New & Improved - 25 Nov 2003

MESSAGING

Store and Access Exchange Messages

http://www.seasidesw.com, 402-898-0170; http://www.key-computing
.com, [email protected]

Seaside Software and KeyComputing have developed Xkey, a solution for Microsoft Exchange Server users that securely stores all Exchange data in a key-sized appliance. You plug your Xkey into any USB-compatible PC or thin client and Xkey can save Exchange message information. Xkey provides Triple DES (3DES) encryption and contains an embedded Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN to secure communication between Xkey and your Exchange server. Xkey works without requiring software or any configuration. Pricing is $139 for 128MB of storage on the Xkey.

Product Spotlight

PowerEdge 400SC

http://www.dell.com, 800-999-3355

Dell released the PowerEdge 400SC, a server for small office/home office (SOHO) environments that features an 800MHz front-side bus and is powered by a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor and has as much as 4GB of memory. You can also purchase the PowerEdge 400SC with an Intel Celeron processor and support for 400MHz front-side bus. The server's pedestal chassis and setup tools let organizations with no IT staff replace desktop-based networks with the PowerEdge server.

Neil Hand, director of product marketing for the Dell Product Group, said, "Our small and midsized business customers tell us that to be competitive they need the fastest technology at the lowest price. By providing industry firsts in performance features, the PowerEdge 400SC provides customers with plenty of computing power so that they can stay focused on growing their business."

Additional specifications include two IDE or SCSI drives, Error-Correcting Code (ECC) 400MHz Double Data Rate (DDR) memory, an integrated Gigabit Ethernet network connection, and hardware RAID controller options. The PowerEdge 400SC is available with Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server, or Red Hat Linux OSs. Pricing starts at $499.

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

Take Control of AD

http://www.javelinasoftware.com, 302-422-0230,
800-397-5484

Javelina Software released ADvantage 2.0, software that can manage Active Directory (AD) by providing task execution and streamlined configuration capabilities. The software lets you perform multiple AD tasks at the same time. You can add users, delete or disable user accounts, reset passwords, modify AD attributes, and configure Microsoft Exchange Server mailboxes. New features let you add groups or contacts, modify groups or contacts, delete groups or contacts, and run group or contact reports. The software provides several standard reports that you can customize, or you can create your own reports. ADvantage also lets you schedule the distribution of tasks over the network during off-peak hours. Pricing is on a per-administrator basis. License pricing for one administrator is $995. Volume discounts are available.

Streamline Server Deployment

http://www.veritas.com,
650-527-8000, 800-327-2232

VERITAS Software announced VERITAS OpForce 3.0, automated server-provisioning software that helps streamline server deployment. Through a remote Web interface, OpForce lets you quickly discover available servers, prepare the servers for deployment, and provision the servers to hotspots in the network. The software records hardware and software inventory, tracks software licenses, sets up administrative and user access, and manages the IT life cycle. VERITAS OpForce 3.0 supports Windows, Sun Microsystems' Sun Solaris, IBM's AIX, and Red Hat Linux systems. Pricing starts at $7500 per VERITAS OpForce management server and $500 per managed CPU.

SYSTEMS UTILITY

Eliminate Fragmentation

http://www.executive.com, 818-771-1600, 800-829-6468

Executive Software released Diskeeper 8.0, automatic disk-defragmentation software that features a new interface and a Terabyte Volume Engine (TVE) that can rapidly defrag volumes of files from 100GB to as large as 4TB each. Quick tables graphically display performance gains achieved by defragmentation. You can also use the graphical displays to evaluate the condition of your disk against documented factors to get ideas about what affects reliability and stability. The software also features Active Directory (AD) and logical groups support so that you can manage network systems in AD view, logical groups view, and domain and machines view. Diskeeper 8.0 is available in a professional edition, a server standard edition, a server enterprise edition, an administrator edition, and a home edition. The new administrator edition features full network control, detailed reports, and automatic alerts. Pricing starts at $49.95 for the professional edition and $259 for the server standard edition. Volume discounts are available.

Check Hard Disk Temperature

http://www.siguardian.com, [email protected]

PalikSoft released HDD Temperature 1.2, software that lets you check the temperature of your hard disk to prevent data loss caused by overheating. The software automatically activates when the hard disk overheats. The software can keep and restore all your data, including unsaved files, after your hard disk cools. You can set a maximum hard disk temperature and receive a warning when your hard disk exceeds that temperature. Home users who have only one hard disk can use the software, and companies with many computers can monitor multiple hard disks. HDD Temperature 1.2 runs on Windows XP/2000/NT/Me/9x systems. Pricing is $19.95 for download or $9.95 for a CD-ROM.

Integrate Defrag Disk Utility with Policy-Based Management Tools

http://www.raxco.com,
301-527-0803, 800-546-9728

Raxco Software released PerfectDisk 6.0, enterprise disk defragmentation and optimization software that provides Active Directory (AD) integration. You can fully deploy and manage the software from within AD. You can turn on and off most PerfectDisk features, including schedule management. Enhancements provide more statistics, including fragmentation level, free-space fragmentation, and color-coded warning signals. The rules engine recommends actions and provides free-space consolidation and storage trend data. Other features include enhancements to scheduling and logging functions. PerfectDisk 6.0 runs on Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT/Me/9x systems. Pricing starts at $44.95 for a workstation license and $239.95 for a single-server license.

Automate User Desktop Migration

http://www.miramar.com, 805-966-2432

Miramar Systems released Desktop DNA Enterprise Edition 4.6, software that manages the migration of users' settings, data, and preferences during Windows OS upgrades and hardware refresh and recovery. The software also lets you migrate user profiles to Windows Server 2003 Active Directory (AD) in a unified process. AD support eliminates the need to visit each user's machine. A User Redirection feature renames users during migration. The DNA Options Editor lets you create custom XML configuration files without needing XML knowledge. Added command-line functionality lets you integrate existing network management frameworks. Pricing is on a per-seat basis.

TECHNICAL RESOURCE

Teach Yourself Windows Server 2003

http://www.samspublishing
.com, 317-581-3500

Sams Publishing released three new books, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Delta Guide, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, and Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in 24 Hours. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Delta Guide, by Don Jones and Mark Rouse, covers the changes within the OS since Windows 2000 Server. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, by Rand Morimoto et al., covers integration, security, server management, and disaster recovery in Windows 2003. Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in 24 Hours, by Joe Habraken, is a step-by-step introduction to Windows 2003. Pricing for the books is $29.99, $59.99, and $29.99, respectively.