Terms

The management agent used by Altiris Deployment Solution to manage the computer in a post-OS environment.

The configuration file that is deployed from the Altiris Deployment Solution to the target
computer, usually immediately after an imaging task, which contains information from the Altiris database to configure the computer with such as the ComputerName, IP address, Subnet Mask, etc.

The executable file "aclient.exe" is the file name for the Altiris Deployment Agent for Windows.

An answer file used by Altiris AClient to perform a scripted installation of the management agent for Deployment Solution.

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. Power management specification developed by Intel, Microsoft, and Toshiba. Enables the operating system to control the amount of power given to each device attached to the computer. With ACPI, the operating system can turn off peripheral devices when they are not in use.

Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS).

The process of actively eliminating unnecessary software and hardware costs, managing contracts and entitlements, aligning service resources with IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) standards, and realizing asset total cost of ownership (TCO). (Altiris Asset Control Solution.)

Altiris Active Directory

The Altiris Developer Program (ADP) is a subscription-based developer program that provides SDKs, support services, and developer communities to help Altiris customers and business partners leverage and extend the Altiris software platform and create unique value add applications for use with the Altiris software platform.

Active Directory Service Interfaces - Active Directory Service Interfaces (MSDN.">ADSI) is a set of COM interfaces used to access the features of directory services from different network providers. ADSI is used in a distributed computing environment to present a single set of directory service interfaces for managing network resources. Administrators and developers can use ADSI services to enumerate and manage the resources in a directory service, no matter which network environment contains the resource. See MSDN.

Describes combined resources from two different collections into a single collection. For example, if all of your Windows servers are in a collection named "Windows NT/2000/XP Servers" and all of your UNIX servers are in a collection named "All UNIX Servers", you can create an aggregate collection that includes all of these servers. This collection can then be used in a monitoring policy to monitor all servers, instead of needing to create a monitoring policy for each of the groups of servers.

The Altiris Installation and Configuration Manager (AICM) is a program that is used to help in the installation of Altiris products and Notification Server. If you want to install an Altiris product and have not previously installed Notification Server, AICM will help you install both. If Notification Server is already installed, use the Altiris Solution Center to install new products.

Ajax (also known as AJAX), shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a web development technique for creating interactive web applications. The intent is to make web pages feel more responsive by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes, so that the entire web page does not have to be reloaded each time the user requests a change. This is meant to increase the web page's interactivity, speed, and usability.

The Altiris component used to route notification messages to the appropriate worker. The Alert Manager is the built-in Notification System problem-tracking facility. When a problem arises, a ticket can be added to the facility (which helps you track the problem), can send e-mail alerts about the problem, and maintains a history of the problem as the problem is resolved. If you are using Altiris Helpdesk Solution, Helpdesk takes over the role of Alert Manager.

The Web-based user interface that is the primary mechanism for interacting with the Altiris Infrastructure, its components, and for managing resources. The generic term "Altiris Console" may be used for multiple consoles including: Altiris Console (which interacts with the Notification System), Deployment Server Console, Deployment Solution Console, and Resource Manager Console.

The information collected by the Altiris Infrastructure and Altiris solutions. The Altiris Database is a generic term used to describe all databases used by the Altiris Infrastructure.

The actual server that enables the functionality of the comprehensive Altiris Deployment Solution. The Altiris Deployment Server is controlled by either a 32-bit or web console. See Altiris Deployment Solution.

The comprehensive deployment solution from Altiris providing the ability to perform scripted or image OS based installs, PC Migrations, pre or post-OS script executions, software repackaging, software deployment, etc.

A component of Altiris Deployment Solution which listens to client DHCP requests in a Pre-Execution Environment (PXE) and sends a bootstrap which instructs the client to load an image file. This image file contains the drivers needed to load the network stack in order to connect the Deployment Server to service pre-OS tasks such as imaging, script execution, etc.

Active Management Technology, an Intel ICH8 feature.

Application programming interface - an interface that a computer system, library or application provides.

Use Altiris Application Management Solution to manage source paths, gather inventory about MSI applications, schedule regular application health checkups, and automatically repair missing or changed files and/or registry values.

Altiris Application Metering Solution determines which software applications and licenses are actually being used and how often, enabling you to reclaim unused software licenses and plan for future software purchases.

A tool that monitors the user's computer as they execute an application or run an installation. It determines which .DLL, .OCX, and .EXE files are accessed and adds these files to a Windows Installer or WiseScript package.

Administrator Software Development Kit (ASDK) helps Altiris customers and business partners automate and configure Altiris solution functionality, create process-based connections to third-party and homegrown applications, or leverage Altiris functionality from homegrown Web applications.

Alert standard format.

Altiris Asset Control Solution tracks non-discoverable fixed assets and computers throughout any organization and can assign the asset a location, contact information, cost, and any custom data.

Altiris Asset Management Suite combines enterprise asset and service management disciplines into a single Web-based architecture, repository, and console, helping unite disparate departments and processes.

An acronym for the Annual Upgrade Protection service set offered by Altiris to the marketplace.

Аntivirus (AV) software consists of computer programs that attempt to identify, thwart and eliminate computer viruses and other malicious software (malware).

Altiris Barcode Solution leverages bar code technology to give you a simpler, more accurate way of gathering and verifying information in the field.

A very low-level method of programming, usually involving machine code. This technique is highly specific to the hardware setup used, and is typically only used for heavy software optimization or for very small systems. Such programming is very time-intensive and difficult. As a result, it is largely a thing of the past in the modern IT industry.

Borland Database Engine is 32-bit Windows-based core database engine and connectivity software behind Borland Delphi, C++Builder, IntraBuilder, Paradox for Windows, and Visual dBASE for Windows.

BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System or Basic Integrated Operating System. BIOS refers to the software code run by a computer when first powered on. The primary function of BIOS is to prepare the machine so other software programs stored on various media (such as hard drives, floppies, and CDs) can load, execute, and assume control of the computer. This process is known as booting up. BIOS can also be said to be a coded program embedded on a chip that recognizes and controls various devices that make up the computer.

Binary large object. A blob is a collection of binary data stored as a single entity in a database management system. Blobs are typically images, audio or other multimedia objects, though sometimes binary code is stored as a blob. Database support for blobs is not universal.

Baseboard Management Controller. A hardware management device used to send hardware alerts about the health of the server to a remote console for monitoring and remote diagnostics.

Short for Bootstrap Protocol, BOOTP is a UDP network protocol used by a network client to obtain its IP address automatically. This is usually done in the bootstrap process of computers or operating systems running on them. The BOOTP servers assign the IP address from a pool of addresses to each client. BOOTP enables 'diskless workstation' computers to obtain an IP address prior to loading any advanced operating system.

This term refers to any process where a simple system activates a more complicated system, or a process whereby a complex system emerges by starting simply and, bit by bit, developing more complex capabilities on top of the simpler ones. Bootstrapping describes different things in several domains.

Bootworks is the Altiris Deployment Solution pre-OS client typically accessed via PXE or from the local hard drive in a hidden partition. This agent communicates with the Deployment Server before the OS loads, so that it can carry out tasks such as imaging,
executing pre-OS scripts, etc.

Blue Screen of Death

CA, Inc. NYSE: CA is a computer software company, founded in New York by Charles B. Wang in 1976.

This is a cabinet file, which consists of multiple files compressed into one and extractable with the extract.exe utility. When Wise products compile an installation, its installation files can be compressed into one or more .CAB files that are either inside of or external to the installation file.

Altiris Carbon Copy Solution provides Web-hosted remote control in an integrated, manageable solution for immediate problem diagnosis and resolution.

A record in the Notification Database that represents a non-physical item that you want to track, such as the items within a catalog that you might want to purchase, or are in the process of purchasing but have not acquired. After you have the physical item, the item is recorded as a resource. Unlike other resources, catalog items cannot be linked to other resources (although other resources can link to catalogs). Catalog resources are used in Asset Control Solution and Contract Management Solution and are grouped in the "other resources."

A template for entering catalog data to the Notification Database. Catalog types are different than other resource types in that they are defined with custom attributes only (no global attributes). Also, catalog items cannot be linked to other resources, but other resources can link to catalogs (as with other resources).

A feature that allows the user to perform the final installation build on a clean build computer. Also refers to a collection of files that are necessary to compile a Wise installation project.

Command Line Interface

A networked device that can share its resources with client devices.

Altiris Client Management Suite is a complete systems management solution that reduces total cost of ownership of desktops, notebooks, and handheld devices. Deploy, manage, and troubleshoot systems from virtually anywhere.

A configuration management database (CMDB) is a unified or federated repository of information related to all the components of an information system. It helps an organization to understand the relationships between these components and track their configuration. The CMDB is a fundamental component of an ITIL framework.

An answer file used by the Microsoft Sysprep utility to execute commands during the mini-setup process of Sysprep.

Altiris Client Management Suite is an easy-to-use systems management solution that reduces the total cost of ownership for desktops, notebooks, ad handhelds. Developed for IT professionals who manage computing devices on a regular basis, the suite enables administrators to deploy, manage and troubleshoot systems from virtually anywhere.

Altiris Client Management Suite Level 1 consists of essential elements of configuration management including inventory, OS imaging and deployment, mobile software delivery, security patch management, and migration.

Altiris Client Management Suite Level 2 adds asset management repository, patch management, and real-time problem diagnosis and remediation.

Altiris Client Management Suite Level 3 adds business management, incident and problem management, real-time performance monitoring for dynamic provisioning, and disaster recovery to CMS Level 2 and CMS Level 1.

Control Objectives for Information and related Technology (COBIT) provides managers, auditors, and IT users with a set of generally accepted measures, indicators, processes and best practices to assist them in maximizing the benefits derived through the use of information technology and developing appropriate IT governance and control in a company.

Component Object Model (COM) is "a language-neutral way of implementing objects such that they can be used in environments different from the one they were created in, even across machine boundaries."

A tool that helps the user create command lines for launching or updating Windows Installer packages without an extensive knowledge of command line switches.

Altiris Compliance Suite captures detailed software inventory and usage data of installed applications across the network and alerts IT staff when application installations exceed the number of purchased licenses.

A GUID that identifies a component in an installation. Windows Installer guidelines determine when the component code should be changed; generally this depends on the addition, removal, or modification of component resources.

In Windows Installer-based products, this adds component rules to a rule set, edits existing component rules, and deletes component rules.

Component rules help manage the creation of components in a Windows Installer installation. Using component rules eliminates the need to specify component information for every individual resource that is added to an installation and ensures that components are created consistently across all installations. Component rules can also help align component GUIDs in an upgrade with component GUIDs in previous versions of the installation. Predefined component rules are provided, and the user can create customized rules.

A utility that is used to build conditions in a Windows Installer installation.

A tool that detects and resolves conflicts between packages in the Software Manager database. It helps solve the problem of conflicting files and registry entries that often occur on end user computers with multiple applications installed, and allows administrators to avoid problems when deploying packages.

Altiris Connector for HP OpenView provides seamless integration that extends and enhances HP OpenView solutions, including Network Node Manager, Service Desk, and Operations.

Altiris Connector for HP Systems Insight Manager allows IT professionals to consolidate deployment and management of HP clients and servers within a single HP Systems Insight Manager console.

Altiris Connector for HP OpenView provides seamless integration that extends and enhances HP OpenView solutions, including Network Node Manager, Service Desk, and Operations.

Altiris Connector Solution integrates Altiris solutions with your organization's third-party systems. This solution is a powerful way to connect information systems, giving you overall visibility into your organization.

Altiris Contract Management Solution tracks the contracts associated with desktops, servers, fixed assets, and service agreements anywhere in your organization. Its comprehensive Web Reports provide in-depth details of the objects under contract by correlating the contract data with actual system inventory, contact and location information, and associated costs. Tracking contracts saves time and money by centrally managing each corporate contract and avoiding costly penalties.

Custom code that is added to an installation.

A utility that provides a basic set of drawing tools for creating installation billboards.

A utility that allows the user to create and edit installation dialogs.

A pane in the Software Manager interface. It displays summary information about the Software Manager database.

Dell Client Configuration Utility

Dell Client Manager

Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) is a Microsoft proprietary technology for software components distributed across several networked computers to communicate with each other.

A tool that allows the user to step through a Windows Installer installation to isolate and resolve problems.

Altiris software that can be installed on a computer to communicate with Deployment servers, and provide administrative rights for carrying out tasks. Altiris provides multiple Deployment Agents including the Deployment Agent for Windows (aclient.exe), Deployment Agent for DOS (Bootworks), Deployment Agent for Linux, and Deployment Agent for UNIX.

The Windows-based user interface that is the primary mechanism for interacting with the Deployment System, its components, and for managing resources.

Altiris Deployment Solution helps reduce the cost of deploying and managing servers, desktops, notebooks, thin clients, and handheld devices from a centralized location in your environment.

The Web-based user interface that is the primary mechanism for interacting with the Deployment System and its components, and for managing resources.

In Software Manager, distributing a group creates a deployment wrapper .EXE, which contains the files that will install packages in the group, the command lines that will run the installations, and any additional files that will be installed. When the .EXE is deployed to the destination computers, it installs all the packages and files, and runs all the command lines that are contained in the wrapper.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a client-server networking protocol. A DHCP server provides configuration parameters specific to the DHCP client host requesting, generally, information required by the client host to participate on an IP network. DHCP also provides a mechanism for allocation of IP addresses to client hosts.

A scaled-down version of Setup Editor that allows the user to script dialogs to handle mouse movements, gather user input, and branch according to end user choices.

An option that determines how Package Distribution distributes a package. Examples: copying the package to a share point directory or an FTP server, or passing it to a distribution system such as Altiris Software Delivery Solution.

A tool that is used to deploy or share an installation or package.

The Domain Name System or Domain Name Server (DNS) is a system that stores information associated with domain names in a distributed database on networks, such as the Internet. The domain name system (Domain Name Server) associates many types of information with domain names, but most importantly, it provides the IP address associated with the domain name. It also lists mail exchange servers accepting e-mail for each domain. In providing a worldwide keyword-based redirection service, DNS is an essential component of contemporary Internet use.

Disk on Key (DOK)

Disk Operating System (specifically) and disk operating system (generically).

Dell Remote Access Controller. An optional add-on card for Dell PowerEdge Servers that enable out of band management.

Altiris Deployment Solution: Product that reduces the cost of deploying and managing servers, desktops, notebooks, thin clients, and handheld devices via automated OS deployment, configuration, PC "personality" migration, and software deployment across hardware platforms and OS types.

Dell Server Assistant. A CD that assists the end user with a 1:1 scripted installation of an operating system. This CD is included with every brand new Dell PowerEdge Server or can be downloaded for free from Dell's Support Website.

Stands for Developer Transition Kit and Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit

Dell Update Package. A self-contained Windows or Linux software packaged designed to update the firmware of hardware components such as the BIOS, DRAC, BMC, etc.

Early Access Release (EAR)

Altiris Energy Saver Toolkit is a FREE utility that allows system administrators to govern power management capabilities of all desktop and system monitors throughout their corporate environment.

An optional module that provides advanced project management functionality and security to Wise Package Studio.

Embedded Server Manager. This is a chipset located on the motherboard of Dell Servers which logs hardware events such as chassis intrusion, temperature status, voltage status, etc. On some models of Dell Servers, the log is circular meaning old entries are replaced with new entries. Other models of Dell Servers do not provide circular logging and when the ESM log fills up, the log has to be cleared manually. Luckily, Altiris Monitor Solution for Dell Servers has a built-in rule that constantly monitors the health of a Dell Server and when the ESM log is full, it is written to the monitored server by default and then an agent based action automatically clears the log. An email is then sent to the IT Administrator notifying him/her of this action.

Speeds compile time of a Windows Installer installation by distributing the time-consuming task of compressing .CAB files among multiple processors. It uses multiple processors on the local computer, and uses the main processor of multiple distributed computers (called a build group).

File System Independent Resource Management. An Altiris developed utility designed to perform basic file commands in a pre-OS environment such as copy, delete, dir, etc. For example, copy the ACLIENT.CFG file from the Altiris Deployment Server after an imaging task to a Windows 2003 Server running the NTFS file system in a pre-OS environment.

Fujitsu Siemens Computers

Acronym for Global Assembly Cache, which is a machine-wide code cache, introduced with Microsoft's .NET systems that stores assemblies specifically installed to be shared by many applications on the computer.

A machine-wide code cache, introduced with Microsoft's .NET systems, which stores assemblies specifically installed to be shared by many application on the computer.

Group Policy Object (GPO). Policy settings are stored in Group Policy Objects (GPOs). A GPO is internally referenced by a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID). Each one may be linked to multiple sites, domains or organizational units. In this way, potentially thousands of machines or users can be updated via a simple change to a single GPO. This reduces the administrative burden and costs associated with managing these resources.

In Software Manager, these define which packages in a group will be installed, the order in which they will be installed, and the command lines that will be used to run the package installations. These settings provide the defaults for Group Distribution.

In Software Manager, group distribution deploys multiple related packages at once, enforcing package dependencies and installation order, and defining command lines that run the package installations.

Graphical User Interface

An acronym for Globally Unique Identifier.

Hardware Abstraction Layer. Programming in an operating system that functions as an interface between a system's hardware and software, providing a consistent hardware platform on which to run applications.

A single image configured with the Microsoft Sysprep utility and drivers designed to be deployed to various hardware models for the purpose of reducing the time and effort required to maintain multiple images per hardware model.

A Notification Server that has additional functionality installed by Helpdesk Solution. The Helpdesk Server is responsible for managing Helpdesk work items, service requests, and the knowledge base.

Altiris Helpdesk Solution is a powerful Incident Management tool that allows you to raise service levels while reducing costs. Designed for quick implementation, it enables you to realize immediate benefits. Helpdesk Solution is built on the Altiris Notification Server architecture and is fully integrated with other Altiris components such as asset management, remote control, and Web-based administration tools.

The top Notification Server in the hierarchy. It is the Notification Server where hierarchy structure is created, as well as where replication settings are defined.

Any Notification Server, other than the hierarchy controller, that participates in the hierarchy.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER stores settings that are specific to the currently logged-in user.

HP Client Manager Software is a free hardware management tool for HP client computers that provides in-depth client inventory, driver and utility updating, remote BIOS management, hardware monitoring, diagnostics, and problem resolution. HP Client Manager Software integrates with Altiris Client Management Suite, HP OpenView, HP Systems Insight Manager, and Microsoft Systems Management Server.

HP Client Manager Software

(Windows Installer.) Acronym for Internal Consistency Evaluator, which is a custom action or rule that validates a Windows Installer installation.

Integrated Drive Electronics. An IDE interface is an interface for mass storage devices in which the controller is integrated into the disk or CD-ROM drive.

Invitation for Bid

Microsoft's Internet Information Server

In Software Manager, imports packages into the Software Manager database.

A script that is added within a WiseScript installation. At run time, an include script is run when the Include Script action that references it is encountered.

A predefined project that leads the user through the setup of Wise Package Studio.

A view (interface) that allows the user to create an installation by pointing and clicking to fill out options. As the user creates the installation in Installation Expert, a corresponding WiseScript (in WiseScript-based products) or database (in Windows Installer-based products) is created.

In an installation, the installation level determines whether a feature is installed by default during a Typical or Complete installation.

Represent the actions that are performed during each type of Windows Installer installation: Normal Installation, Administration Installation, and Advertisement Installation.

Items such as installation templates, component rules, language files, and so on, that make up an installation.

Altiris Inventory Solution reduces the cost of identifying and managing heterogeneous devices throughout your enterprise. Easily track comprehensive hardware information, installed software packages, and OS settings for your IT assets.

Altiris Inventory Solution for Handhelds reduces the cost of identifying and managing handheld devices throughout the enterprise. Easily track comprehensive hardware, software, and operating system information for Pocket PC and Palm assets throughout their lifecycle.

Altiris Inventory Solution for Network Devices provides the ability to quickly and efficiently discover and classify SNMP-enabled network devices such as routers, switches, printers, as well as Windows, UNIX, Linux, and NetWare computers. Vendor-specific information such as make, model, manufacturer, device type, and loaded services or NLMs, is made available through built-in Web Reports.

Altiris Inventory Solution for Servers captures hardware information, installed software packages, and operating system settings for supported Windows, Linux, and UNIX servers. Data is captured and stored in an open SQL database for easy data correlation with other Altiris solutions across any organization.

The Internet Protocol (IP) is a data-oriented protocol used for communicating data across a packet-switched internetwork. IP is a network layer protocol in the internet protocol suite and is encapsulated in a data link layer protocol (e.g., ethernet). As a lower layer protocol, IP provides the service of communicable unique global addressing amongst computers.

(IPMI) specification defines a set of common interfaces to computer hardware and firmware which system administrators can use to monitor system health and manage the system.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a form of real-time Internet chat or synchronous conferencing. It is mainly designed for group (many-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication and data transfers via private message.

Industry Standard Architecture. Typically referred to as legacy devices that are not Windows plug-and-play friendly.

An informal term for a disk image of an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9660 file system.

ISO/IEC 17799 provides best practice recommendations on information security management for use by those who are responsible for initiating, implementing or maintaining information security management systems.

IT Assistant is a free console that manages only DELL hardware. It provides a central display of SNMP trap information to show what machines are "healthy." It has very limited inventory capabilities and functions primarily as a launch point to OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA).

IT Assistant

IT Infrastructure Library.