Activation Blog

Updated! Quick Start Guide for Microsoft SCCM

michelegartner — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:07:59 GMT

Check out the updated Microsoft SCCM Quick Start Guide! It was updated for usability and expanded with lots of new info.

Take a peek!

Quick Start Install Guide for SCCM SP1 Out of Band Management Rev1.8

New and Improved! LANDesk 8.8 Quick Start Guide

michelegartner — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:33:09 GMT

Using LANDesk 8.8 for your vPro deployment? This quick start guide was updated to add new details and increase usability.

Quick Start Guide for LANDesk* and Intel® AMT

Use the iAMT Scan tool to troubleshoot SCS provisioning issues

lharkness — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:01:32 GMT

Use the iAMT Scan Results Troubleshooting Guide. v.01 and the iAMT Scan - Custom Inventory helps with Enterprise Activations to resolve some common provisioning problems.

iAMT Scan Results Troubleshooting Guide. v.01

Activator packaging

lharkness — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:22:02 GMT

Today I've posted a couple of documents that outline tools we have developed to deploy the activator tool in several Enterprise enviroments. Activator Packaging gives an overview of the tool and the requirements Building Activator Packages is an example of a script and packaging tool used to deliver the Activator Utility and the syntax to initially provision systems and to keep the host name sychronized.

Updated today! Setting up certificates? Check out this guide.

michelegartner — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:24:50 GMT

Here's a guide that provides step-by-step instruction for purchasing a VeriSign certificate and then importing it into Internet Explorer for use with LANDesk 8.8.

Installing VeriSign Certificates on LANDesk 8.8

ROI Analysis: Telkomsel projects cumulative savings of $430k over 4 years!

michelegartner — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:13:41 GMT

Here's a new ROI analysis paper - that shows a positive ROI over 4 years of 180%!

Telkomsel upgraded approximately 36% of their machines with vPro systems. They implemented use cases such as off-hours patch management, remote asset tracking, and remote diagnostics and repair - and started to see significant savings!

ROI Analysis: Positive ROI of 180% with More Reliable, Secure, Scalable IT Using PCs with Intel® vPro™ Technology

ROI Analysis: Panyu People's Hospital projects savings of 99% in asset inventories!

michelegartner — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:51:07 GMT

Read this ROI study to see how Panyu People's Hospital will slash asset inventory costs by remotely accessing the out-of-band, persistent hardware asset information stored in the protected memory built into PCs with Intel vPro technology.

ROI Analysis: 99% Remote Inventory Success and Reduced Service Costs Using Intel® Core™2 Processors with vPro™ Technology

Implementing Asset Tracking with Symantec Altiris

michelegartner — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:17:24 GMT

Using Symantec Altiris for your management console? Check out this use case document to help you implement asset tracking inventory:

Altiris Use Case: Asset Tracking Inventory

ROI Analysis - See how University of Plymouth saved $$$ with 4800 vPro systems

michelegartner — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:28:56 GMT

Their break-even point for Intel vPro technology was achieved in under a year! Read all about it:

ROI Analysis: Leaner and Greener Because of Intel® Core™2 Processors with vPro™ Technology (University of Plymouth)

New! Hands On Training lab for SMS users

michelegartner — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 13:57:13 GMT

If you are the type of person who actually reads the manual (and I thank you for it ), then this is your lucky day!

I just uploaded a Hands On Training Lab for the Microsoft SMS Add-on. It covers Basic (SMB) and Standard (Enterprise) provisioning models.

Hands On Training Lab for the Microsoft* SMS 2003 Add-on

In addition, Intel(R) Management Engine User Guide (Intel(R) AMT 4.0) was uploaded yesterday - and Flowy posted an awesome use case doc to help you create your ISO images.

Revised! Intel Management Engine user guide (AMT 4.0/Montevina)

michelegartner — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:17:10 GMT

I just posted a newly revised version of this user guide - it was transformed by a technical writer to improve usability. It's just what you need if you are getting ready to deploy one of the new Centrino2's with vPro technology.

Intel(R) Management Engine User Guide (Intel(R) AMT 4.0)

New issues posted to Known Issues, Best Practices, & Workarounds!

michelegartner — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:45:48 GMT

Check out new issues posted today!

Cannot provision a system that uses an underscore in the host name

Does the Intel SCS automatically push updates to the CRL (Certificate Revocation List) to clients?

Firewalls may not let Intel(R) AMT clients communicate with management consoles

Implementing network filtering with Symantec Altiris

michelegartner — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:16:05 GMT

If you are using Altiris as your management console, then check out this new use case document for implementing network filters!

Altiris Use Case: Network Filtering and System Defense

ROI Analysis - Check out Cleveland Clinic's savings - $442k just in power savings!

michelegartner — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:37:30 GMT

Take a look at this ROI Analysis document. It shows that Cleveland Clinic will save $442k in net power savings over 4 years. In addition, they will save 29,000 IT support man-hours by year 4 through improved asset management and reduced deskside visits, remote patch management and reimaging and repair.

ROI Analysis: Improving Productivity and Reducing Energy Costs and Consumption with Intel® vPro™ Technology

Time to get activating - but wait.. is it Secure?

josh.hilliker — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:46:54 GMT

I was recently asked about the security of vPro and Intel Active Management Technology, therefore I started to pull together all the resources I leverage when discussing this topic and help to alleviate concerns of the Information Security folks in the IT shops. here are those links and if you find additional ones that help please add on to the blog.

Hardening Measures Built into Intel® Active Management Technology
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/3703.htm

AMT System Defense Usecases
http://communities.intel.com/docs/DOC-1278

Intel® Active Management Technology Protect Use Cases
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/1031.htm

Intel® Active Management Technology Use Case #7: Hardware-Based Isolation and Recovery (Protect)
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/1179.htm

If any questions on security of vPro please let me know.