Software Management Best Practices and Troubleshooting 8.5/8.6/8.7

Products

• Software Management Solution
• Client Management Suite
• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Is there a way to find out if a certain software package is installed on various computers?

We set up a blacklist policy to deny a software program from running and need to see reporting on the denial events.

Tips and Tricks, Troubleshooting common issues, Best Practices for configuration and usage, etc.

Resolution

Content Attached.

Table of Contents
SYMANTEC SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT 8.0-8.1 TROUBLESHOOTING AND BEST PRACTICES    1
HISTORY OF SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT    6
INTRODUCTION    7
THE ACTIVITY CENTER    8
SOFTWARE CATEGORIES    9
WHERE IS MY SOFTWARE?    9
SOFTWARE CATALOG    9
DRAG AND DROP    11
TROUBLESHOOTING    13
Cannot find Software    13
MANAGING SOFTWARE PRODUCTS    15
REVIEWING KNOWN PRODUCTS    15
CREATING SOFTWARE PRODUCTS \ IDENTIFY INVENTORY    17
Software Inventory    20
APPLICATION METERING, USAGE    20
Enable usage tracking option for the managed software product installed with an MSI-based installer    20
Enable usage tracking option for the managed software product at the component/version level    21
Enable usage tracking option for the managed software product at the product level    22
TROUBLESHOOTING    24
Software Components Missing    25
Application Metering Finding the Right EXE    25
GENERAL CONFIGURATION    28
SOFTWARE LIBRARY    28
SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT PLUG-INS    29
LICENSING    30
SOFTWARE CATALOG    32
TROUBLESHOOTING    32
Software Library Move    33
Software Management Plug-in not upgrading    34
Component or Association missing    34
PROCESS FLOWS    39
SOFTWARE RESOURCE    39
Import Method    40
Manual Creation    41
SOFTWARE COMPONENT DETAILS    41
PACKAGE    43
COMMAND-LINE    46
RULES    48
ASSOCIATIONS    53
FILE INVENTORY    55
SOFTWARE PUBLISHING    57
TROUBLESHOOTING    58
Package Download Issues    58
Command line Issues    60
Detection and Applicability Issues    61
Association Issues    63
QUICK DELIVERY    65
ADVANCED CONFIGURATION    66
Download Options    66
Run Options    67
Task Options    68
WALKTHROUGH    68
TARGETING AND SCHEDULING    70
Manual Selection    70
Targets    71
TASK SERVER    72
TROUBLESHOOTING    73
MANAGED SOFTWARE DELIVERY    77
GENERAL CONFIGURATION    77
SOFTWARE RESOURCE SETTINGS    79
COMPLIANCE SETTINGS    79
REMEDIATION SETTINGS    80
SUPERSEDE SETTINGS    80
ADVANCED OPTIONS    80
DOWNLOAD OPTIONS    80
RESULTS-BASED ACTIONS    83
WALKTHROUGH    84
TASK SETTINGS    85
SEQUENCING    86
COMPLEX SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT    87
SCHEDULING    93
CORE SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT    93
TESTING    94
RULES    95
Manual Execution    96
SOFTWARE PUBLISHING    96
TROUBLESHOOTING    96
THE SOFTWARE PORTAL    100
Common Terms and Acronyms    100
GENERAL SETUP    100
SOFTWARE PUBLISHING    101
SOFTWARE RESOURCE PUBLISHING    102
MANAGED SOFTWARE DELIVERY POLICY (MSD) PUBLISHING    103
SOFTWARE REQUEST    105
USER RESOURCES INTRO    105
Disable “Request Unlisted Software”    106
User Interaction    106
REQUESTS AND UPDATES    107
REQUEST DIALOGS    108
SOFTWARE APPROVAL    111
PORTALS    111
USER RESOURCES    114
FILTERING THE ADMIN OR MANAGER PORTALS    115
QUICK DELIVERY OR MSD FULFILMENT    119
Listed Software    119
MANAGED SOFTWARE DELIVERY POLICY    120
POPULATING THE PORTAL    120
Tables in Use    122
KNOWN ISSUE    123
TROUBLESHOOTING    123
Portal takes a long time to load or times out    123
Software Requests cannot be made    124
TRACKING DEPLOYMENTS    125
TASK SERVER STATUSES    125
PROVIDED REPORTS    127
CONCLUSION    130