Network Infrastructure

If you’ve been doing IT for a while, chances are you been asked to do the classic waterfall upgrade. The CEO get’s a new laptop, so his six-month-old machine gets passed to a VP, whose laptop gets passed to a Director, and so on down the line. Have you been asked to do a network-wide upgrade to Windows 7? Migrating users from one machine to another or even one OS to another can be time-consuming and painful. With the MissionControl Desktop Migration module, moving users between machines can become an easy, centrally managed task.

With Desktop Migration, admins can specify which system settings, applications settings and files should be backed up. Different settings profiles can be created and applied to any machine or machine group. Systems settings include Windows OS settings such as desktop shortcuts, screen saver and wallpaper. Application settings include parameters from Microsoft® Office Suite settings, Adobe® Acrobat®, BlackBerry® Desktop, Firefox® and Skype™. Files can be backed up and/or excluded based on file name, folder name or even file type.

MissionControl Desktop Migration Readiness is a component that allows admins to quantify in dollar amounts what the cost is to upgrade an environment. The admin can specify the cost per GB for storage, RAM and CPU, and see a Migration Readiness Summary that outlines costs for migration per machine. The readiness report also looks at things like when the last machine backup was completed as a factor in migration readiness.

With alerts on the individual steps of a desktop migration, MissionControl users never need to wonder what state each machine is in during the migration process. Alerts can become alarms inside MissionControl, tickets, e-mails or even trigger an agent procedure to run automatically.

Framework

The core sets of functions performed by the MissionControl framework are: deployment, configuration, execution, update, logging, reporting, monitoring and remediation. These functions are part of the core tasks an IT professional performs on a daily basis. With Desktop Migration built on this core framework, it is possible to:

• Back up OS and application settings and files
• Migrate OS and application settings and files
• Log and alert when settings migrations fail
• Report on current migration details

Agent-Based

The agent-based architecture of MissionControl adds greater value than domain-based technology. Domain-based and so-called agent-less technologies are useful in a single network where all resources are directly visible on the corporate LAN/WAN. MissionControl forms its own, completely secure TCP connection with the server without the need for address management, implementation of port mapping schemes at each site or the establishment of cumbersome VPNs to all the sites.

Agent-Based Desktop Migration allows for machines inside or outside of the domain to be configured and managed with ease.

Automation

IT automation is the key for transitioning from a reactive environment to a proactive, results-based IT service delivery model. MissionControl provides unparalleled automation of periodic IT tasks required to manage and maintain systems and devices. MissionControl Desktop Migration allows admins to schedule regular backups of settings and to collectively migrate settings to groups of users without touching any machines directly.