With promises of making the local network manager’s life easier, Cupertino, California-based Symantec Corp has introduced Norton Administrator Suite – Essential Edition. Featuring facilities such as hardware and software inventory, software metering and distribution, desktop virus protection, desktop configuration management and remote control, the suite is optimistically touted as a way to increase a local network administrator’s productivity while also reducing network management problems. The CD-delivered product is targeted at networks with fewer than 1,000 nodes, providing users with a single, integrated installation point for all components. The suite’s hardware inventory component supports the Desktop Management Interface, while the software inventory component recognizes more than 5,100 applications, including 32-bit programs that enable managers to track system files and edit the application database. The software distribution component, which supports Novell Inc’s NetWare Directory Services, delivers and installs updated files and software automatically and enables administrators to edit the registry, text and .INI files. Remote control features cover real-time troubleshooting, diagnostics and training, while supporting IPX, TCP/IP, NetBIOS and Vines network connections. Remote communications with workstations can be initiated from within the inventory screen to minimize connection time. On the virus front, the Norton suite offers US National Center for Supercomputing Applications- certified client virus protection through automatic, continuous virus scanning and removal. It provides protection of downloaded files from the Internet and other on-line services, as well as disks and all system areas. It also handles the automated distribution of updated virus definitions from the console to all networked personal computers. The Norton Administrator Suite – Essential Edition is available immediately in a CD 10-node license pack that costs $850.
