RES Workspace Manager Enables Dynamic, Context-Aware Desktops
New features simplify, secure desktop management while improving flexibility for end users.
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RES Software has enhanced its flagship product RES Workspace Manager (formerly PowerFuse). By managing desktops, laptops, and all types of virtual applications, Workspace Manager simplifies IT as organizations navigate from physical to virtual resources in their desktop environment. The new features maximize the context-aware capabilities of the software and give IT professionals security and control over user workspaces. The solution also now integrates with Service Orchestration technology, part of the latest release of RES Automation Manager, allowing IT to automate the delivery of IT services from a personalized service catalog directly to a user's workspace.
Enhancements to Workspace Manager 2011 include:
Dynamic privileges: Adds control over who, when, and how computer and device-level resources are accessed. Using dynamic privileges, desktop administrators can elevate users to administrator levels for specific tasks or processes within applications without granting them full administrator rights.
Whitelisting/blacklisting of user-installed applications: Delivers security features to managing end user application installations. IT controls which applications are allowed to be installed by designated groups of users, and is also able to centrally validate them before they are installed.
Context-aware Web site security: Workspace Manager 2011 allows IT to dynamically allow or deny access to various Web sites and applications based upon the user's context (including time of the day, time zone, Active Directory group, etc.).
Improved automation manager integration: The combination of Workspace Manager and Automation Manager allows IT managers to create reusable "runbooks" which are pre-set business rules that automate the delivery of IT services to a workspace. In a self-service model, users are presented with only those IT services (applications, data, Web sites, etc.) to which IT has already granted overall permission to them. Users can then initiate a request for the service, triggering a workflow that is completely automated -- eliminating most of the bottlenecks associated with provisioning and managing applications on the desktop.
Workspace Manager 2011 is packaged as three separate modules:
- Composition and Personalization: Provides context-aware and centrally managed workspaces for users that contain all of the right applications, data, printing, and personal settings that are essential for their success. IT professionals can process any changes and preview their impact from a single central console before altering a user's workspace.
- Advanced Administration: Improves the ability to manage an infrastructure with clear logs of changes, current status reporting, and license usage data from all users. This module also makes it possible to open or restrict the management console for different administrative roles and create real-time configuration reports. Plus, it supports administrators in managing different application delivery techniques.
- Security and Performance: Delivers a personalized desktop according to company business rules and compliance. Building upon the previous modules, enabling security prevents users from unauthorized actions such as executing certain applications and the use of removable disks. IT can add or remove these restrictions based on a user's location or context.
For more information, visit www.ressoftware.com.