This Q&A article provides information on which Dell products, such as Dell Client Solution and Dell Management Console, work with different versions of the Symantec Management Platform. Also included are commonly asked general questions and answers for Dell products for Altiris.

Which Dell Products Work with Different Versions of the Symantec Management Platform?

Question: What Dell products are available and supported on what Symantec Management Platform versions?
Answer: There are several Dell products that can be used on the Symantec Management Platform. These vary depending on the platform version:
 

• Symantec Management Platform 7.5
  Supported: Deployment Solution for Dell Servers 7.1 SP1 HF 2 and Deployment Solution for Dell Servers x64 SP1.
   
• Symantec Management Platform 7.1
  Supported: Dell Management Console 2.0.2 (7.1 SP1) and 2.0.3 (7.1 SP2) and Deployment Solution for Dell Servers x64 7.1.
   
• Symantec Management Platform 7.0 MR4
  Supported: Dell Client Solution 3.2 and Deployment Solution for Dell Servers x86 7.1.
   
• Symantec Management Platform 7.0 pre-MR4
  Supported: Dell Client Manager 3.0 and 3.1, Dell Management Console 1.1, Altiris Patch Management Solution for Dell Servers 7.0 and Deployment Solution for Dell Servers x86 7.1.
   
• Notification Sever 6
  Best Effort Support: Altiris Dell Client Manager 2.2 (discontinued) and Altiris Monitor Solution for Dell Servers 6.1 (discontinued). Note: Altiris Dell Client Manager 2.2 does not include support for newer Dell models and is discontinued and out-of-date. Information about this can be found in the following article:
  
  Does Dell Client Manager 2.2 support newer Dell models, such as the OptiPlex 760?
  http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO10741

Question: How can old Symantec Management Platform versions that have Dell Management Console be migrated/upgraded to newer Symantec Management Platform versions?
Answer: Refer to the following articl that describes how to upgrade to ITMS 7.5 when Dell Management Console is installed in an old Symantec Management Platform version. Note: For an open Symantec case, please have your Symantec technician refer to the internal note in this article for further instructions.

Upgrade from DMC 2.0.0 - 2.0.3 to ITMS 7.5 with OME integration
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO93880

Question: Are Dell products no longer being made by Dell for current versions of the Symantec Management Platform?
Answer: As discussed above in the first question and answer, as newer versions of the Symantec Management Platform are released, Dell has made fewer Dell products for them. There are currently no plans between Dell and Symantec to release older, unsupported Dell products on newer Symantec Management Platform versions, such as the Dell Client Solution for the Symantec Management Platform 7.5.

General Questions and Answers for Dell Products for Altiris

Question: What are the differences between the Dell Client Manager, Dell Client Solution and Dell Management Console?
Answer: It is not in this article's scope to cover all of the differences between these three products. For a summary, Dell Client Manager is the original client-based (workstations only) Dell product for Altiris. This is available on the Notification Server 6 (2.2) and the Symantec Management Platform 7.0 (3.0 and 3.1) pre-MR4. Dell Client Manager was then rebranded as Dell Client Solution 3.2 for the Symantec Management Platform 7.0 MR4 and higher versions of 7.0. The Dell Client Solution/Dell Client Manager aides in administering Dell computers that are workstations, such as the Dell OptiPlex 745. Specifically, only the OptiPlex, Latitude and Precision workstation models can be used. The Dell Management Console is the server-based (servers only) Dell product for Altiris. The Dell Management Console aides in administering Dell computers that are business servers, such as the Dell PowerEdge.

Question: Who provides technical support for Dell products in the Symantec Management Platform?
Answer: Symantec Technical Support provides technical assistance in installing, using, troubleshooting and uninstalling all workstation-based Dell products (the Dell Client Manager and Dell Client Solution), whereas Dell Technical Support provides all technical assistance in installing, using, troubleshooting and uninstalling the Dell Management Platform. Note: For the Symantec technician assisting a customer with a Dell Management Platform case, please refer to this article's internal notes for addtional instructions on support options for the customer.

Regarding Dell technical support for the Dell Management Console:
 

• The Dell Management Console product is free from Dell for any Dell Server customer.
• Call the Dell standard technical support number for assistance with the Dell Management Console.
• The customer must provide the service tag number of the Dell Server they purchased to be permitted into the queue, even if the Dell Management Console is not running on a Dell server. This then enables the customer to go to the Dell Management Console support queue at Dell. Note: If the customer is unsure what their Dell Server service tag number is, they will not be able to speak to a Dell Management Console technician. The customer will want to obtain this number first before calling Dell technical support.
• Dell technical support can be reached at (800) 945-3355.

Question: Where can all installed Dell products in Altiris be found at?
Answer: The installed Dell software location depends on the platform version:
 

• Symantec Management Platform 7.x
  Open the Symantec Installation Manager and view the "Installed products" list.
   
• Notification Server 6
  In the Altiris Console 6.0, click on the Configuration tab > Upgrade/Install Additional Solutions > Currently Installed.
   

Some of the Dell products that may be installed include the following:
 

• Dell Client Manager Standard
• Dell Common. Note: Dell Common is part of Dell Management Console but is also installed and used by Dell Client Solution. Among other things, this installs the Warranty Extractor task. If the Warranty Extractor task fails to work, this may then be considered to be a Dell Management Console-related issue and the customer therefore be referred to contact Dell Technical Support for further technical assistance.
• Dell Common Update
• Dell Solutions
• Dell Solutions Update 

 
Question: Why did installing a Dell product change the Symantec Management Platform 7.0/7.1 to a blue-colored theme and rename it to "Dell Management Console - Powered by Altiris"? Does this mean that the Dell Management Console product is now installed?
Answer: Installing most Dell products in the Symantec Management Platform 7.0/7.1 will rebrand the console's colors from yellow to blue and rename it to "Dell Management Console - Powered by Altiris". This will then look like the below screenshot. This is cosmetic only and does not necessarily indicate that the Dell Management Console product is installed. To check what Dell products are installed, open the Symantec Installation Manager and view the "Installed products" list. Because this is only a rebranding, Symantec Technical Support fully supports providing assistance as this is simply the Symantec Management Console rebranded. However, if the customer has questions or issues regarding the Dell Management Console product, these should instead be directed to Dell Technical Support. Note: An internal-only Symantec Knowledge Base article exists that provides information on how to change the branding back to the yellow-theme. This can be provided upon request by contacting Symantec Technical Support and asking for article HOWTO41799.

 


Question: Does Symantec Technical Support offer assistance to customers in programming the Dell OMCI to access Dell web services, etc., for the Dell Client Solution or the Dell Management Console?
Answer: Symantec Technical Support does not offer programming assistance for the Dell OMCI. Contact Dell Technical Support, who may by able to provide programming assistance or information for this.