CSA 5.2 Baseline for Desktops

[kerraj2004]

What is the best way to accomplish making a baseline for our machine with rules and such? I feel like I'm constantly having to make exceptions for applications and such. I know it depends on the complexity of the environment but I would like to not have to make so many changes.

[tsteger1]

I don't know your environment so I'll tell you what we do.

A set of exceptions is in place and is applied to all new hosts when they register.

Hosts register in test mode and are moved to learn mode, then protect mode after a set period of time. This gives us enough time to make exceptions.

The number of exceptions needed diminishes and the only time there is an increase is if there are new apps, machines or policies deployed.

[kerraj2004]

Thanks Tom. That deployment method does seem like the best way to go. i will try and put something similar in place. Also, do you use any type of deployment like SMS to deploy the agent or is all done at the time the pc is being configured?

Thanks!

[tsteger1]

You are welcome. We use Novell Zenworks (for now anyway) to force install the agent when the machine is deployed.

We didn't deploy CSA 4.0.X on our standard images because of UID problems.

I thought I read somewhere that with 5.2, all you have to do is change the NetBIOS name and it will register properly. If I find that again I may test it.

Tom