Despite these nomenclature issues, Symantec is out to solve an interesting problem. SEA's grand vision combines inventory, disk imaging and provisioning, patch management, software distribution, and backup and disaster recovery management all under one umbrella. This bundled functionality will take the name LiveState and seek to manage systems from cradle to grave. Symantec is looking to do this for Windows servers, desktops, and handhelds in the first quarter of 2005, Linux servers late in the year, and Linux desktops should the market ever present itself. There are no plans to bring Macs under management.
Symantec's next step is to increase the level of automation for tasks within its architectural framework. For example, it will automate the generation of system snapshots before new software or patches are rolled out. Also to that end, the architecture will see improved process management functionality late in the year, standardizing such processes as how IT departments handle newly released patches, and how new systems are configured to meet corporate guidelines.
All these features are essentially table stakes to compete in the asset management market. To differentiate itself, Symantec will begin integrating the threat discovery side of its business with its enterprise administration side some time in 2006. The goal is to assure security policy compliance, as well as automate the protection process when new critical vulnerabilities are discovered. For instance, the discovery of new self-propagating malware such as a worm can prompt Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPSs) to lock out any attacks, and imaging software to generate system snapshots of potentially affected systems with greater frequency until a patch is developed.
FIRST, THE PIECES
Before Symantec could build its enterprise asset management brainchild, it needed to gather up the right set of components, so off on a buying spree it went. Adding to its previous acquisitions of Ghost and pcAnywhere, Symantec more recently purchased ON Technology and PowerQuest. ON's iCommand product forms the basis of Symantec's LiveState products. Ghost provides imaging and image deployment, pcAnywhere provides remote control, and PowerQuest brings sector-based backup and disaster recovery to Symantec.
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