Centralized control Console?

I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
centralized control console like all the major Anti-virus
programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
software's configuration and behavior accross the entire
network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime in
2005 (which at the time was too late for us)

Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now. Is
there work being done, or plans for doing this?

What's Microsoft's direction with this product? We are
seriously considering buying an Enterprise Anti-Spyware
solution and if Microsoft is going to continue what GIANT
started developing, in terms of an enterprise solution,
then we might wait for it to come out, if it happens
soon. If not, it will be nice to know whether MS will
release a desktop edition, what the licensing models will
be, how updates will be provided, etc.




>-----Original Message-----
>I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
>Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
>centralized control console like all the major Anti-
virus
>programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
>software's configuration and behavior accross the entire
>network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime
in
>2005 (which at the time was too late for us)
>
>Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now. Is
>there work being done, or plans for doing this?
>.
>

Here's is what all of us corporate admins really want and
need:

http://www.winsupersite.com/images/...ms_antispyware_
preview_01.jpg

I really like Giant aka MS Antispyware, but it's of no
use to us without a management console for the enterprise.
Obviously Giant was on the verge of this and MS could
easily continue the work. The Giant code was also
licensed to Sunbelt and they have a console managed
version out now based on Giant.


>-----Original Message-----
>I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
>Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
>centralized control console like all the major Anti-
virus
>programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
>software's configuration and behavior accross the entire
>network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime
in
>2005 (which at the time was too late for us)
>
>Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now. Is
>there work being done, or plans for doing this?
>.
>

I would also be very interested in a feature like this. It
seems that none of the spyware vendors offer a good product
that has this.

Brent


>-----Original Message-----
>I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
>Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
>centralized control console like all the major Anti-virus
>programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
>software's configuration and behavior accross the entire
>network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime in
>2005 (which at the time was too late for us)
>
>Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now. Is
>there work being done, or plans for doing this?
>.
>

What about Spy Sweeper Enterprise:
http://www.webroot.com/products/spysweeper/enterprise/

That has central console control and reporting for client
installs.

I am still planning to buy and deploy Spy Sweeper
Enterprise. When MS Anti-Spyware becomes stable, it still
may help to have the second opinion from an outside
vendor. Many people used to run AdAware and SpyBot
together (before Spy Sweeper yeilded better results).

>-----Original Message-----
>I would also be very interested in a feature like this.
It
>seems that none of the spyware vendors offer a good
product
>that has this.

Exactly what I'm saying - I'm not rolling this out
without Central Control.

MS - What's the word?



>-----Original Message-----
>Here's is what all of us corporate admins really want
and
>need:
>
>http://www.winsupersite.com/images/.../ms_antispyware
_
>preview_01.jpg
>
>I really like Giant aka MS Antispyware, but it's of no
>use to us without a management console for the
enterprise.
>Obviously Giant was on the verge of this and MS could
>easily continue the work. The Giant code was also
>licensed to Sunbelt and they have a console managed
>version out now based on Giant.
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
>>Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
>>centralized control console like all the major Anti-
>virus
>>programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
>>software's configuration and behavior accross the
entire
>>network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime
>in
>>2005 (which at the time was too late for us)
>>
>>Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now.
Is
>>there work being done, or plans for doing this?
>>.
>>
>.
>

Have you tried the trial of this? I did and it's pretty
clunky. Not the smooth operation I'd like to see in a
centrally controlled app.


>-----Original Message-----
>What about Spy Sweeper Enterprise:
>http://www.webroot.com/products/spysweeper/enterprise/
>
>That has central console control and reporting for
client
>installs.
>
>I am still planning to buy and deploy Spy Sweeper
>Enterprise. When MS Anti-Spyware becomes stable, it
still
>may help to have the second opinion from an outside
>vendor. Many people used to run AdAware and SpyBot
>together (before Spy Sweeper yeilded better results).
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I would also be very interested in a feature like
this.
>It
>>seems that none of the spyware vendors offer a good
>product
>>that has this.
>
>.
>

I agree. I have tested the Spy Sweeper enterprise edition
and clunky is a good description. I think Spy Sweeper is
effective for blocking/removing Spyware and the enterprise
edition does have solid reporting and deployment
features. But I fear many of the settings will prevent
our users from using IE to the extent that they need to.
At this point, it looks like it could be the best option
out there, but I'm not sure if it is worth throwing
thousands of dollars at in place of the MS/Giant solution.

Paul

>-----Original Message-----
>Have you tried the trial of this? I did and it's pretty
>clunky. Not the smooth operation I'd like to see in a
>centrally controlled app.
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>What about Spy Sweeper Enterprise:
>>http://www.webroot.com/products/spysweeper/enterprise/
>>
>>That has central console control and reporting for
>client
>>installs.
>>
>>I am still planning to buy and deploy Spy Sweeper
>>Enterprise. When MS Anti-Spyware becomes stable, it
>still
>>may help to have the second opinion from an outside
>>vendor. Many people used to run AdAware and SpyBot
>>together (before Spy Sweeper yeilded better results).
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>I would also be very interested in a feature like
>this.
>>It
>>>seems that none of the spyware vendors offer a good
>>product
>>>that has this.
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

Yup, Central managment and deployment is going to be the
key!

Hello anyone at MS reading this??

Adam
>-----Original Message-----
>I contacted Giant not long before it was aquired by
>Microsoft. My question was: Are they going to have a
>centralized control console like all the major Anti-virus
>programs (e.g. Norton, Trend, CA, etc.) where the
>software's configuration and behavior accross the entire
>network could be controlled. Their answer was sometime in
>2005 (which at the time was too late for us)
>
>Now MS bought them, and I see nothing about this now. Is
>there work being done, or plans for doing this?
>.
>

I think you guys are spot on. Without an enterprise
management solution it won't be worth much to anyone.
Like everyone said, companies have for some reason not
introducted any mature enterprise solution. Hopefull MS
can do the same thing it did with SUS on this one