This is used to install applications simultaneously to multiple clients or to update files or drivers on multiple clients. Enhanced Software Distribution - Automates the process of installing software applications or distributing files to clients.Enable Migration Tasks - Selects the components necessary for OSD and Profile Migration: Bandwidth Detection, Common Base Agent, and Enhanced Software Distribution.Additionally you can query the core database for the data users enter. You would use this to retrieve customized information from users directly. Custom Data Forms - Presents a form to users for them to complete.This you would install on most clients as most of the other components listed here require the Common Base Agent.

Common Base Agent - Installs the CBA that forms the basis of communication between clients and the core server.You would use this option if you have remote clients or clients that connect to the network via a slow link. You can limit Management Suite actions, such as Software Distribution, based on available bandwidth. Bandwidth Detection - Enables bandwidth detection between clients and the core server.You would use this to manage groups of clients that have common software needs. Application Policy Management - Automatically installs a set of applications on groups of clients.You would use this to protect critical or commonly-used applications. Application Healing - Automatically keeps configured applications running on clients.This list of components provides a good quick-look at the LANDesk features, so I will briefly go over each of them here: From this configuration, you can choose which components you wish to install. You can create any number of client configurations and set one as default. Additionally, having to navigate to paths on the disk that were documented in the dialogs seemed like an unnecessary inconvenience that could have been better automated. While the reasons may be good ones, I found it odd to have to provide Windows NT Server and Windows 98 CDs during installation of a product on a Windows 2000 server. In each case, you must browse to the specified directory. You are also prompted to provide a licensed Windows 98 CD so it can obtain files from BASE5.CAB. Once requirements are met and you begin the installation, setup prompts for a Windows NT 4 Server CD so it may obtain files from the CLIENTSMSCLIENTDISKS directory. Installation requires Windows Server (NT/2000/2003) and the system must not be a domain controller on the network. If any requirements are not met, download links to Microsoft’s website are provided to help you obtain them. Instead of simply listing requirements, a nice front end is provided that checks for requirements and notifies if you have met them or not (see image at right).

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