The Standards module allows us to have a certain standard of configuration, i.e. certain services being disabled, checking for installation of A/V and security settings. You can then check all of your systems against that standard and get reports about compliance to that standard.

This will not dynamically give you vulnerability information as Nessus does. While they do have some similiarities, the Internet Security module is closer to what you might be getting at w/ Nessus.

Thanks for the response, so question is what Standard Module can not do so that I need to get ESM ? I believe CCS has ability to collect data from ESM, isnt standard Module same as ESM, or it is completely separate, I guess I am too confused.

Policy Manager: Will allow me to author policy
Response Assessment Module: Will allow me to run surveys and collect answers
SIM: Event collector similar to SIEM solution....

Standard Manager : I am not too sure if it replaces ESM ?! Does it?
is it similar to any security configuration checking module like ESM/ Tripwire/Bigfix?
 Symantec Claims Agentless architecture as well, and I am wondering if Standard Manager is Agentless or Agent Based?

Only thing is that one of the slides I have from my pre-decessor talks about Bind View Manager and ESM, and I am totally confused with which product goes where and what is the overlap. If possible can someone point me out to the brief description of the functionality of each of the module and what is the overlap between ESM and Standard Manager if at all there is any?  We are mixed shop of Altiris, ESM and CCS and I want to standardized on one and have enterprise wide deployment.

Thanks again for your help.

Unfortunately I didn't enter CCS from the ESM-realm. I was on the Bind-View side. ESM functionality is now built into CCS. As far as whether or not you could get away with building standards for your systems using standard CCS standards? That will depend heavily on what types of systems you're scanning and the types of checks you're looking for.

Let's sit here and hope a good ESM guy reads this and is able to give you what you need.

Thanks for the reply Cody. Appreciate. I will wait for some one to stumble upon this thread.

CCS standards manager uses Bindview agentless or ESM agent based technology to collect information in order to provide compliance information. 

Ok Perfect Kevin, so its like I have to Buy ESM or Bindview separately.
Thanks again for your help, this is one of those few pains of acquiring companies without technology assessment.