Scriptlogic Desktop Authority FAQ

Desktop Authority® - Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is using Desktop Authority so much quicker than writing logon scripts?
  • Desktop Authority’s easy to use graphical interface replaces the work accomplished by even the most complicated scripts. This is done by presenting the administrator with a GUI representation of all the key areas involved in desktop configuration. Desktop Authority’s patented Validation Logic makes it infinitely easier to select when and where those configuration are applied, at an extremely granular level. Additionally, testing scripts for different OS versions, debugging code, and beta testing in a test lab environment are eliminated with Desktop Authority.
  
  
• What desktop platforms does it support? I still have too many Windows 9x
    boxes on my network. What about server versions? I am still running a
    Windows NT domain!
  • Almost all of Desktop Authority’s desktop configuration abilities cover from Windows 95 through Windows XP. Desktop Authority can be installed on a Windows domain running on servers from Windows NT through Windows 2003. While Active Directory is not a requirement, some of the Validation Logic options will not work without it.
  
  
• How much of my logon script will it replace? How long will it take?
  • Desktop Authority covers every aspect of desktop configuration: from drive mappings to registry changes to application rollouts. Anything Desktop Authority cannot do natively can be accomplished using a small amount of custom scripting applied with the control of Validation Logic to determine exactly for whom and when it is run. Configuring all your desktops is quick and easy, with huge time savings over the ordeal of writing and maintaining traditional scripts.
  
  
• How long does it take to set up? Does it require me to install software on
    my desktops?
  • Setup takes only a few minutes using the Desktop Authority Installation Wizard. Clients do not need to install any software to utilize Desktop Authority; the user only needs to have SLogic.bat specified as their Logon Script - a task automated by Desktop Authority.
  
  
• I need a desktop management solution with full reporting. Does
    Desktop Authority have that?
  • Yes. Desktop Authority maintains two SQL databases (stored in either MSDE or SQL server) – one for the configurations and one for reporting. The configuration database contains all of the profiles, elements, and settings. The Reporting database contains collected hardware and software inventory, user activity, and data related to patch deployment and spyware removal. Desktop Authority has built-in and custom reporting on all of the information found in both databases.
  
  
• We use Group Policies for all our desktop configurations – does
    Desktop Authority replace Group Policies?
  • While administrators can choose to continue to use Group Policies for various aspects of desktop configuration, Desktop Authority can be used to either complement or to some extent replace Group Policies. In the critical areas which Group Policies do not address, such as Drives, Printers, Outlook Profiles, Inactivity, Patch Management and Spyware Removal, Desktop Authority is the ideal solution.
    
    Desktop Authority supports import of the settings found in Administrative Templates. This gives administrators the ability to not only push out those settings, but to utilize Desktop Authority's patented Validation Logic to graphically select the level of granularity to determine who will get the configuration. Instead of being limited to just 5 levels of granularity with native Group Policies (user, group, computer, OU, AD site), Validation logic uses over 30 different validation criteria, supporting multiple values with Boolean logic to create exponentially more granular selections when pushing out settings. For more information on Desktop Authority and Group Policies, see the ScriptLogic Whitepaper, Desktop Authority And AD Group Policy Objects.
  
  
• Does this mean I can't use Group Policies any more?
  • Absolutely not! If you wish, you can continue to use Group Policies in conjunction with Desktop Authority. See the Desktop Authority and AD Group Policy Objects comparison white paper for a comprehensive list of configuration abilities of each solution.
  
  
• I have several administrators that need to manage the configuration of
    our desktops. Can I limit what and where they can administer?
  • Absolutely! Desktop Authority's Role-Based Administration allows you to define the administrative roles (such as Profile Admin and Email-Only Admin) and then apply those roles to users and groups at the profile level.
  
  
• Can I manage Power Settings with Desktop Authority?
  • Yes. Desktop Authority maintains two SQL databases (stored in either MSDE or SQL server) – one for the configurations and one for reporting. The configuration database contains all of the profiles, elements, and settings. The Reporting database contains collected hardware and software inventory, user activity, and data related to patch deployment and spyware removal. Desktop Authority has built-in and custom reporting on all of the information found in both databases.
  
  
• What about my Citrix or Terminal Server environment – will this help me
    with my roaming profile problems?
  • Desktop Authority is the perfect answer for roaming profile issues, since it eliminates the need to store user configurations in a user profile. It eases the task of redirecting all of the folders containing the user’s environment which are traditionally stored in the profile. For example, Desktop Authority makes it easy to redirect the user’s desktop folder, My Documents, web cookies, favorites, etc. to a central location such as the user’s home directory. With this arrangement, the user’s environment always “follows” them, without the need for a roaming profile. For more details, please review the Citrix MetaFrame Whitepaper that covers the management of Citrix/Terminal Server environments with Desktop Authority.
  
  
• I currently use ScriptLogic Enterprise Edition. How can I migrate to
    Desktop Authority?
  • ScriptLogic Enterprise has been rolled up into Desktop Authority in version 7. If your maintenance is current, you can simply download the latest version of Desktop Authority and upgrade your ScriptLogic Enterprise to Desktop Authority.
  
  
• How does the new desktop configuration refresh differ from previous
     versions of Desktop Authority?
  • Previous versions only configured desktops at logon and/or logoff. The new desktop configuration refresh allows any configuration element to be refreshed on the desktop at a default interval of 60 minutes. Mobile users can also benefit from this new feature – when logging on using cached credentials and then coming to the office, with Desktop Authority 7.5, clients will still receive an updated configuration at the next refresh interval.
  
  
• What’s new with the software deployment?
  • While you can launch installs of applications from the Application Launcher element, the software management and deployment works off of an MSI repository where you can centralize all apps to be installed. Distribution servers allow MSIs to be automatically replicated to a local server for installation.
  
  
• I have multiple locations. Will I need to specify which server
    software needs to be deployed from?
  • No. By default, applications will be installed from the distribution server in the same Active Directory site as the client. Alternately, a specific distribution server can be chosen if desired.

USB and Port Security Option

• What devices can Desktop Authority lockdown?
  •  
    

    Bluetooth Devices		PCMCIA/Cardbus Controllers
    CD/DVD Readers/Writers		Palm OS Devices
    Firewire Controllers		Parallel Ports
    Firewire Storage		PocketPC Devices
    Floppy Disks		Removable Storage
    Hard Disk Drives		Serial Ports
    Infrared Ports		USB Ports
    IoMega Storage (Jaz/Zip)		USB Storage
    MP3 Players		WiFi Devices
    Modems

  
  
• Does Desktop Authority make a device completely inaccessible?
     I need to allow my users to read some devices.
  • Storage devices, such as a USB drive or a CD burner can be made Read-Only, allowing read access.  Other communication devices, such as Bluetooth or WiFi devices are either accessible or inaccessible.
  
  
• Is there are reporting on users trying to access restricted devices?
  • Yes. Desktop Authority centrally records user attempts to utilize secured devices. Turnkey reports exist to provide detail on both the configuration of the device lockdown, as well as user access.

Patch Management Option

• What patch management capabilities does Desktop Authority have?
  • Desktop Authority's Patch Deployment for Desktops Option downloads and distributes patches for Microsoft operating systems, applications, as well as select third-party applications. It provides an easy-to-use interface to choose which patches should be pushed out to clients based on the severity of the patch and/or the specific product it affects. In addition, you can use Validation Logic to determine exactly how, to whom, and when different patches and classes of patch will be deployed, giving maximum control over the patching of desktops.
  
  
• Is this option fully functional with the purchase of Desktop Authority?
  • No. While the administrative functions exist within the Desktop Authority Manager, the Patch Deployment for Desktops (PDD) Option is disabled until you purchase a separate PDD license. Without the Option enabled, you are still able to download patch database updates and see the available patches, test the Option by distributing all low severity patches, and run reports on the status of patch distribution.
  
  
• My network has multiple locations. Can patches come from different
    servers for different locations?
  • Yes. With Desktop Authority, clients can either automatically select the closest Distribution Server (based on Active Directory sites) or a Distribution Server can be manually chosen by the administrator.
  
  
• I already use WUS. Why is your Patch Management solution better?
  • WUS is best-suited to use as an automated patch deployment solution covering only the most recent Microsoft platforms. Desktop Authority’s Patch Deployment for Desktops Option gives administrators far more granular control over when and where patches are deployed, and allows administrators to create dynamic groupings of computers and/or users with different patch behaviors. For example, the general user population might be set to automatically receive all patches at logoff time, whereas development team users might want to administer their own desktops and only receive automatic updates for high severity patches, and laptop users only receive low-severity updates when they’re connected to the LAN in the office.
  
  
• Is this the same as Patch Authority Plus?
  • No. Patch Authority Plus is ScriptLogic's comprehensive, enterprise-class patch management solution, which enhances security and simplifies the process of updating Windows desktops and servers from a central location. Patch Authority Plus also includes ScriptLogic’s Service Explorer for managing the status, configuration, logon settings and passwords using by services and tasks on Windows servers and desktops. See the comparison matrix on the Patch Authority Plus product page for a list of differentiating features.

Spyware Detection and Removal Option

• I already have a desktop spyware solution – what’s better about yours?
  • Desktop Authority’s Spyware Detection and Removal Option allows administrators to centrally deploy and manage the scanning, reporting and removal of spyware across their enterprise. Clients can be configured to quarantine or remove Spyware based on different threat levels, and even exclude specific software that might be considered spyware if administrators choose to leave it on selected machines, all under the centralized control of ScriptLogic's patented Validation Logic.
  
  
• Is this option fully functional with the purchase of Desktop Authority?
  • No. While the administrative functions exist within the Desktop Authority Manager, the Spyware Removal function is disabled until you enable a separate 12-month subscription. However, without the subscription, you can scan your client machines for spyware, remove low threat level infections and view centralized reports on the infections.