Using out-of-band technologies with ITMS 7.5

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Article ID: 181904

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Updated On:

Products

Out of Band Management Component

Issue/Introduction

 

Resolution

 1. Out of Band Management Component no longer supported

The Out of Band Management Component (OOB) is no longer bundled with ITMS. This component was required to define, apply, and maintain the configuration of Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT). Symantec recommends using Intel® Setup and Configuration Software (Intel® SCS) to perform the functions previously provided by the Out of band management component.  See section 3 for information on Intel SCS.

Though the OOB Management Component is no longer bundled, existing Real-Time System Manager features continue to function on supported computers with Intel AMT.

If you perform an upgrade from earlier versions of IT Management Suite, the Out of Band Remover utility removes the Out of Band Management Component items from Notification Server and site servers. The Out of Band Remover utility does not affect the Intel AMT firmware configuration settings on the client computers, but in order to define, apply, and maintain the configuration of existing Intel AMT enabled computers, a migration of legacy data to Intel SCS will be needed.  See section 3 for information on Intel SCS.

For BroadCom DASH support, please use Broadcom Advanced Control Suite, that is available for download from BroadCom.

http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/management_applications.php

2. Symantec Out of Band Remover utility

Out of Band Management Component is removed during the upgrade to ITMS 7.5. An Out of Band Remover utility is installed.

Out of Band Remover utility performs the following:

  • Removes all Out of Band items from the Symantec Management Console.
  • Removes local Out of Band site servers and Intel SCS service from the local Notification Server.
  • Removes Out of Band task plug-ins from all client computers.
  • Removes all remote Out of Band site servers.

When the remote Out of Band site servers are removed, the Intel SCS Service remains on the remote site servers. The Intel SCS database is not removed during the uninstall of the Out of Band site servers however an installation of Intel SCS will be required to continue to configure and maintain Intel AMT enabled computers.

3. Obtaining and Using Intel SCS

SCS architecture and functionality has changed in newer versions of SCS.  For an overview of these differences, please visit the following link:

https://bizsupport.intel.com/index.cfm?kbref=KB1773

Proper installation of Intel SCS to support your Altiris 7.5 configuration will depend on your individual situation.  Please review the following scenarios and perform the actions that apply to you:

Scenario 1: If you performed a new Installation of Altiris 7.5

If you are installing the latest IT Management Suite for the first time (i.e., not upgrading from a previous version of ITMS), please obtain the latest version of Intel SCS from Intel and install it in order to configure and maintain your Intel AMT enabled clients.  Use the link below to obtain the latest version of Intel SCS (once you click the link, navigate to the download section):

http://www.intel.com/go/scs

 

Scenario 2: If you upgraded to Altiris 7.5 from a Previous Version that was using Integrated SCS

If you performed an upgrade to ITMS 7.5 from earlier versions, The Intel SCS database, commonly referred to in Altiris as the Intel AMT database, remains intact but no longer in use. To continue to configure/maintain Intel AMT enabled clients that were previously managed by the integrated Intel SCS, as well as new Intel AMT enabled systems, the following steps need to be performed:

Step 1: Always back up your current Intel SCS database (ex: Symantec_CMDB_IntelAMT ) before proceeding with any migration/upgrade procedure.

Step 2: Download and install Intel SCS version 8.2 following the instructions in the included User’s Guide. This version supports migration of your legacy data to the newer Intel SCS schema.  Point the install at a new SQL database.  Intel SCS 8.2 can be obtained from the following link:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=23598

Step 3: Run the migration utility included in the Intel SCS 8.2 software package to migrate Intel AMT data from the old database (ex: Symantec_CMDB_IntelAMT) to the new database you specified in step 2.  Instructions for the migration tool are included in the Intel SCS 8.2 software package. See “Upgrading from Earlier Versions of Intel SCS” in the Intel SCS 8.2 User’s Guide to migrate the data from your existing version 5.x database to the new database.

Step 4: Using the link below, download the latest version of SCS (version 9.0 at the time of this article) and install it following the instructions in the included user guide.  Point the installation at the Intel SCS 8.2 database you migrated your data to in step 3.  This installer will automatically upgrade the Intel SCS 8.2 database to the very latest database schema.

http://www.intel.com/go/scs

 

 

Scenario 3: If you upgradedto Altiris 7.5 and were previously using a standalone Intel SCS installation

If you upgraded to Altiris 7.5 from a previous version, but had already moved to a standalone version of Intel SCS (greater than v5.x) to maintain/configure Intel AMT enabled systems, you will need to upgrade your Intel SCS software and database to the latest supported version in order to ensure continued support from Intel.

·         If your current version of Intel SCS is 8.0 or greater, download the latest version of Intel SCS (version 9.0 at the time of this article) using the link below and install it following the instructions included in the user guide. 

http://www.intel.com/go/scs

Point the installation at your current Intel SCS 8.0 or greater database.  The installer will automatically upgrade the Intel SCS database to the very latest database schema.

·         If your current version of Intel SCS is less than version 8.0, please follow the instructions in Scenario 2 above to migrate and update your Intel SCS installation to the latest version.

 

 

Additional Links:

For support on the above migration/upgrade procedures for Intel SCS, please contact Intel® Business Support at the link below:

https://bizsupport.intel.com

 

Intel SCS v9 User’s Guide (also included in Intel SCS 9.0 download):

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/guides/scs-user-guide.pdf

 

4. Symantec Out-of-Band Discovery Utility v1.0

OOB Discovery Utility is a stand-alone package that helps you check the endpoints in their environment and detect client computers with support of OOB technologies.
*The Discovery Utility is attached to this article

OOB Discovery Utility does the following:

  • Detects the endpoints with support of Intel vPro (AMT) technology.
  • Detects the endpoints with support of BroadCom DASH technology.

Background

Since Out of Band Management Component is no longer bundled with ITMS, Symantec now provides a separate discovery tool to help you detect client computers that support OOB technologies. After you install or upgrade to ITMS 7.5, you need download the OOB Discovery Utility that is attached to this article, install it, and the run the utility to detect endpoints with support of OOB technologies and to gather basic inventory of configuration for such client computers.

  • It shows you where OOB functionality can be used.
  • It shows what needs to be configured on client computers to expand endpoint management possibilities.
  • It lets you continue to use Real-Time System Manager solution capabilities

Description and installation

OOB Discovery Utility can only be installed on Notification Server version 7.5 or higher.

Inventory Solution is also required to use this utility.

OOB Discovery Utility, provided by Symantec, is as standalone MSI package.

You need to download the file that is attached to this article and then, do the following:

  1. Copy the Altiris_OOBUtilityInstall.msi file to a location on the Notification Server computer.
  2. Run the command prompt as an Administrator, and define the new location to which you copied the Altiris_OOBUtilityInstall.msi file.
  3. Run the following command line: msiexec /i Altiris_OOBUtilityInstall.msi
  4. In the installer Wizard that opens, click Next, then on the Choose Setup Type page, click Complete, and then click Next again.
  5. Click Install.
  6. After the installation is completed, click Finish.

Out-Of-Band Discovery Task uses the specific Out-Of-Band Discovery Package that is created in the NSCap folder on the NS Server.

OOB Discovery Utility creates specific new features in the Symantec Management Console.

  • A software delivery task under Job and Tasks > Samples > Real Time Console Infrastructure > Helper tasks.
  • Two new filters under Filters > Hardware Filters: AMT capable computers and DASH Capable Computers.
  • A new Out-of-Band Capable Computers report, under Reports > Remote Management > Real-Time Console Infrastructure.
  • A new data class OOB Capabilities.

You can use data class fields to create corresponding custom filters and reports.

Actions and parameters

To collect inventory about OOB capable client computers, you need to execute the Out-Of-Band Discovery Task on the previously discovered resources, that have the Symantec Management Agent running.

Once the task is completed, you can check the Out-of-Band Capable Computers report to see, if any client computers in your environment support OOB technologies and if they are configured for out-of-band management or not.

Custom reports, targets, save searches or filters can also be created based on the collected OOB inventory.

Utility collects the inventory data about Intel AMT using the following parameters:

  • System UUID
  • Is the corresponding WMI provider installed
  • Is the computer AMT Capable
  • Is AMT Enabled
  • Is AMT Configured
  • Is HECI (Management Engine Driver) installed
  • Version of HECI (Management Engine) driver
  • Version of AMT

Following actions need to be taken if critical parameters are detected as false:

  • AMT Enabled == false

You should enable Intel AMT in BIOS

  • HECI Driver Installed == false

You should install HECI (Management Engine) driver

  • AMT Configured == false

You should configure the endpoint using Intel RCS server

Utility collects the inventory data about Broadcom DASH using the following parameters:

  • System UUID
  • Is the corresponding WMI provider installed
  • Is the computer DASH Capable
  • Is DASH Enabled
  • Is DASH Configured
  • Is BMAPI installed
  • Version of BMAPI driver
  • Version of DASH

Following actions need to be taken if critical parameters are detected as false:

  • DASH Enabled == false

You should enable management engine in BIOS

  • Broadcom WMI Provider Available == false

You should install Broadcom Advanced Console

  • DASH Configured == false

You should configure endpoint using Broadcom utilities (Broadcom Advanced Console)

 

 

Attachments

Altiris_OOBUtilityInstall.zip get_app
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