > called Callisto Orbiter which was obtained by Novell.  We didn't 
> > really get into security issues with those products but I can see the 
> > merit of your question about security and desktop management, don't 
> > want some unauthorized person pushing some worm/keylogger etc to all 
> > your hundreds or thousands of computers for sure.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Depp, Dennis M." <deppdm () ornl gov>
> > To: <ZyberGeek () comcast net>; <security-basics () securityfocus com>
> > Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2003 9:09 PM
> > Subject: RE: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS
> >
> >
> > What kind of desktops?  All windows or a mix of Windows, Mac and Unix?
> > If all Windows clients, I think SMS with the SUS feature pack wins over
> > Altiris hands down.  If you are running a mix, SMS is still a
> > possibility, but you will need to purchase some add on tools from
> > Altiris to finis the task.
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ZyberGeek [mailto:ZyberGeek () comcast net]
> > Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2003 9:03 PM
> > To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> > Subject: Altiris Deployment Server vs. Microsoft SMS
> >
> > Between Microsoft SMS and Altiris Deployment Server, which product could
> > be
> > considered to be the better one for managing several hundred desktops
> > from a
> > security stand point?
> >
> > Z.G.
> >
> >
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