Tom - thanks for the feedback. How many sites/clients are you supporting with KBox?
Jonathan - Thumb typed from my HTC Droid Incredible (and yes, it really is) on the Verizon network. On Feb 7, 2011 9:09 AM, "Tom Miller" <[email protected]> wrote: > Regarding the client comparing it to the KBox client: I used several > methods to deploy the SCCM client (when we used SCCM), and each required > some hand holding. Several PCs/laptops refused to install the client, > even after the various WMI rebuilds/etc the SCCM list suggested. I > always wondered by it was so hard for Microsoft to just create a > self-installing file like other vendors. > > The KBox client is easy to install. The only requirement is Net 1.1 to > be installed, and I think we had perhaps a few PCs (they were old) that > didn't have it. I comes with the client and will install if needed. > I deployed via a short script within a GPO. You can also do push > install like SCCM. > > Regarding connectivity to your WAN sites, you can throttle (speed and > time) distributions to your distribution point, similar to SCCM, but it > uses it's own mechanism. > > Again, just my experience, may not be what others have seen. And my > difficulties with SCCM were in part due to lack of time to dedicate to > it. > > Tom > >>>> "Ray" <[email protected]> 2/5/2011 2:19 PM >>> > > The one word I’d use is patience. > > We have about 15 sites (mostly prisons) across the state. > > I’ve heard about various scripts that’ll help with the “client health” > issue. Start deploying them. > > Step 2 would probably be install the “master”. There seems to be > endless variations on how, and how often, you want the workstations to > communicate with the server. > > Then I’d start trying to deploy the secondary sites. > > From: Jonathan [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 7:54 AM > To: NT System Admin Issues > Subject: Re: RE: Patch management, revisited > > Ray - you make a good point. We're covering 13 locations across the US, > with varying WAN connectivity. Also, number of sites are the result of > past acquisitions, so there has been a high level of site autonomy. We > are the first internal IT department for the org to work toward > standardization. > This should be fun! > Given the multiple locations, literally from NC to CA and CT to SC, and > the history of autonomy among sites, any other thoughts/recommendations > on how to tackle this? > Jonathan - Thumb typed from my HTC Droid Incredible (and yes, it really > is) on the Verizon network. > > On Feb 5, 2011 8:32 AM, "Ray" <[email protected]> wrote: >> The success of SCCM would have to depend on your environment. If > you're in >> an environment with multiple locations that have had some level of > autonomy >> on hardware purchases, and imaging, and patch management, it could be > a >> nightmare. It seems to rely heavily on WMI. Speed is an issue too, so > if >> your WAN suck, you'll have issues. >> >> >> >> On top of that, MS support is at best inconsistent on how this is > supposed >> to work if you have multiple sites. The only way we finally got a > whole lot >> of this to finally work was thru our TAM and whatever that support > team is >> called. They spent days at our site trying to get it to work. >> >> >> >> I would hope most sites aren't as fundamentally screwed up as ours > was >> however. >> >> >> >> I agree that the product has an amazing amount of power. >> >> >> >> >> >> From: Michael B. Smith [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 11:50 AM >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> Subject: RE: Patch management, revisited >> >> >> >> If you don't do third party patches, SCCM is _almost_ exactly like > WSUS. It >> is based on the WSUS engine as a matter of fact, and you have to > install >> WSUS on the Software Update Point. J >> >> >> >> Doing the SCCM installation can be a little finicky; but once you set > it up >> - it just RUNS. >> >> >> >> The challenge with SCCM in my eyes is that it can do SO MUCH, that > unless >> you break it up into pieces (which is what I do when I teach classes > on it), >> it can seem utterly overwhelming. >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> >> >> Michael B. Smith >> >> Consultant and Exchange MVP >> >> http://TheEssentialExchange.com >> >> >> >> From: Jonathan [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 1:43 PM >> To: NT System Admin Issues >> Subject: Patch management, revisited >> >> >> >> Ok, guys & gals, I've sifted through the threads for the past year > searching >> on patch management and SCCM, and not found exactly what I'm looking > for... >> >> >> >> In my new gig, the team gets to choose what we will use to handle > patches >> and updates, as there is nothing set in stone right now. Two options > have >> been mentioned by the team: SCCM and Big Fix. I don't know anything > about >> Big Fix, except hat they were just recently gobbled up by IBM and are > now >> part of Tivoli. What I've heard about SCCM is that it is a bear to > learn and >> manage. Right now we've got between 700 and 1,000 nodes (including > servers, >> both virtual and physical), and potentially slated for continued > growth. >> Some of the engineers have laptops that are NOT members of AD, and > they run >> as local Admins. That is probably NOT going to change. Also, we may > or may >> not be looking at needing to handle 3rd party updates as well. I've > run >> WSUS, but only for a few hundred nodes, and really only for windows > OS >> updates and nothing else. >> >> >> >> Finally, we need decent reporting tools that can provide us with > compliance >> reports on where we stand with patch management. >> >> >> >> I've seen Shavlik, Kace/K-Box, WSUS, SCCM, & GFI LANGuard all > mentioned >> here... >> >> >> >> 1. Am I missing anything any products that I should be looking into? >> >> 2. Are any of these apps not well suited for the numbers of nodes > I'm >> talking about (either over or under-powered for 700-2000 nodes)? >> >> 3. What's going to be the easiest learning curve/least > administrative >> overhead? >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> -- >> Jonathan, A+, MCSA, MCSE >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> --- >> To manage subscriptions click here: >> http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ >> or send an email to [email protected] >> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> --- >> To manage subscriptions click here: >> http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ >> or send an email to [email protected] >> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin >> >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> --- >> To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ >> or send an email to [email protected] >> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including attachments, is > for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain > confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, > disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended > recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all > copies of the original message. > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
