What is OpenManage and how does Altiris fit into it?

Q:
Craig asked, "Can you explain what OpenManage is and how Altiris products work with it?"

A:
Good question, Craig. OpenManage is the name that Dell gives to a family of products that provide basic hardware level management functions for Dell systems. See www.dell.com/openmanage for details.

OpenManage includes two types of tools:

1. User-installed tools. These tools are all free with one exception as noted below.
   
   1. OpenManage Client Instrumentation (OMCI). This software functions as the Dell agent for client hardware. It is free and is typically installed on every Dell client system to be managed. Among other things it publishes a Dell namespace in WMI that provides the ability to read Dell-specific inventory and the ability to write to BIOS settings, etc. As reference earlier in this FAQ list, the new Dell Client Manager solution from Altiris actual bundles Dell OMCI with the Altiris Agent (there is no need for customers to install it separately if they are using this new Altiris tool).
   2. OpenManage Client Connector (OMCC). The software is a free one-to-one management console. It essentially allows an IT administrator to connect remotely to any installation of OMCI and look at the Dell specific information provided by OMCI. Again, it only allows a view of one system at a time.
   3. Dell Client Configuration Utility (DCCU). This free tool is typically installed on an administrator's machine. It is used to create *.exe files that can be deployed using a 3rd party software delivery tool like Altiris Software Delivery Solution. These *.exe. can be run on remote client systems to update the Dell system BIOS or to get/set BIOS parameters.
   4. OpenManage Client Administrator (OMCA). This is the only for charge (not free) OpenManage solution. Essentially, OMCA is an aggressively priced subset of Altiris Client Management suite. It includes Altiris Inventory Solution, Altiris Deployment Solution and Altiris Software Delivery Solution. The new 3.0 version of OMCA will add the new Dell Client Manager solution reference earlier in this FAQ. OMCA is "open" in that it can manage Dell and non-Dell systems. Most other OpenManage tools only work with Dell hardware. Additionally, OMCA offers a variety of tools that address operating system and application level management -- not just the hardware level that is the focus of the other OpenManage tools.
   5. OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA). This software functions as the Dell agent for server hardware. What OMCI is to Dell clients, OMSA is to Dell servers. It is free and is typically installed on every Dell server to be managed. OMSA has a powerful command line interface and is used to set thresholds for Dell instrumentation to monitor the health of Dell server hardware components. Dell ITA is the remote console that OMSA works with. OMSA is also very large (about 200MB -- fairly big for an agent).
   6. IT Assistant (ITA). Dell ITA is the free console that Dell provides for hardware level management only. It works with OMSA on servers and OMCI on clients to provide a one-to-many view of basic hardware inventory and hardware health. Altiris provides the vast majority of functions this console offers if all the Altiris solutions for Dell hardware are used. Again, ITA is focused on Dell hardware specifically. Altiris provide Dell hardware management but all offers a wealth of additional management tools for managing the operating system and applications (i.e., more of the full management stack).
2. OpenManage Toolkits. These tools are also available for free to end users but they are typically bundled by key Dell management partners -- like Altiris. By bundling the toolkits with Altiris solutions, end users are provided a comprehensive, single console solution for Dell server management functions. Altiris product management releases updates to Altiris solutions as new toolkits become available from Dell. These updates ensure that customers are using the latest toolkits and consequently, the latest management functions Dell supports.
   
   1. Dell Deployment Toolkit (DTK). A free collection of executables, scripts and documentation for the bare metal deployment of Dell servers. Altiris bundles this toolkit and provides prebuilt jobs that leverage its functions as part of Altiris Deployment Solution for Dell Servers.
   2. Partner Change Management Toolkit. A collection of executables, scripts and documentation for the updating of Dell server hardware components such as the BIOS, ESM firmware, drivers, etc. Altiris Patch Management Solution for Dell Servers bundles this toolkit and uses it to provide a full automated solution for monitoring and applying new hardware updates for Dell servers.

So, in short, Altiris is part of the OpenManage family of products in two ways:

1. Altiris bundles Dell toolkits and Dell's OMCI code into its own solutions and
2. Altiris provides OpenManage Client Administrator (OMCA), Dell's high-end, open solution for client management.

The primary value that Altiris solutions provide Dell customers is a comprehensive management stack that reaches very deep into the hardware while also providing higher level management functions all in the same console. Customers very rarely have to step out of Altiris into a separate OpenManage tool to leverage the best Dell hardware management capabilities that OpenManage has to offer. This approach is unique in the industry.

Altiris product management and engineering have weekly interaction with Dell product management and engineering to synchronize roadmaps and educate each other on the latest releases and fixes available to support Dell/Altiris customers. The net effect of that work is an aggressive release schedule for building and maintaining the best management story in the industry.