|
<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager > 3.1 > Deployment Agent for Windows User Guide Glossary |
The administration server, or RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager, provides software management functions. It is the central point of control for fixed and mobile devices inside and outside the corporate firewall.
Generally used in the phrase "RMS UEM administrator", this is the person responsible for the management of RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager. The administrator has full access permissions to all parts of the network file system.
The process of adopting a device into management by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager. In practical terms this is the process of installing and configuring a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager on a device for the first time.
A code unit that delivers a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager feature. Examples are the distribution agent, the schedule agent, the inventory agent, and the installation agent. This structure, in which code units with specialized purposes are positioned throughout the IT system, is referred to as the RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent architecture.
Also known as the RMS UEM AppCenter, the AppCenter resides on the managed device and is the main user interface to RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager that end-users can see. In a default installation, it is available from the Start > Programs > RMS UEM AppCenter menu on the managed device. It offers a listing of installed applications (with the option of a health check), and a listing of any software that operators have declared to be optional. The AppCenter provides end-users a self-service way to install optional software.
An application is software that performs particular purposes, such as word processing, or accounting. It comprises a collection of files, including executables, that may be deployed as a package to managed devices. Note that deployed packages may contain more than one application (including application suites like Microsoft Office), and may also contain other kinds of software including device drivers, templates, and other passive data files.
A process of identifying computing assets attached to the network in an organization.
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent that, when a download is interrupted for any reason, automatically resumes the download at the next opportunity and continues from the point of interruption (without needing to restart the download from the beginning). This is byte-level resumption, and is of finer granularity than "check-point restart", which means resuming from some pre-established marker point in the download. Auto-resumption enables multi-session downloads, dramatically reduces download times, and optimizes network bandwidth use.
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager file that specifies the content and network location of a package. Catalogs are XML files with a .osd extension, and conform to the proposed OSD standard. Because they reference (but do not contain) other files included in the package, catalogs are relatively small files (less than 10KB), allowing for rapid transfers and validation. Catalogs are automatically prepared by the administration server, and subsequently retrieved and processed by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager on managed devices.
CIM (Common Information Model) is an object-oriented model to describe the components of computer systems. It is proposed by the DMTF, Inc.
See also: CIM schema
The CIM Schema builds on CIM, offering classes and objects to model system resources.
See also: CIM
Sometimes used (after the sense of "client" in client/server) to describe the computer used by the end-user (laptop, desktop, and so on). This use is more common when talking about the computer outside its role as a managed device.
See also: managed device
In ITIL, a configuration item is any single component of the system under management. RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager stores information on a range of configuration items including
•Hardware and software items in inventory information
•Software packages
The complete process of transferring a package from the administration server and installing it on a managed device (desktop, laptop, server, or other device).
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager deployment policy describes which computers get what packages. The associated schedules specify the specific timing for when the computers receive the packages.
Each computer may be targeted in several different groups or direct assignments, and it is therefore necessary to merge the applicable policies for delivery. Merged deployment policies are described in an .npl file.
See also: merged deployment policy; policy; target audience; targeting
A method of gathering inventory details from managed devices. The three available methods are full inventory, differential inventory, and incremental inventory. In differential inventory, the managed device records only those items which have changed since the last full inventory. All forms of inventory data are reconciled into the database on the administration server, and the resulting information is available through inventory reports.
See also: incremental inventory; inventory; resolved inventory
Users of devices managed by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager (as distinct from those using the RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager Server, including administrators, package creators, and so on). End-users typically work in business units of an organization and not in the central IT unit.
An activity to be performed on the managed device. Events are declared in schedules, and are performed when the circumstances defined by the associated triggers occur.
Globally Unique Identifier is the Microsoft standard method for providing a unique identity for a particular component. The identifier is guaranteed to be globally unique.
See also: package code; product code
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager file that contains information on the location, size, and content of each file and configuration setting in the package. Implementation archives have an .ndc extension.
See also: package
A method of gathering inventory details from managed devices. The three available methods are full inventory, differential inventory, and incremental inventory. In incremental inventory, the managed device records only those items which have changed since the last inventory-gathering of any kind. All forms of inventory data are reconciled into the database on the administration server, and the resulting information is available through inventory reports.
See also: differential inventory; inventory; resolved inventory
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent on the managed device, responsible for downloads from distribution locations to the managed device, and (in the case of native packages) for the installation of the software. Responsibility for downloads includes downloading policies at the request of the policy agent.
As standard, RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager provides detailed, drill-down listings of the software and hardware on each managed device. Inventory can be collected through two methods.
•Before RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager is implemented, consultants can offer an inventory discovery service that establishes the baseline of software and hardware to be brought under management. This pre-implementation discovery service does not require installation of any code agents on end-user computers.
•Once implemented, RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager provides automatic reporting of software and hardware assets on all managed devices. In this mode, RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager provides three ways of gathering inventory information: full, differential, and incremental inventory. You can schedule these methods of inventory collection in ways that optimize data integrity and bandwidth utilization.
See also: differential inventory; incremental inventory; raw inventory; resolved inventory
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent installed on managed devices, enabling the RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager inventory feature. The inventory agent is responsible for the creation of raw inventories of the managed device on which it was installed.
Filename extension for an event log file.
A text file containing information about events that have occurred on the managed device for which the log file was generated. Log files can be created by one RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent, such as the installation agent, or can merge the event data from several agents.
Media Access Control address is a hardware address that uniquely identifies each node of a network (that is, each connected network card in a computer). In IEEE 802 networks, the Data Link Control (DLC) layer of the OSI Reference Model is divided into two sub-layers:
•The Logical Link Control (LLC) layer
•The Media Access Control (MAC) layer
The MAC layer interfaces directly with the network media. Consequently, each different type of network media requires a different MAC layer.
The MAC address may be represented with colon-separated hexadecimal pairs (00:00:86:4B:4D:09). In Windows, it may be called a "Physical address" and use hyphens as separators (00-00-86-4B-4D-09).
Any computer under management by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager. Possible managed devices include:
•Desktop computers
•Laptop or notebook computers
•Servers
•Point-of-sale (POS) systems
•Data kiosks
•Other computer devices
See also: client
A cryptographic digest used by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager to validate that files delivered to managed devices are good copies of the originals held on the administration server.
Sometimes also called the "resultant set of policy", merged deployment policy is the merged result of all policies currently applying to a given user or computer. Merged deployment policy is represented in a single file (per target) that has an .npl filename extension. The merged deployment policy is provided by the server (server-side policy merging)
See also: deployment policy; .npl
Filename extension for a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager implementation archive. The implementation archive file declares in detail how an application is to be installed by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager on the managed device. Together with the catalog file and the (normally compressed) application files, the implementation archive file forms part of a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager deployment package.
Filename extension for RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager inventory data. This file collects hardware and software inventory information from the managed device for reporting on the administration server.
Filename extension for a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager project. This is the declaration file for preparing RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager packages on the administration server. It specifies how the .osd and .ndc files for a package should be created.
Filename extension for a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager schedule file. The schedule lists events that are to be triggered at declared times or on other occurrences such as reboot or login.
Filename extension for RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager merged deployment policy.
See also: merged deployment policy
Open Software Description is a draft standard proposed to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that sets out the high-level information required to uniquely identify a software package. The OSD format was submitted to the W3C, but no further action was taken to push it through into a W3C recommendation. An OSD description includes information such as name of product, version of product, name of publisher, and so on.
The act of turning a project and all associated application elements into a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager package.
Used generically in the IT industry to refer to software prepared for deployment. A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager package specifically includes the catalog, the implementation archive, and associated files for installation. Note that RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager packages may contain software, policies, schedules, managed device settings, and so on.
See also: application; catalog; implementation archive;
A GUID that associates an .msi file with a particular Microsoft Windows Installer package. This code must be changed in each .msi package that you create, no matter what kind of upgrade you are performing.
See also: GUID
A GUID that uniquely identifies a particular product release. This code only needs to be changed in a major upgrade .msi package.
See also: GUID
A cryptographic system where there are two keys to the encrypted item:
•A private key, held very securely by the originator of the encrypted item
•A public key, distributed to the intended audience for the encrypted item
The two keys are mutually valid and exclusive of all others. Successful decryption with a public key means the content can only have been encrypted with the matching private key.
Public key encryption is used for digital signatures. The public key of a certifying authority is known to Microsoft operating systems. This allows for the OS to certify that an encryption has been applied by the certifying authority. The certifying authority then encrypts (using its secure, private key) a software publishing credential that carries the public key of a publisher. The certifying authority is thereby testifying to the identity of the publisher. This mechanism allows for the delegation of trust from the certifying authority to the publisher.
Data describing the software and hardware installed on the managed device for which the inventory was generated. Raw inventories are created by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager on managed devices, and uploaded to reporting locations. Raw inventories for software relate by default to installed applications, but you can adjust the granularity of software inventory reporting.
See also: inventory
A database defined by the Windows operating system in which applications and system components store and retrieve configuration data. RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent can store preference settings in the Windows registry.
A file location used by RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager to upload raw inventory and logging data from managed devices. These locations are accessible to managed devices through HTTP transfer.
Data in the administration server database that describes the software and hardware installed on the managed devices for which the inventory was generated. The resolution operation is the function of a special-purpose agent, and resolves the full or partial set of data received from the managed devices into a consistent representation within the database. Received data may be a full inventory for each managed device, or a differential inventory, or an incremental inventory.
See also: differential inventory; incremental inventory; inventory
A collection of events, each declared with an associated trigger that will cause the event to be run.
A RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager agent installed on managed devices to enable the RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager scheduling feature.
Unique value that identifies a security principal or security group in Windows.
See security ID
Generic term for applications, drivers, data files (including text and images), and any other digital content that RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager stores and deploys.
See also: application; configuration item
An important entity in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) recommendations is the "Definitive Software Library" (DSL). This is the permanent repository of all releases, of all versions, of all software deployed in the enterprise. RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager includes a software library which, with appropriate procedures, can be used as a DSL.
The collective term for the managed devices subject to a deployment policy.
See also: deployment policy; targeting
Group of users or computers that will receive similar software. May be used in general software management, or during a migration to a new operating system release.
The process of defining which managed devices are subject to a RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager deployment policy.
See also: deployment policy; target audience
A condition that determines when an event is executed. A trigger can be a date/time or a user-initiated action, such as logging on to a managed device.
See also: event
Universal Naming Convention is a format for identifying resources on a network. Amongst other things, UNCs allow reference to a file on a system anywhere on a network without first creating a share drive for the location.
Developers can identify related groups of products by defining upgrade codes (globally unique identifiers) for each group. When combined with a product version, an upgrade code uniquely identifies a product (much like a product code), and can be used to identify older or newer versions of a particular application. In this manner, developers can specify whether an older version of an application should be removed, or whether an application should not be installed if a newer version is already installed.
A variant of a product to suit a particular computer platform, as in "the Windows version", or the "MacOS version".
Virtual Private Network is a private network run over a public network infrastructure, usually the Internet. Privacy is achieved by using digital security to authenticate the identity of sending and receiving nodes, and by encrypting all traffic between nodes.
Extensible Markup Language is a platform-independent language for describing the format and content of text-based information. A markup language adds "tags" within the text stream to identify the structural nature of text enclosed within the tags. HTML, used for Web pages, is a simple markup language. XML is called extensible because it includes the ability to define new tags that are specific to particular documents. XML is designed to be simpler to implement than its logical predecessor, SGML (standard generalized markup language). The majority of RayManageSoft Unified Endpoint Manager control information is transferred between computers in XML format.