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Nearly every Tivoli implementation requires custom development to supplement the Tivoli Enterprise Management environment.
Most of these 'custom' development efforts are the same for every customer. Invariably, every Tivoli customer wishes to:
- Track, report, and retry all things Tivoli;
- Provide a consistent, easy-to-use interface for operations to utilize;
- Automate Endpoint Management.
There are three (3) general approaches to addressing these common needs:
- Hire contractors to develop a solution. This usually results in an undocumented, unsupported solution with
little or no knowledge transfer.
- Use in-house resources to develop a solution. This usually takes away from other pressing needs of the organization
resulting in slipped schedules.
- Implement enterprise-Q, providing an immediate and robust solution at the lowest possible cost.
enterprise-Q is the most cost-effective and sophisticated alternative. It is a known quantity, and of known quality. Every customer is thrilled
with their decision to use enterprise-Q and, as a result, is willing to be a reference for Capital Software. After installing
and using enterprise-Q, our customers consistently ask, "Why doesn't Tivoli do this?" and "Why didn't we get this a long time ago?"
enterprise-Q was first developed in 1998 and continues to be the only third-party product to address the common needs of nearly
every Tivoli customer:
- Proven architecture consistent across multiple releases of Tivoli including 3.2.x, 3.6.x, 3.7.x, and 4.x releases
of the Tivoli Framework and Core Applications;
- Customers that have multiple TMR environments can install enterprise-Q in each one, ensuring a consistent solution
across the enterprise;
- It is a documented, supported, and scalable solution;
- Installs and ready to use in just a few hours;
- Product upgrades and patches are available from our web site for easy access.
The following is a synopsis of what enterprise-Q brings to Tivoli Enterprise Management:
Tivoli Framework Support: enterprise-Q provides an automated,
centralized queuing, tracking, reporting, and retrying mechanism for nearly
all Tivoli Framework-related activities, including:
- Subscription List Management
- Policy Region Management
- Task Execution
- Tivoli Product/Patch Installation
- Endpoint Management (upgrades, migrations, installation, etc.)
The Tivoli Framework does not provide a consistent manageable interface for
initiating, tracking, reporting, and retrying these essential Tivoli enterprise
management activities. The enterprise-Q easy-to-use, web-based interface
addresses this need fully.
Tivoli Application Support: EQ provides an automated, centralized queuing,
tracking, reporting, and retrying mechanism for all major Tivoli applications, including:
- Software Packages
- File Packages
- FP Blocks
- Auto Packs
- Inventory Config Objects
- Inventory Profiles
- Sentry Profiles
- ACP Profiles
The Tivoli Managed Environment does not provide a consistent operational
environment for these core applications. In some cases, log files must be
searched. In other cases, Notice Groups must be perused. Some applications
require the results of executed commands to be parsed to determine successes
and failures. Still, others require RDBMS queries and support.
enterprise-Q rectifies this, providing a consistent interface for all core
Tivoli applications, eliminating the need for disparate solutions.
Tivoli Mdist2 Support : enterprise-Q works in conjuncture with
Tivoli’s Mdist2 capability to enhance Tivoli performance and the Tivoli
operational environment.
Mdist2 provide a secondary queuing mechanism to enhance profile delivery
of certain object types, such as Software Packages and Inventory Config
objects. Mdist2 is an improvement over the original Mdist architecture,
however it lacks capabilities found in enterprise-Q:
- Tracking - Mdist2’s Distribution Monitoring relies on a
Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). When the RDBMS is down or
unreachable, distribution tracking is lost. enterprise-Q tracks Mdist2
distributions even when the RDBMS is not reachable.
- Reporting - In most cases, distribution log files must
still be processed in order to determine the exact cause of distribution
failures. enterprise-Q provides this capability.
- Retrying - Mdist2 retry is limited to delivering the data
to Endpoints that are down. Mdist2 does not provide retry capabilities for
many other types of failures. EQ addresses this need.
- Scope - Mdist2 provides queuing for select applications only
while enterprise-Q encompasses the Tivoli core applications as well as Tivoli
Framework operations.
- Integration - Mdist2 does not integrate seamlessly with the
Tivoli Framework and other applications. Major changes are required to migrate
from an Mdist environment to an Mdist2 environment. EQ mitigates the impact of
migrating from Mdist to Mdist2 by providing a consistent interface across
these architectures.
Centralized Throttling: enterprise-Q automatically throttles the amount
of enterprise management activities that are simultaneously executed.
Neither Tivoli’s Framework, nor any of its core applications, provides a
throttling mechanism. Without such a capability, problems tend to compound
themselves, creating a difficult environment in which to troubleshoot and
correct problems.
EQ’s throttling mechanisms greatly reduce the problems found at many Tivoli
installations and, as a result, increases productivity and the Tivoli Return
On Investment (ROI).
Centralized Coordination: enterprise-Q automatically coordinates
activities directed at each individual target (i.e. Endpoint, Managed Node,
etc.).
Neither Tivoli’s Framework, nor any of its core applications, provides a
coordinating mechanism. Without such a capability, failures of one operation
may affect the success of another. This causes undue overhead and creates more
work on the part of Tivoli operators.
Like EQ’s throttling mechanism, enterprise-Q coordination greatly reduces
problems found at many Tivoli installations and, as a result, increases
productivity and the Tivoli ROI.
Normalized Interface: enterprise-Q normalizes the interface to the
Tivoli Framework and core applications. Regardless of the operation, the
procedures for initiating, tracking, reporting, and retrying are consistent.
Successes and failures alike are presented to the user in a clear and consistent
manner.
Normalizing the Tivoli interface reduces training requirements and increases
productivity. It also facilitates a means to migrate to new Tivoli releases
and applications without imposing a large increase in overhead that’s typically
found in such an endeavor.
User-Friendly Interface: The enterprise-Q web-based interface is
user-friendly and convenient, requiring only a web browser to utilize. EQ’s
simple and intuitive interface also reduces training requirements. Furthermore,
it introduces novice users to the nomenclature used in the enterprise management
business, thus providing ‘on-the-job’ training while enabling these users to
be productive members of the team.
Out-of-the-Box Improvements: Within hours of installing enterprise-Q,
customers will experience immediate payoffs. In addition to those improvements
described above, other capabilities are included.
Those implementing Tivoli Inventory will find an Auto-Inventory capability that
essentially maintains the Configuration Repository automatically.
Those tasked with developing, maintaining, and/or supporting Endpoint Management
operations will find Endpoint policy scripts that can be used to automate all
aspects of Endpoint Management from upgrades and migrations to subscription
list/Policy Region management.
Other operational enhancements include a web-based Tivoli CLI capability as well
as integration with Tivoli’s Remote Control, to name just a few.
Leveraging enterprise-Q: Using documented tools and methods, enterprise-Q
customers are able to leverage the queuing, tracking, reporting, and retry
capabilities built into the product to solve nearly all of their enterprise
management challenges. Not only does it provide consistency in their solutions,
but it also allows them to focus on the problem at hand and let enterprise-Q
handle the tedium involved in tracking, reporting, and retrying failures.
Proven Success: enterprise-Q is a proven, effective, documented, and
supported solution used around the world. It is a known quantity that provides
immediate results to both new and seasoned Tivoli customers alike.
Join the many diverse companies and agencies using enterprise-Q today and make
your Tivoli implementation a success.
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