Should you upgrade to Altiris Client Management Suite 7.0? In short, for me the answer is not yet. We are currently using Deployment Solution 6.9. I had heard that the Deployment Solution would be integrated with the Notification Server in version 7.0 After speaking with technical support, they told me that they have not been integrated yet, but they didn’t know when that might happen (probably this year – summer/fall 2009). All of the products in the Altiris Total Management Suite (excluding Deployment Solution - right now) installs to the Symantec Management Platform, which part of it used to be called the Notification Server. The Symantec Management Platform now includes the Symantec Management Console, Database, Notification Server and Client Management Suite management components. Based on some advice from Altiris, I would wait to upgrade my DS 6.9 when DS 7.1 is released to then have it integrated with NS. Your situation may be entirely different. However, I would find out which versions of your products will be released with the new Symantec Management Platform. Good luck.
DS 6.9 is still awesome! The new versions of Client management suite do offer a lot of great options and are getting better. I still like DS 6.9 though for now.