Tally Systems Census Asset Management

Transcription

1 John Inverso Product Report 14 August 2003 Tally Systems Census Asset Management Summary Tally Systems Census family identifies, audits and tracks networked hardware and software assets via its recognition technology. Its integration with management and repository products extends its value. Table of Contents Overview Analysis Pricing Competitors Strengths Limitations Insight List Of Tables Table 1: Product Overview: Tally Systems Census Family Table 2: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Census Base Technology Table 3: Features and Functions: Tally Systems TS.Census Table 4: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Table 5: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Table 6: Price List: Tally Systems Census Family Gartner Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

2 Corporate Headquarters Tally Systems 30 Lafayette Street Lebanon, NH 03766, U.S.A. Tel: Fax: Internet: Overview Table 1: Product Overview: Tally Systems Census Family Product Type TS.Census TS.Census Usage Module Version Software auditing and asset-tracking software Software usage tracking and reporting Hosted PC inventory service providing inventory over the Web Census inventory data in Systems Management Server (SMS) Management Information Format (MIF) file format TS.Census Platform Supported TS.Census Manager Inventory Collector Databases Supported TS.Census Target Market TS.Census Windows 9.x, NT 4.0, 2000 or XP; Unix; Linux Internet access; Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later or Netscape Navigator 4.6 or 4.7 Internet access; Windows 95/98, 2000, NT 4.0 or XP Windows 95/98, NT 4.0, 2000 or XP; Microsoft SMS Microsoft Structured Query Language (SQL) 7.0 and Microsoft SQL 2000, Oracle8 None required data export service available to Access, comma-separated value (CSV), Microsoft SQL 7.0, Microsoft SQL 2000 Not required; data stored in SMS database Small-to-large enterprises Small-to-medium enterprises, service providers Small-to-large enterprises using Microsoft SMS 14 August

3 Table 2: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Census Base Technology Feature Asset Identification Function The asset-identification features are driven by Tally Systems Census Recognition Technology, which uses a variety of recognition methodologies to make the Census products discover as much information as possible about each managed asset. These methods include: Proprietary hardware and software fingerprints Desktop Management Interface (DMI) System Management Basic Input/Output System (SM BIOS) Version Resource Block (VRB) Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) These methods are used to discover detailed information on the following assets: Applications Operating systems Workstations Systems Processors Storage I/O and peripheral devices Networks Recognition tests have also been developed by Tally Systems in conjunction with a number of hardware vendors. Table 3: Features and Functions: Tally Systems TS.Census License Management Suite Recognition License Auditing Automated Product Recognition Update (PRU) Retrieval Software recognition can identify software suites as well as individual applications. For example, if TS.Census detects an installation of Microsoft Word 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1) that is a component of Microsoft Office Professional 97 SR-1, it will also report the Office installation, matching the official nomenclature used by Microsoft to describe the packaged product. This technique, always using the official manufacturer s nomenclature, simplifies the process of reconciling purchasing and accounting records with an actual inventory of installed software. TS.Census clients can be installed as NT Services or as applications or can run without any client installed at all. This enables scanning to occur when users are not logged in, simplifying the process of auditing software licenses with a minimum impact on corporate productivity and network resources. Tally Systems publishes an update to the TS.Census product-recognition database every 30 days including the latest editions of brand-name software and hardware products. The process of downloading monthly PRUs from the Tally Systems Web site has been automated for ease of use. Users have the choice of letting TS.Census automatically download, expand and apply the PRU or doing those steps manually. 14 August

4 Table 3: Features and Functions: Tally Systems TS.Census License Management Unix/Linux Hardware/Software Recognition License Compliance/Lease Management Usage Reporting Reporting Facilities Built-In Reports Filtering Web Publishing TS.Census 2.1 offers the inventory of Unix systems, giving a centralized view of both Windows/Intel and Unix systems. The Unix collection client gathers detailed hardware and software information from Unix systems, including: Software manufacturer, product, model, category, subcategory and path Operating system manufacturer, product, model and version System manufacturer, product and serial number Workstation machine name and ID, IP address, serial number, CPU details, total memory Detailed Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) and integrated development environment (IDE) data, including disk details, CD/DVD-ROM, removable media, diskettes, keyboards, LAN adapters, memory modules, monitors, mouse, operating system (OS), parallel ports, serial ports, sound cards and video adapters It tracks software license purchasing records and reconciles them with actual inventory of installed software, enabling ongoing software license compliance. It also tracks software license keys, license names and the number of software licenses purchased. TS.Census also has leasing fields for the TS.Census workstation data to help users track their leased PCs. These fields track the lease expiration date and lease contract. A lease report identifies workstations under lease contracts and their lease status. The TS.Census Usage Module combines inventory and usage information to detail how inventoried software is being used, including local products created by users and files that appear in the Files Not Identified list (FNI). New software usage reports show: Which applications are being used Who is using those applications Total application runtime and average application active time Inactive and underutilized applications This data can be applied to analyzing software overbuying, software license compliance, budgeting planning and managing network bandwidth. TS.Census built-in reports allow access to inventory data, such as: Hardware and software component reports Software license auditing and reconciliation reports, designed specifically for Business Software Alliance (BSA) and Microsoft license compliance Software usage reports Upgrade reports Lost and found component reports Workstation change reports Stockroom editor Component breakdown reports The TS.Census Query Tool provides filtering capabilities, enabling the extraction of information according to defined criteria. The product s Web-based reports allow drill-down inventory details to be published to an intranet. 14 August

5 Table 4: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Inventory Web-Accessible Reports Security captures the inventory data of thousands of automatically recognized products. Updated recognition information is continually available. Inventory data collected includes: Hardware system (by brand name), BIOS, bus type, communications cards, CPUs, hard drive, memory, modems, monitors, keyboards, printers and video adapters Software operating system, network drivers, application software (manufacturer, product name, version, serial number, foreign language edition, installation path) and suite products Workstation end-user name, machine name, IP address, Media Access Control (MAC) address, total memory, total disk space and free disk space provides access to more than 30 ready-to-run reports via the Web. The user has the ability to drill down on enterprise-level reports to see data for departments and individuals. Reports can be viewed in Microsoft Excel, if required, to facilitate data manipulation. Inventory data can be exported in Microsoft Access, SQL Server or CSV format as required. Reports include: Windows Readiness (Windows 2000 Professional Readiness, Windows 2000 Server Readiness, Windows 2000 Advanced Server Readiness, Windows XP Professional Readiness, OS by Service Pack) Software Compliance (Software by Manufacturer, Software by Category, Duplicate Software Serial Numbers, Operating Systems, Microsoft Audit, All Software Audit) End-User Support (Hardware Summary by Category, Find Workstations, Systems, Free Disk Space, OS by Service Pack, BIOS, Software by Category) Planning and Budgeting (General System Readiness, Hardware by Manufacturer, Software by Manufacturer, Systems, Operating Systems, Processors, Disk Space, Free Disk Space, Memory Size, Memory Upgrade, All Workstations) data security is implemented on three levels: User Authentication: Account and data access is protected by login and password. All login sessions use secure HTTP. Network Security: Firewalls use Network Address Translation to prevent direct connections to production servers or outside network attack. Physical Security: Physical access to the servers is restricted by card-key systems. Also, the Inventory Agent does not identify or transfer confidential information, such as the names or contents of data files. Inventory data is encrypted and transferred via a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection. Table 5: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Hardware Recognition Capabilities Product names and model numbers Monitor serial numbers PC serial numbers (Microsoft SMS captures information for Windows 2000 SM BIOS machines only.) BIOS Hard drive manufacturer serial numbers Memory slot details 14 August

6 Table 5: Features and Functions: Tally Systems Software Recognition Capabilities Software suites Application manufacturer and product names, using normalized nomenclature that corresponds to purchasing invoice descriptions of installed products, as opposed to rawexecutablefilelists Non-Windows 32 applications Locally developed and custom software applications Analysis Tally Systems claims to have pioneered automated PC hardware and software recognition, and the products it has developed address the areas of software migration, software license compliance, IT asset tracking and end-user support. Addressing the enterprise is Tally Systems flagship product, TS.Census (formerly known as Net Census). A spin-off from the core product, provides a hosted application developed to address particularly urgent, time-critical requirements. provides a collection agent that performs all the scanning functions and is available as a plug-in module for Microsoft SMS. Census Recognition Technology At the heart of the entire Census product range, and the key to distinguishing Tally Systems PC inventory products from those of other vendors, is Tally Systems patented Census Recognition Technology. Using this technology, Tally has itself installed everything that is identified (including multiple executables) to develop an accurate fingerprint. This enables the Tally technology to automatically identify not only exactly what a user has, but also how it is installed for example, whether it is a component of something else. Data such as serial numbers, suite information, versions and user information can all be identified. A number of proprietary and standardized recognition methodologies are utilized by Census, promoting greater accuracy than if it were to rely on a single source, registry, WMI or simple file recognition for information. TS.Census Tally Systems high-end enterprise tool, and the flagship product in its portfolio, is the TS.Census software auditing and asset-tracking software, capable of automatically identifying tens of thousands of software and hardware products. TS.Census leverages the company s patented Census Recognition Technology. Providing definitive information about an enterprise s hardware and software assets, TS.Census can help to optimize IT investments, reduce costs and improve end-user productivity. Help desk efficiency can be improved through TS.Census supplying current on-demand configuration details and machine profiles, expediting the solving of end-user problems. TS.Census scan-on-demand capability enables remote inventory of specific workstations without disrupting preexisting scan schedules. Particularly valuable for help desk personnel, scan on demand provides the most current configuration details, thereby decreasing diagnosis times and reducing visits to the desktop. Scans can be scheduled and data edited behind the scenes, eliminating the need for end-user interaction. Thanks to TS.Census client/server architecture, SQL server database and TCP/IP-based enterprise architecture, the system is highly scalable. Distributed PCs can be managed from a single, centralized location, or control and management can be distributed to a number of locations. Access to inventory data is enabled via TS.Census extensive built-in reports. In addition, the TS.Census Query Tool provides advanced filtering capabilities, enabling the extraction of information according to defined criteria. Version 2.2 of TS.Census offers enhanced features, such as automatic identification of Microsoft hot fixes, as well as interactive Web reports modeled on the product. Future enhancements in the next six 14 August

7 months include additional recognition for Virus definition files and the integration of software distribution and remote control products. TS.Census Integration Tally Systems has actively developed TS.Census integration with other products. Integration with Microsoft SMS allows network managers to import PC hardware and software asset information directly from TS.Census into SMS. Service desk vendor, Remedy, released a Discovery Service for Tally Systems TS.Census in December of 2002, an integration product that enables Remedy Help Desk and Remedy Asset Management to work with TS.Census. An interface between TS.Census and Computer Associates Unicenter Argis asset repository software matches asset ownership records in the Unicenter Argis central repository with physical inventory data from TS.Census to identify discrepancies and facilitate reconciliation. Tally Systems is also updating an integration with MainControl s MCEmpower and maintains integration with a number of help desk vendors, including DKSystems DK Helpdesk. Providing inventory information over the Web, is a hosted application that eliminates the need to install, maintain or manage an inventory tool. Once the required license is purchased, the customer is given the relevant unique Inventory Collector link for each group created (according to department, location, cost center or other custom identifier as required). The inventory is initiated by having users click on the relevant inventory link or running the inventory codes from the LAN, initiating it automatically at login. Once initiated, the Inventory Collector will download onto their PC and scan for hardware, software and workstation information. Once the inventory is complete, the workstation data will be automatically loaded into the database, ready for viewing via the Web. Tracking the number of PCs that have been loaded into the database at a particular date and time can monitor the status of the inventory process. provides more than 30 pre-configured reports that allow drilling down to find further details. includes a portable collector for nonnetworked PCs, recognition for custom and locally developed software and a self-contained intranet version of. Channel Service Offering has become Tally s service offering to value-added resellers (VARs), resellers and large integrators. The product is designed to integrate its inventory information into the user s own service offerings. Large-scale organizations like Siemens Business Services (SBS) and niche players such as Tech Trak have signed agreements with Tally Systems to host customized and localized editions of for their clients. Tally Systems seeks to expand this circle of partners, offering Census Recognition Technology in a delivered package that requires only minimal setup and has no real infrastructure costs. provides a collection agent, made available as a plug-in module for Microsoft SMS, essentially adding a complete set of inventory data to the SMS database. Unlike TS.Census, which includes a database and infrastructure to support stand-alone inventory, is a pure auto discovery engine that works in conjunction with SMS by collecting inventory data from a PC and translating it directly into an SMS MIF file format. After installing locally or on a network drive, it can be launched through a login script or SMS. The collector scans the target machines and automatically converts the inventory data to MIF format for each workstation. SMS collects the MIF files and loads them into its database, where it is then available for query and reporting. Although there is also a more traditional SMS integration with TS.Census, was developed in 14 August

8 response to particular demand for SMS integration to replace the software recognition capabilities of SMS. Professional Services Tally Systems Professional Services offers implementation packages to maximize product capability and smooth deployment: on-site assistance with product installation, skills transfer, prototype installation, documentation and rollout recommendations. Migration, network inventory and consulting, and services are also provided. Partner Programs Tally Systems places strategic value on third-party relationships. The Tally Systems Partner Program includes three basic categories: Business Partners (North American Business Partners and International Business Partners, the latter under the auspices of the TS.Link Partner Program) Technology Partners MSP Hosting Partners (A program centered around the technology is specifically designed for Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs), service providers and other outsourcing partners. Siemens Business Services recently became a key hosting partner of, making it a part of its Sequence offering.) Pricing Table 6: Price List: Tally Systems Census Family Product Price TS.Census + Usage Module Intranet edition Education Discount Leasing Multicopy Discount Site License Pricing as of June GSA Pricing Yes. Competitors $21 per client scanned, in the 1,000-client range (also available on a subscription basis) $3 to $15 per PC, based on length of subscription (one, three or 12 months) and type of service $10.65 per client scanned, in the 1,000-client range $15 per client scanned in the 2,000-client range, for a one-year subscription Yes Yes Yes No Competition to Tally Systems Census products depends on the specific market sector, although TS.Census primary niche is in the area of asset tracking: Inventory management: Novell Zenworks, Microsoft SMS and LANDesk Software LANDesk (all of which have an inventory component), Attest Systems Gasp 14 August

9 Asset tracking: Tangram Enterprise Insight and Asset Insight Asset repository: CA Argis, Remedy Asset Management Software (built on Action Request System) and Peregrine AssetCenter although Tally Systems offers integration with all these tools and does not officially regard them as competition Competition also comes at the high end from CA Unicenter, IBM Tivoli Systems Management Software and HP OpenView, as these management suites offer inventory functions. Strengths Census Recognition Technology Tally Systems jewel in the crown is its Census Recognition Technology, which enables the Census products to collect a wide range of information on a customer s hardware and software assets. It relies on several recognition methodologies rather than a single source or simple file recognition for information. More than just identifying versions and serial numbers, the software can detail product types, ownership, how the asset is being used and how it is installed. Low-Risk Inventory Tool With As is a subscription-based service, it represents a low-maintenance way to audit enterprise PCs with predictable ongoing fees and nothing to build, install or manage. PCs can be audited, and inventory results returned in minutes. Reports and inventory data can be accessed by IT managers instantly via the Web. Limitations Asset Repository Tally Systems does not offer the traditional asset repository that much of its competition offers. Although fields have been added to TS.Census to track leases, it does not produce a traditional asset repository in which the data collected by its Census Recognition Technology can be directly connected to financial and purchasing data for asset-management reporting. However, Tally Systems has expanded and updated many of its integrations with asset repository vendors. The vendor believes that TS.Census assettracking and software license management features alone can provide 90 percent of the functionality associated with a traditional asset repository approach. The company has taken many steps to add assetmanagement features to TS.Census recently. Software Distribution Gone The vendor is no longer offering its software distribution product, TS.Ready. TS.Ready was the name given to Swan s Vision64, of which Tally was an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Tally decided to focus its sales and development efforts on its asset inventory tools and has ceased to be an OEM for the product. The vendor plans to address this lack of functionality in the next release of the product. Insight Detail-oriented customers would be wise to consider Tally Systems Census family products. Its proprietary recognition technology enables the product to gather more practical information about an asset, such as ownership and how it s being used. This type of information is particularly valuable when renegotiating software licensing. The lack of a traditional asset repository may concern some potential customers, but that and other features not covered by Census are available through integration with third- 14 August

10 party software. Such integration, including Computer Associates Unicenter Argis asset repository software, plus agreements with Remedy and MainControl, address these concerns. 14 August