Symantec Management Platform (Notification Server)

All,

I was just curious since I am about to do some house cleaning on my servers.

Is there any reason why I would want to keep unmanaged computers?

We do not do stand alone inventory scans and import them.


Also, is my definition of unmanaged correct.
A discovered resource that never had the client installed or sent an inventory? What can also be classified as unmanaged?


thanks,

Clay

Hi Clay,
I would just delete them, if you're not using them. Also, I'm thinking retired computers are also marked as 'ismanaged=0' if you retire instead of deleting.

HTH,

Jim

Appreciate the info Jim.

Yeah I will probably just delete them all but do you know if there is a way to distinguish between an unmanaged computer that never had the client installed versus one that was gracefully/manually retired?

The only reason being is I never know what our procurement department wants to keep, it’s like pulling teeth. So I have retirement set at 24 months with it keeping the computername and serial number of the object for purposes of tracking disposed computers.


Also, when it comes to licensing. What exactly eats up a license?
Any object that has a client but has not been set as retired/disposed/lost/ etc... , wether it is active or inactive ??

I think i found my answer in the knowledge base:

quote:

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License consumption—A license is consumed after the Notification Server has received the first posted software inventory data from a managed computer. A license is not consumed from the existence of the inventory solution agent on a managed computer. A license is not consumed by the "basic inventory" function of the Altiris Agent.

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So any unmanaged computer gives up its license??



Thanks again,

Clay

Only for Inventory. Patch Management and Software Delivery are more tricky. The only real way to determine the difference between a discovered computer that never had the agent vs. a system that was fully running Altiris and is not just retired is by the amount of inventory or data present.

For example, looking at a collection, a discovered computer will show a name, and possibly the domain but not much else (actually for that matter, retired computers won't even show up in a collection, but will in a report).

The licensing FAQ is here:https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=16789&p=1 (you probably already found that).