Please find below the most frequently asked GSS 3.0 Console questions:
Q: Can multiple consoles be accessed from different computers simultaneously?...unlike GSS 2.5 A: Yes, you can have multiple consoles open simultaneously. You can also install remote consoles. Q: Will the console incorporate an Active Directory import for Computer records? A: Currently this is not an option but with the added dynamic machine group functionality we can take another look at it. Q: Is there an option in the console to Secure wipe a lab of computers? or 1? a DOD erase? A: We don’t have this built-in, but you can certainly create and execute a job with an external tool. Q: Will there be an option to have the Label Match the PC name that was pushed out? Like a check box or something to have the label automatically change to the PC name? A: If you mean within the console, this can be done as follows: Tools ---> Options Global Tab Check "Synchronize display names with computer names" Q: Will the Web Console be available as well as the 32-bit console? A: We have this as one of our next items to look at. We have a couple of options on the table, either restoring the web console we have in DS 6.9 or hosting something in our new unified cloud platform. We'll announce updates as we have them. Q: What are the recommended max concurrent GSS Consoles that are open connecting to one GSS server? A: This is dependent on several factors including network speed and hardware specification. We do not set a logical limit and have customers using many consoles. We are working on some scalable web console options to help with deployments.
Q: We have integrated Dameware remote control in Ds 6.9 as a replacement for PcAnywhere. Will we still have the option of configuring additional menu options like this in GSS 3.0? A: Yes, the same mechanism exists.
As somebody who lived through (and barely survived) a transition from Altiris 6.9 through to 7.0 and beyond, I have an inherent distrust and dislike of web consoles. Doing away with the fat console of Altiris DS 6.9 from the 7.0 release an onwards was a horrible mistake, at least initially, as the 7.0 web console had only a fraction of the functionality of the former console. Only now is it at a point where it's usable and sort of on par, though it is still horrendously slow. I hope users of GSS don't end up in the same situation.
Thanks for the feedback. Any remote console would focus just on job execution/image delivery and would allow a large number of administrators to execute jobs without the need to install a console. The viewpoint is different depending on which workflow you're used to using. The new technology bases itself on the idea that a job is created which can be reused over and over again rather than creating a new task each time. Right now a lot of customers remote desktop into the server and execute the console(s) from there but clearly this has limitations also.
At my college we would definately like to see a web interface for Ghost -- something similar to what we use for Dell / KACE KBOX, HP Web Jetadmin, McAfee ePO and several other products. The support of several remote "fat clients" is a step in the right direction but it would be great if techs could bring up a "temporary" remote Ghost console from any existing workstation without the need for installing (then removing) a fat client.
My vote is to not wate resources on a web console otherwise we are heading down the NS 7.6 road if you need or want webconsole then people should just move there.