Microsoft Critical Update - Altiris ITMS

Symantec Altiris users check out the follow article re: a Microsoft critical update released yesterday,http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH194869. 

This update may impact your Altiris environment. 

Symantec Workflow Managed Services

As Symantec Workflow developers we know that it's a trial and error type of solution. There are a million (maybe not a million, but you get the point) ways to accomplish the same end result. This is great in the sense that the tool allows for a lot of creativity and flexibility when developing processes, but it can also be very frustrating when you are trying to figure out how to accomplish a specific task. Documentation for the tool is somewhat scarce and/or vague so most users rely mainly on the user community such as Symantec Connect or Workflow SWAT. Both of which can be great resources, but have their disadvantages as well.

Symantec support, and rightfully so, can not support/troubleshoot custom processes or assist with custom process development. With the tool being as flexible as it is how could Symantec train their support staff to be able to troubleshoot every single scenario that could pop up in a Workflow development project? Impossible at best. This is very common with all software companies, custom changes are not supported.

Searching Symantec Connect can furnish some great information, but it is time consuming and you usually have to read through a lot of articles and posts before you get to your specific topic. Then you have to try the solution you have found in your environment. Workflow SWAT has some great video learning tools, but not specific troubleshooting information.

WEVO Group is now bringing a custom workflow support solution to all Symantec Workflow and ServiceDesk 7 clients. Through Workflow Managed Services, by WEVO, clients can now take advantage of the following:

• On-Demand Workflow Expert to answer quick questions or to review development
• Custom Workflow Process and ServiceDesk 7 customization support
• Monthly Environment Health Check*
• 24x7x365 Pro-Active Error Monitoring**

Plans are very flexible and affordable. Contact WEVO for more information or go to http://managedservices.wevogroup.com. As always questions are welcome directly through the blog as well.

* qualifying plans only.

** qualifying plans only. Additional setup engagement required.

WEVO Group Grows in 2011

Denver, Colorado — March 2, 2011 — WEVO Group, a premier business process/workflow-management consulting firm, announced today it has hired 3 new resources in 2011, in response to a rising demand for business process automation solutions and Altiris professional services.

WEVO Group’s aim is to solve business process challenges and offer Altiris Suite support for companies of any size, with a special focus on telecom, banking/finance services, healthcare, utilities, manufacturing, staffing, and hospitality.

“The downturn in the economy has brought process optimization and system automation into sharp focus,” said Erik Tversland, a principal and co-founder of WEVO Group. “The new hires were recruited by WEVO because of their experience with Symantec’s Altiris and Workflow products as well as their reputation within the Symantec community.”

Read the full press release here.

Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow - Part V

The Symantec Workflow Business Practice has developed Workflow templates around 4 products in their Security suite; Control Compliance Suite (CCS), Critical Systems Protection (CSP), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP). The templates add some proactive business processes around the already great products from Symantec. The templates are available to Symantec clients for free and WEVO can help you get them implemented if you don't have a Symantec Workflow expert on staff.

This week we're focusing on Symantec EndPoint Protection. Below we will be sharing information from Workflowswat.com to describe the features and functionality of the template. You can also access videos at www.workflowswat.com/process-templates.html.

SEP Event Management Template

This template provides a “Best Practice” process to assist customers with managing SEP endpoints.

The main features of this template are…

• Endpoint updates and scans. When Workflow discovers an endpoint that has an unresolved alert in SEPM, Workflow automatically runs the SEP virus update process on the endpoint and initiates a targeted scan. The results of the scan are sent to the SEP admin when complete.
• Routing Rules/Automatic assignment – A console has been created in Workflow that allows the SEP administrator to configure “Routing Rules”. These rules are then used to automatically assign SEP Alert, Host Integrity, or Old Definition tasks to the various groups responsible for remediating items that SEP discovers. Note – This process is only used when an item cannot be automatically remediated via automatic updates and scans.
• Audit reporting – Who, What, When. Customers can run process reports by Group, Virus Type, and Date Range. These reports can be provided to regulators and help avoid many of the challenges that can occur during an audit. Also, these reports add value by providing metrics for continuous process improvement.
• Customers can take the base template and extend it to integrate with other systems as needed.

This is the last post in the Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow series. We'll keep you posted as new Workflow templates are developed by Symantec as well as other topics relating to Workflow and ServiceDesk 7.

Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow - Part IV

The Symantec Workflow Business Practice has developed Workflow templates around 4 products in their Security suite; Control Compliance Suite (CCS), Critical Systems Protection (CSP), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP). The templates add some proactive business processes around the already great products from Symantec. The templates are available to Symantec clients for free and WEVO can help you get them implemented if you don't have a Symantec Workflow expert on staff.

This week we're focusing on Data Loss Prevention. Below we will be sharing information from Workflowswat.com to describe the features and functionality of the template. You can also access videos at www.workflowswat.com/process-templates.html.

DLP Scan Remediation Template

This template provides a “Best Practice” process to assist customers with managing DLP “Data At Rest” Network and Endpoint scan results. The substantial benefit this process provides is the moving of the work from a centralized DLP admin group out into the Business Units. By distributing the work, the amount of time it takes to get an environment compliant will be significantly reduced.

The main features of this template are…

• Workflow automatically aggregates scan results by file owner. Workflow will send a link to an end user that will display a console with all of the files they own that are in breach of a DLP policy. This end user interface will allow the user to select files and take one of the three following actions…

1. Delete the file
2. Encrypt the file
3. Quarantine the file

• Audit reporting – Who, What, When. Customers can run process reports by DLP Policy, File Owner, and Date Range. These reports can be provided to regulators and help avoid many of the challenges that can occur during an audit. Also, these reports add value by providing metrics for continuous process improvement.
• Customers can take the base template and extend it to integrate with other systems as needed.

Next will the be last part of the Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow series as we focus on the Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) template.

Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow - Part III

The Symantec Workflow Business Practice has developed Workflow templates around 4 products in their Security suite; Control Compliance Suite (CCS), Critical Systems Protection (CSP), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP). The templates add some proactive business processes around the already great products from Symantec. The templates are available to Symantec clients for free and WEVO can help you get them implemented if you don't have a Symantec Workflow expert on staff.

This week we're focusing on Critical System Protection. Below we will be sharing information from Workflowswat.com to describe the features and functionality of the template. You can also access videos at www.workflowswat.com/process-templates.html.

CSP Event Management Template

This template provides a “Best Practice” process for monitoring CSP events.

The main features of this template are…

• Using the Workflow console, the customer can select which CSP profiles they want Workflow to monitor.
• Workflow integrates with the CSP event data and starts a remediation process for each monitored CSP event.
• Audit reporting – Who, What, When. Customers can run process reports by Profile, Event, and Date Range. These reports can be provided to regulators and help avoid many of the challenges that can occur during an audit. Also, these reports add value by providing metrics for continuous process improvement.
• Customers can take the base template and extend it to integrate with other systems as needed.

Stay tuned, next week we'll be highlighting the Data Loss Prevention template!

Symantec Security Enhanced by Workflow - Part II

The Symantec Workflow Business Practice has developed Workflow templates around 4 products in their Security suite; Control Compliance Suite (CCS), Critical Systems Protection (CSP), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP). The templates add some proactive business processes around the already great products from Symantec. The templates are available to Symantec clients for free and WEVO can help you get them implemented if you don't have a Symantec Workflow expert on staff.

This week we're focusing on CCS. Below we will be sharing information from Workflowswat.com to describe the features and functionality of the templates. You can also access videos at www.workflowswat.com/process-templates.html.

CCS RMS Security Baseline Template

This template provides a “Best Practice” process for monitoring and remediating changes to Critical Files and AD Groups. This template can also be setup to monitor other critical security items (Database Access, MS Exchange Distribution Lists, File Shares, etc.).

The main features of this template are…

• Workflow integrates with the CCS Risk Management System and starts a Workflow process when an RMS baseline query discovers changes in Active Directory or the File System. A task is created for the compliance group responsible for reviewing the baseline delta. The analyst will have the option to update the baseline with the newly discovered change or remediate the change.
• Audit reporting – Who, What, When. Customers can run process reports by RMS query and Date Range. These reports can be provided to regulators and help avoid many of the challenges that can occur during an audit. Also, these reports add value by providing metrics for continuous process improvement.
• Customers can take the base template and extend it to integrate with other systems as needed.

Stay tuned for the Critical System Protection, Data Loss Prevention, and Symantec EndPoint Protection templates in the coming weeks!