System Center Essentials 2007 is a server application for monitoring IT services and installing and updating software throughout a network. System Center Essentials 2007 shares many features with System Center Operations Manager 2007 and System Center Configuration Manager 2007, but is designed specifically for use in medium-sized companies and organisations.
Through the main console, administrators have a unified, organised view of the health and performance of an organisation's entire IT environment. Essentials can provide IT departments with status reports at defined intervals as well as alerts when immediate attention is necessary. Alerts can be viewed through the mail console and delivered by email, pager, and text message. In many cases, when Essentials diagnoses a problem it gives the choice of automatically repairing the problem.
Essentials automates and standardizes the process of installing and updating software on servers and clients throughout a network. Microsoft's large library of software profiles allows Essentials to perform updates not only on Microsoft operating systems and applications, but also on many third-party applications, drivers, and hotfixes. Administrators can designate subsets of computers on which to install different software and operating systems and customize security updates in order to fit into a larger IT strategy. Essentials can inform software-buying decisions by keeping a record of the software and licenses being used on servers and clients throughout the organization.
Service Pack 1 improves performance with up to 70 percent less memory consumption and adds support for workgroup-joined computers, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) v1 devices, and Windows Server 2008.
System Center Essentials 2007 includes SQL Server 2005 Technology. SQL Server Technology acquired with this product can be used can be used only to support this product.
License Requirements: A server management license (ML) is required for each operating system environment (OSE) running a server operating system and a client ML is required for each nonserver OSE. This product includes MLs for 10 Windows-based server OSEs and 50 Windows-based PC OSEs.
Essentials has the capacity to manage up to 500 client operating system environments (OSEs) and 30 server OSEs. Although additional MLs are not available for donation through PNGO DONATION PROGRAMME, they may be purchased through Microsoft's Charity Open Licensing programme.
Installing this product requires a licence key and installation media. Within 14 days of placing your order, instructions for obtaining the licence key will be sent to your organisation's registered e-mail address and free installation media will be delivered to your organisation's registered address.
- Under the Software Assurance programme, customers acquire the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of their coverage.
- Essentials diagnoses problems, adjusts configurations, and installs updates without interrupting users' work or network access.
- Essentials can be used to deliver updates for in-house software as well as commercially available software.
- Essentials can monitor software configurations to ensure that IT policies are adhered to.
- Essentials is easier to use than other IT management servers, but includes all features necessary for most medium-sized organisations.
Hardware (Server):
- 12 GB available hard-disk space (20 GB to store updates locally)
- 2 GHz (or higher) x64 or x86 processor
- 1 GB or more RAM; 2 GB recommended
Software (Server):
- Windows Server 2003 SP1 or R2, Standard, or Enterprise edition (with IIS 6.0 and BITS 2.0); Windows Server 2008
- Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.80.1022.0 or later
- .NET Framework 2.0 or 3.0
Software (Managed Server):
- Windows 2000 Server SP4; Windows Server 2003 SP1 or R2 (x64 or x86); Windows Server 2008
Software (Client):
- Windows 2000 Professional SP4; Windows XP SP2 (x64 or x86); Windows Vista (x64 or x86)
