Q&A Session for PerfectDisk 2008 Command Center Webinar Session number: 481833677 Date: May 1, 2008 Starting time: 10:16 am _________________________________________________________________ Q: How can we remotely deploy the software? A: You can remotely deploy PerfectDisk 2008 Clients using the Command Center. You select the computers that you wish to deploy to, the deployment mechanism (WMI or RSCM), whether you will deploy using .msi package or self-extracting exe and browse to the location of the installation .msi or .exe _________________________________________________________________ Q: Where do we get the management console? A: The Command Center is free and can be downloaded from http://www.raxco.com/products/downloadit/pdcc_download.cfm _________________________________________________________________ Q: How is the information stored in the Command Center? A: Command Center information is stored in a SQL database. The Command Center comes with SQLite which can be used to manage a small number of computers (up to 100). For managing more than 100 computers, SQL Server (or SQL Express) provides better performance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can you convert SQLite to full blown SQL if you find you have grown to over 100 nodes? A: Yes, it is possible but not using the Command Center itself. You'll need to get in touch with Support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Where did you get the MSI file? A: Can be extracted from the PerfectDisk 2008 web downloads. You can download from http://www.raxco.com/products/downloadit/download_perfectdisk2008.cfm _________________________________________________________________ Q: If I select a OU to be my defrag clients can I stagger the defrag times so they are not all running at once? A: Yes. You can assign a different defrag schedule to the linked O/U (or via AD/GPO). _________________________________________________________________ Q: CC can be installed on more than one machine to machine if using a SQL server? A: Yes. Multiple Command Centers can link to the same SQL Server database. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Considering a few thousand servers... i would like to have two kind of users for the console. a admin and a user (who cannot change account info, or deploy). is there a way? A: No. The Command Center allows access to all functions. It doesn't allow restricting functions to users. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can we set a configuration policy that encompasses new machines? A: Easily done via AD/GPO. You can also pre-configure PerfectDisk prior to deployment so that on install it is pre-configured/scheduled. The Command Center does not have an "auto-assign" of config to computers. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What happens inside CC if I deployed to server XXFS2 and later XXFS2 is renamed in AD to XXFS1? A: If you are using OU Linking in the CC, the CC will update itself - removing the "old" computer name and adding the "new" computer name. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Is there a way to remove the GUI interface from a remote machine without completely uninstalling PD and then re-installing it without the GUI? A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: I am not using OU linking - but will the agent checkin with the new name? A: If not using OU linking then you'll need to manually update your managed computers - removing the old computer and adding the new computer. _________________________________________________________________ Q: We have approximately 85 seats and 4 servers at our main site, currently running PD V8. Can you provide any best practices / guidance on what the best way to upgrade to PD 2008 would be? We are also using PD for Exchange on one server. A: If you install the PD2008CC on a system where the PD8 CC is currently installed, when you first run the PD2008CC you will be provided with an option to migrate the existing PD8CCdatabase to PD2008CC. It will migrate existing defined groups, managed computers, logon profiles/assignments and CC defined schedules. _________________________________________________________________ Q: In the case of a computer having both an alert and a warning, which will display? A: In the Monitoring pane, if a computer has both an Alert and a Warning, the Alert is what will be displayed as Alerts indicate that immediate action needs to be taken. In the Alerting pane, all alerts and warnings for a computer are displayed. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What is the difference between doing stealth patrol and doing a normal weekly/daily defrag? A: StealthPatrol defragments your computer when the system is "idle" - based on CPU and disk resource usage. Since there is no guarantee that the system will ever be "idle", there is no guarantee with StealthPatrol that defragmentation will occur (especially on very busy servers or workstations/laptops). With a scheduled defragmentation pass, defragmentation is guaranteed to occur. You can always configure PerfectDisk to run at a low CPU priority and to perform disk throttling so that when PerfectDisk runs (manually or scheduled defrag), it uses as little system resources as possible. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can we SQL 2005 64 bit to store command center data? A: Yes, you can use SQL 2005 64-bit as the back end database for the Command Center. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Ar there any plans to integrate this function into PDCC? "Easily done via AD/GPO. You can also pre-configure PerfectDisk prior to deployment so that on install it is pre-configured/scheduled. From the CC, no "auto-assign" of config." A: Not at this time as Group Policy integration already accomplishes this task. _________________________________________________________________ Q: what ports have to be open for remote connections? A: Please see http://www.raxco.com/support/kb_detail.cfm?action=topsupport&kbid=719&prod=11&ver=2008 for pre-deployment requirements - including ports/protocols used by the Command Center to communicate with managed computers. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What about as far as getting all the clients upgraded? I assume we want to do the CC first. Then it will not be able to see the PD V8 clients, correct? Do we then just deploy the new client, and it will install over V8? A: If you install the PD2008CC on a system where the PD8 CC is currently installed, when you first run the PD2008CC you will be provided with an option to migrate the existing PD8CCdatabase to PD2008CC. It will migrate existing defined groups, managed computers, logon profiles/assignments and CC defined schedules. Then, you can simply deploy PD2008 to the managed computers and if PD8 is installed on the computer, it will upgrade to PD2008. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Where do you place the license? A: You can pre-configure PerfectDisk 2008 prior to deployment so that the license key is entered on installation. Please see the PerfectDisk 2008 Client Best Practices Guide at http://www.raxco.com/whitepapers/PD2008_BestPractices.pdf for more information. Licenses can also be deployed via the Command Center and/or Active Directory Group Policy. _________________________________________________________________ Q: If you have already installed PD2008 on your clients can they be added to Command Center without re-installing the clients? A: Yes. Simply create your managed groups or link to an existing OU and create/assign logon profiles. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Also, what about moving from manually managed to AD managed? A: I'm not sure that I understand your question. Please Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: how do you deploy the license? A: You can pre-configure PerfectDisk 2008 prior to deployment so that the license key is entered on installation. Please see the PerfectDisk 2008 Client Best Practices Guide at http://www.raxco.com/whitepapers/PD2008_BestPractices.pdf for more information. Licenses can also be deployed via the Command Center and/or Active Directory Group Policy. _________________________________________________________________ Q: what about connecting to machines already deployed as stand alone? A: I'm not sure that I understand your question. Please Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can you deploy it using IP addresses vs browsing the network? A: Yes. When you enter an IP address for a computer and add it to your customer groups and the Command Center can then deploy/schedule/configure/etc... _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can you use the 2008 CMD Center with PD8 clients? A: No. The PerfectDisk 2008 Command Center can only be used to manage PerfectDisk 2008 Clients. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Other than bad credentials, what are other common deployment failure problems and what is the "usual" solution? A: Please see http://www.raxco.com/support/kb_detail.cfm?action=topsupport&kbid=733&prod=11&ver=2008 for common issues. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Is the command center accessible via the web browser? A: No, the Command Center is not accessible via a web browser interface. _________________________________________________________________ Q: I would like more information on Preconfiguring the msi. Where can I get more information? A: Please see the PerfectDisk 2008 Client Best Practices Guide at http://www.raxco.com/whitepapers/PD2008_BestPractices.pdf for more information on pre-configuring prior to deployment. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What version of the client is required for the CC and where do I get it? A: In order for the PerfectDisk 2008 Command Center to manage PerfectDisk 2008 clients, the clients must be running Build 52 or newer. Full installs of PerfectDisk 2008 clients can be downloaded from http://www.raxco.com/products/downloadit/download_perfectdisk2008.cfm. Updates for older builds of PerfectDisk 2008 clients can be downloaded from http://www.raxco.com/support/windows/updates.cfm#pd90 _________________________________________________________________ Q: i've noticed a missed schedules are reschedules themselfs for a year later not the next date chosen, is there a fix for this A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: what is the recommended amount of times to run a defrag? A: Please see the PerfectDisk 2008 Client Best Practices Guide at http://www.raxco.com/whitepapers/PD2008_BestPractices.pdf for more information. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Is there a way to auto deploy PD2008? If a computer is added to a managed OU, will it auto install? A: Not using the Command Center. However, this can easily be accomplished using Active Directory Group Policy. _________________________________________________________________ Q: If we have existing RPC issues with deploying the PerfectDisk clients in PD V8, when we upgrade to PD2008 will it try to re-deploy the client to those with RPC issues or will it continue to have issues because it was in existence prior to the upgrade? A: If there are RPC issues with the PD8CC, since the PD2008CC also communicates via RPC/DCOM, there may still continue to be issues. However, the PD2008CC has built-in diagnostics that can test/verify network communication with a remote computer and help identify issues that are preventing communication. Another new feature of the PD2008CC is the ability to re-process tasks on just computers that have failed (once you have identified and resolved the issue that prevented the PD2008CC from communicating in the first place). For example, if you had a deployment task for 100 computers and 10 computers failed, you can have the PD2008CC re-run that deployment task on just the 10 failed computers. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What if I get an SQL database error on install of PD command Center A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Why do I get a defragmentation day old alert on a weekly defrag setting? A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Received the following error deploying to a client: 0x800706BA: WMI failed to connect. Is the WMI or Netlogon service stopped? Is a firewall blocking port 135? A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Will the 2008 Command Center upgrade Perfect Disk 8 clients or will we have to uninstall PD 8 and install 2008 A: If you install the PD2008CC on a system where the PD8 CC is currently installed, when you first run the PD2008CC you will be provided with an option to migrate the existing PD8CCdatabase to PD2008CC. It will migrate existing defined groups, managed computers, logon profiles/assignments and CC defined schedules. Then, you can simply deploy PD2008 to the managed computers and if PD8 is installed on the computer, it will upgrade to PD2008. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Is there a 'Getting Started' PDF to cover CC? A: User Guides can be downloaded from http://www.raxco.com/support/userguides.cfm _________________________________________________________________ Q: Do you have to run the firewall config tool on all pc's before remote deploying perfect disk? A: If you are running the Windows firewall (or other firewall), then you will likely need to configure the firewall on a managed computer prior to using the Command Center to deploy/schedule/etc. Please see http://www.raxco.com/support/kb_detail.cfm?action=topsupport&kbid=719&prod=11&ver=2008 for pre-deployment requirements - including ports/protocols used by the Command Center to communicate with managed computers. _________________________________________________________________ Q: If you migrate from manual groups in PD V8 to AD groups in PD 2008, what is the best way to acccomplish this? Should the old groups be deleted, and new AD-integrated groups be created? A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: How should the Firewalls be configured to allow CC through? Please see http://www.raxco.com/support/kb_detail.cfm?action=topsupport&kbid=719&prod=11&ver=2008 for pre-deployment requirements - including ports/protocols used by the Command Center to communicate with managed computers. _________________________________________________________________ Q: What version is the CC now? A: Build 54 is the initial release of the PerfectDisk 2008 Command Center. _________________________________________________________________ Q: is there a way to tell the SQLLITE a different path to install to? A: Yes. Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: When updating through CC, it will not update. A: Contact Raxco Technical Support at http://www.raxco.com/support for assistance. _________________________________________________________________ Q: Can both Perfect Disk 8 and PD 2008 be running at the same time A: No. PerfectDisk 8 and PerfectDisk 2008 can not be installed/running at the same time. If you install PerfectDisk 2008 on a system where PerfectDisk is currently installed, PerfectDisk 8 will be upgraded to PerfectDisk 2008.