IT admins can spend considerable time managing employee notebooks. The Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1 for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 can greatly streamline the management process and allow admins to remotely perform management tasks under a much broader range of conditions.
In our labs at Principled Technologies, we performed a series of remote management tasks on Dell Latitude 7240 notebooks managed with DCIP and on Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks managed only through SCCM. Executing these tasks on a single system with DCIP was quicker and simpler than doing so with only SCCM. The time savings was even more pronounced when we performed the scenarios on two systems because DCIP lets you apply the same changes to multiple systems without taking any additional time. For an organization with large numbers of notebook systems, the economies of scale that DCIP provides would translate to the greatest savings.
Database performance comparison of VMware vCloud Air, Amazon Web Services, an...Principled Technologies
Business computing is making its way to the cloud in a dramatic fashion. Selecting the correct cloud service provider is a pivotal decision that could have a significant effect on how much your company benefits from this move.
In our database testing, we found that our VMware vCloud Air instance performed dramatically better than the Azure instance, delivering more than 12 times as many orders per minute. The vCloud Air solution also delivered 3.9 percent greater performance than the AWS solution.
Choosing a cloud service that can deliver better database performance can allow you to make the most of your investment in the cloud platform.
Laptop drive performance comparison: Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive vs. har...Principled Technologies
Across the three laptop systems we tested, the Seagate SSHD configuration outperformed both hard drive configurations. It booted and launched applications as much as 31.8 percent more quickly and delivered general performance increases of up to 503.3 percent.
By speeding up the tasks that users perform day in and day out, the Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive can boost productivity and let you spend more of your day working and less of it waiting.
BatteryXPRT for Android benchmark reliably evaluates the battery life of Android-based devices. The benchmark provides an intuitive user interface, a runtime allowing it to be completed within one work day, and easy-to-understand results.
Database performance: Dell PowerEdge R730xd vs. Lenovo ThinkServer RD650Principled Technologies
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 users, take note. In our datacenter, we found that the Dell PowerEdge R730xd server based on the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family with the Intel SSD DC S3610 Series handled up to 27.9 percent more orders per minute than the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 did. With three times the SSDs, the PowerEdge R730xd delivered better response times—up to 24.6 percent for application latency and up to 93.1 percent for disk latency—than the ThinkServer RD650. Getting more performance per server and better response times means you can give customers a better, faster ecommerce experience. This can allow you to buy, store, and power fewer servers, helping stretch your IT budget further.
Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 vs. VMware View 5: User experience and bandwidth consum...Principled Technologies
The experience that virtual desktops provide for workers is critical. If a user’s desktop is sluggish, or worse, choppy and difficult to navigate, working becomes difficult. Choosing a virtual desktop solution that provides sluggish, choppy desktops to remote end-users in branch offices defeats the purpose of implementing such a solution in the first place.
In both the small and medium-sized branch office scenarios we tested, we found that Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 provided a better desktop experience for remote users than VMware View 5, and used as much as 37.1 percent less bandwidth delivering it. Using Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 with Citrix Branch Repeater provided an even better experience for remote users by optimizing bandwidth over the WAN and delivering local-like virtual desktop sessions in both our 10-and 100-user tests. When selecting a VDI solution to deploy virtual desktops over the WAN to users in remote offices, determining the type of user experience the solution provides is paramount.
Administrators can spend a great deal of time deploying and managing computing resources, especially when dealing with ROBO environments. The Dell PowerEdge VRTX, powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5-2400 v2 product family and running Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, gives administrators centralized management tools to help them provide time saving benefits and integrated toolsets.
In our hands-on testing, we found that the Dell PowerEdge VRTX greatly simplified deployment through an easy, wizard-based setup of Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters across server nodes with the Dell OpenManage Cluster Configurator. It also provided versatile hardware resource reassignment through a shared PCIe bus and efficient centralized management through CMC and scripting. Finally, we found that the Dell System Update Utility worked seamlessly with Microsoft Cluster-Aware Updating to update server nodes while keeping the failover cluster online and minimizing downtime. These advantages make the Dell PowerEdge VRTX an attractive choice for those who seek to reduce the management overhead of their ROBO environments.
Faster, easier deployment of Dell PowerEdge servers helps it and your businessPrincipled Technologies
Saving IT deployment time has a number of benefits, including reducing setup hassle and complexities, freeing up time of administrators, and reducing costs. By choosing Dell PowerEdge servers with pre-installed OEM software, specifically Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and Hyper-V, you’re saving time and effort compared to buying the server without the software. We found you could save over 3.5 hours by purchasing the server with pre-installed software. Deploying more servers can save time too, as our findings can scale up to meet IT resource needs of your business. What’s more, choosing the Dell server with pre-installed software can save you 24 percent of additional licensing costs per server.
Offer faster access to critical data and achieve greater inline data reductio...Principled Technologies
Compared to a solution from another vendor (“Vendor B”), the PowerStore 7000T delivered a better inline data reduction ratio and better performance during simulated OLTP and other I/O workloads
Database performance comparison of VMware vCloud Air, Amazon Web Services, an...Principled Technologies
Business computing is making its way to the cloud in a dramatic fashion. Selecting the correct cloud service provider is a pivotal decision that could have a significant effect on how much your company benefits from this move.
In our database testing, we found that our VMware vCloud Air instance performed dramatically better than the Azure instance, delivering more than 12 times as many orders per minute. The vCloud Air solution also delivered 3.9 percent greater performance than the AWS solution.
Choosing a cloud service that can deliver better database performance can allow you to make the most of your investment in the cloud platform.
Laptop drive performance comparison: Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive vs. har...Principled Technologies
Across the three laptop systems we tested, the Seagate SSHD configuration outperformed both hard drive configurations. It booted and launched applications as much as 31.8 percent more quickly and delivered general performance increases of up to 503.3 percent.
By speeding up the tasks that users perform day in and day out, the Seagate Solid State Hybrid Drive can boost productivity and let you spend more of your day working and less of it waiting.
BatteryXPRT for Android benchmark reliably evaluates the battery life of Android-based devices. The benchmark provides an intuitive user interface, a runtime allowing it to be completed within one work day, and easy-to-understand results.
Database performance: Dell PowerEdge R730xd vs. Lenovo ThinkServer RD650Principled Technologies
Microsoft SQL Server 2014 users, take note. In our datacenter, we found that the Dell PowerEdge R730xd server based on the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family with the Intel SSD DC S3610 Series handled up to 27.9 percent more orders per minute than the Lenovo ThinkServer RD650 did. With three times the SSDs, the PowerEdge R730xd delivered better response times—up to 24.6 percent for application latency and up to 93.1 percent for disk latency—than the ThinkServer RD650. Getting more performance per server and better response times means you can give customers a better, faster ecommerce experience. This can allow you to buy, store, and power fewer servers, helping stretch your IT budget further.
Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 vs. VMware View 5: User experience and bandwidth consum...Principled Technologies
The experience that virtual desktops provide for workers is critical. If a user’s desktop is sluggish, or worse, choppy and difficult to navigate, working becomes difficult. Choosing a virtual desktop solution that provides sluggish, choppy desktops to remote end-users in branch offices defeats the purpose of implementing such a solution in the first place.
In both the small and medium-sized branch office scenarios we tested, we found that Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 provided a better desktop experience for remote users than VMware View 5, and used as much as 37.1 percent less bandwidth delivering it. Using Citrix XenDesktop 5.5 with Citrix Branch Repeater provided an even better experience for remote users by optimizing bandwidth over the WAN and delivering local-like virtual desktop sessions in both our 10-and 100-user tests. When selecting a VDI solution to deploy virtual desktops over the WAN to users in remote offices, determining the type of user experience the solution provides is paramount.
Administrators can spend a great deal of time deploying and managing computing resources, especially when dealing with ROBO environments. The Dell PowerEdge VRTX, powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5-2400 v2 product family and running Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2, gives administrators centralized management tools to help them provide time saving benefits and integrated toolsets.
In our hands-on testing, we found that the Dell PowerEdge VRTX greatly simplified deployment through an easy, wizard-based setup of Microsoft Windows Server Failover Clusters across server nodes with the Dell OpenManage Cluster Configurator. It also provided versatile hardware resource reassignment through a shared PCIe bus and efficient centralized management through CMC and scripting. Finally, we found that the Dell System Update Utility worked seamlessly with Microsoft Cluster-Aware Updating to update server nodes while keeping the failover cluster online and minimizing downtime. These advantages make the Dell PowerEdge VRTX an attractive choice for those who seek to reduce the management overhead of their ROBO environments.
Faster, easier deployment of Dell PowerEdge servers helps it and your businessPrincipled Technologies
Saving IT deployment time has a number of benefits, including reducing setup hassle and complexities, freeing up time of administrators, and reducing costs. By choosing Dell PowerEdge servers with pre-installed OEM software, specifically Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and Hyper-V, you’re saving time and effort compared to buying the server without the software. We found you could save over 3.5 hours by purchasing the server with pre-installed software. Deploying more servers can save time too, as our findings can scale up to meet IT resource needs of your business. What’s more, choosing the Dell server with pre-installed software can save you 24 percent of additional licensing costs per server.
Offer faster access to critical data and achieve greater inline data reductio...Principled Technologies
Compared to a solution from another vendor (“Vendor B”), the PowerStore 7000T delivered a better inline data reduction ratio and better performance during simulated OLTP and other I/O workloads
In our tests, we found that the HP Z8 tower with Intel Xeon Gold 6226R processors completed three sample media and entertainment tasks in up to 44 percent less time than the Apple Mac Pro with Intel Xeon W-3275M processor, while adding only 11 percent to the purchase price.
Nimboxx HCI AU-110x: A scalable, easy-to-use solution for hyperconverged infr...Principled Technologies
Hyperconvergence is a fresh way of looking at your data center. For small- and medium-sized businesses especially, it could be well worth your time to invest in a hyperconverged infrastructure. The MeshOS-operated Nimboxx HCI AU-110x offered scalability and great performance in our hands-on tests and was simple and straightforward to use, which could help your business meet user demands and potentially save money by avoiding things such as hiring expensive IT staff to maintain your data center.
VDI performance comparison: Dell PowerEdge FX2 and FC430 servers with VMware ...Principled Technologies
Replacing your legacy VDI servers with a new Intel Xeon processor E5-2650 v3-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a great boon for your enterprise.
In the Principled Technologies (PT) labs, this space-efficient, affordable solution outperformed a legacy server and traditional SAN VSAN by offering 72 percent greater VDI users. Additionally, it achieved greater performance while using 91 percent less space and at a cost of only $176.52 per user.
By supporting more users, saving space, and its affordability, an upgrade to the Intel-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a wise move when replacing your aging, older infrastructure.
Upgrading to Windows Server 2019 on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers: A simple proc...Principled Technologies
Using Dell EMC PowerEdge R740xd servers with Intel Xeon Scalable processors, we upgraded from Windows Server 2016 and saw data compression ratios of up to 9.8:1 thanks to new Storage Spaces Direct features
Deduplication without performance hits: Intel Xeon processor E5-2697v2-powere...Principled Technologies
Backing up business data with deduplication has the potential to clog network resources and slow down performance for your customers. Servers with powerful processors are crucial to running an efficient and secure infrastructure. We found that a Dell PowerEdge R720xd server powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v2 Series successfully overcame this hurdle in our tests. When we used NetVault Backup to dedupe and back up data while running database workloads, performance did not slow down. The Dell solution using source-based deduplication reduced backup storage space used by 39 times and reduced application server network traffic by 70.5 percent when compared with a traditional backup method. Strong processor and server combinations, such as the one we tested, can keep your business moving swiftly and save resources as you back up your data to keep it safe.
Spend less time, effort, and money by choosing a Dell EMC server with pre-ins...Principled Technologies
Deploying a Dell EMC PowerEdge R740 with pre-installed Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard took less time and fewer steps than deploying the same server without it
VDI performance comparison: Dell PowerEdge FX2 and FC430 servers with VMware ...Principled Technologies
Replacing your legacy VDI servers with a new Intel Xeon processor E5-2670 v3-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a great boon for your enterprise.
In the Principled Technologies (PT) labs, this space-efficient, affordable solution outperformed a five-year-old legacy server and traditional SAN by offering twice as many VDI users. Additionally, it achieved greater performance while using 91 percent less space and at a cost of only $167.89 per user in hardware costs.
By supporting more users, saving space, and its affordability, an upgrade to the Intel-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a wise move when replacing your aging, older infrastructure.
Dell PowerEdge R720 rack server solutions for virtual desktop infrastructures Principled Technologies
Getting more value out of your servers is a smart way to reduce datacenter and VDI costs. In our tests, the Dell PowerEdge R720 server not only cost up to 5.4 percent less per user than the HP server, it also consumed 3.8 percent less power per virtual desktop user than the HP server when running workloads. When extrapolated over an entire rack of servers and with datacenters full of these racks, the potential savings both in hardware costs and in power costs could be dramatic.
Performance and battery life comparison: Samsung solid-state drive vs. hard d...Principled Technologies
A zippy Samsung SSD-based notebook computer can speed up your employees’ experience at work; saving a few seconds here and there over the course of the day might sound inconsequential, but can add up. Being able to take advantage of a power-saving feature such as Intel Rapid Start Technology extends battery life, which can make employees’ lives easier. Investing in Samsung SSDs for your Dell Latitude E6430 notebooks can deliver this improved speed and battery life, boosting both productivity and morale.
Microsoft System Center virtual environment comparison: Dell PowerEdge server...Principled Technologies
When repetitive and admin-intensive management tasks are quicker and easier to complete, that’s a win for your datacenter and IT administrators. We found that using Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for SCVMM took 74.6 percent less time to complete four key server management use cases on a single server, compared to performing the same use cases with HP OneView for System Center. When managing many servers, data extrapolated to 100 servers from testing on a second server shows the Dell solution would take 95.8 percent fewer steps and 96.5 percent less time than the HP solution. Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager also enabled IT admins to perform all of the server management operations through a single console—and staged firmware updates without necessitating a server power-down. Easier to use and less time-intensive, the results of our testing showed that the DLCI for SCVMM and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager can be a more efficient and effective combination for your virtualized datacenter.
Managing clients with Dell Client Integration Pack 3.0 and Microsoft System C...Principled Technologies
Client management is an important part of any enterprise. Employees have workstations in their offices or notebooks that travel with them around the globe, and efficient updates and remote management capabilities keep an organization’s IT assets ordered and secure. Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 can provide a robust, efficient, management system for your IT infrastructure. Selecting clients that not only operate within your IT framework, but that have built-in software to integrate with it seamlessly to make client management tasks even easier is an intelligent strategy for your IT department.
In our tests, we found that Dell client management tools (Dell Client Integration Pack, Dell Client Configuration Toolkit, and Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation) integrated in a typical SCCM 2012 environment reduced the steps it took to complete client management tasks by as much as 77 percent, and included a number of features that weren’t available with clients from HP and Lenovo.
Better email response time using Microsoft Exchange 2013 with the Dell PowerE...Principled Technologies
In a market where servers can seem the same at a glance, look for the differences. Your email infrastructure choices will directly affect end-user experience for your UC&C applications. Equipped with more drives in its extra drive slots, the Dell PowerEdge R730xd delivered 31.7 percent better Exchange 2013 response times than a similarly configured, current-generation Supermicro server did. With better Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 response times, the PowerEdge R730xd can help deliver an improved experience for users in your organization.
Dell PowerEdge R920 and Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Migration and Benefits GuidePrincipled Technologies
The latest Dell PowerEdge R920 server is designed to provide highly scalable performance for large enterprises, with greater memory capacity, improved and expanded attached storage options, and processor architectures designed for high availability. Microsoft SQL Server 2014 is the perfect companion software to take advantage of the Dell PowerEdge R920’s impressive specifications. Upgrading has never looked more attractive, and with hardware/software upgrades must come data migration.
Migrating legacy database applications to the latest database technologies on newer Dell server platforms is a common task for businesses upgrading their hardware/software stack. As this guide shows, the process is straightforward and the cost benefits can be enormous. We calculated the savings attainable from multiple consolidation ratios, as well as how long it would take to pay off the replacement server. We found that a consolidation ratio of 13 to 1 could yield $531,725 in software savings, many times the cost of the replacement hardware itself. So not only will the business benefit from the massively-scalable current-generation Dell server technology paired with Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 running SQL Server 2014, but you can save money in the process.
Performance and durability comparison: Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series vs. Lenov...Principled Technologies
Durability and performance are important when selecting a notebook for employees in the workplace. The Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series performed comparably to or better than a similarly configured competitor system while also withstanding three drops without compromising physical data. The Lenovo ThinkPad T440 failed after two drops. This means that the Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series should handle common tasks for work and be durable enough for workers on the go.
Simplify administrator tasks and improve security and health monitoring with ...Principled Technologies
Management tools that reduce hands-on time and effort for recurring tasks provide real benefits to administrators with demanding responsibilities. In our comparison of the management portfolios from Dell and HPE, we found that the Dell tools we tested offered better ease-of use than their HPE counterparts, with many additional features and views that can streamline administrator tasks. Plus, the Dell management portfolio offered features that increase data security and allow admins to make changes without infrastructure downtime. By reducing time and effort for tasks like monitoring system health or updating firmware, your admins can focus their time on supporting key business initiatives.
Compared to aging desktops, new Dell OptiPlex desktops can allow employees to be more productive with faster and more reliable hardware while providing significantly lower power costs. Improved management technology with the new desktops can support the efforts of your IT staff and can reduce costly deskside visits. Upgrading your aging desktops with the Dell OptiPlex 9030 All-in-One or the Dell OptiPlex 9020 Micro desktops brings important improvements to your business through both hardware and software.
In our tests, we found that the HP Z8 tower with Intel Xeon Gold 6226R processors completed three sample media and entertainment tasks in up to 44 percent less time than the Apple Mac Pro with Intel Xeon W-3275M processor, while adding only 11 percent to the purchase price.
Nimboxx HCI AU-110x: A scalable, easy-to-use solution for hyperconverged infr...Principled Technologies
Hyperconvergence is a fresh way of looking at your data center. For small- and medium-sized businesses especially, it could be well worth your time to invest in a hyperconverged infrastructure. The MeshOS-operated Nimboxx HCI AU-110x offered scalability and great performance in our hands-on tests and was simple and straightforward to use, which could help your business meet user demands and potentially save money by avoiding things such as hiring expensive IT staff to maintain your data center.
VDI performance comparison: Dell PowerEdge FX2 and FC430 servers with VMware ...Principled Technologies
Replacing your legacy VDI servers with a new Intel Xeon processor E5-2650 v3-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a great boon for your enterprise.
In the Principled Technologies (PT) labs, this space-efficient, affordable solution outperformed a legacy server and traditional SAN VSAN by offering 72 percent greater VDI users. Additionally, it achieved greater performance while using 91 percent less space and at a cost of only $176.52 per user.
By supporting more users, saving space, and its affordability, an upgrade to the Intel-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a wise move when replacing your aging, older infrastructure.
Upgrading to Windows Server 2019 on Dell EMC PowerEdge servers: A simple proc...Principled Technologies
Using Dell EMC PowerEdge R740xd servers with Intel Xeon Scalable processors, we upgraded from Windows Server 2016 and saw data compression ratios of up to 9.8:1 thanks to new Storage Spaces Direct features
Deduplication without performance hits: Intel Xeon processor E5-2697v2-powere...Principled Technologies
Backing up business data with deduplication has the potential to clog network resources and slow down performance for your customers. Servers with powerful processors are crucial to running an efficient and secure infrastructure. We found that a Dell PowerEdge R720xd server powered by the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v2 Series successfully overcame this hurdle in our tests. When we used NetVault Backup to dedupe and back up data while running database workloads, performance did not slow down. The Dell solution using source-based deduplication reduced backup storage space used by 39 times and reduced application server network traffic by 70.5 percent when compared with a traditional backup method. Strong processor and server combinations, such as the one we tested, can keep your business moving swiftly and save resources as you back up your data to keep it safe.
Spend less time, effort, and money by choosing a Dell EMC server with pre-ins...Principled Technologies
Deploying a Dell EMC PowerEdge R740 with pre-installed Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard took less time and fewer steps than deploying the same server without it
VDI performance comparison: Dell PowerEdge FX2 and FC430 servers with VMware ...Principled Technologies
Replacing your legacy VDI servers with a new Intel Xeon processor E5-2670 v3-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a great boon for your enterprise.
In the Principled Technologies (PT) labs, this space-efficient, affordable solution outperformed a five-year-old legacy server and traditional SAN by offering twice as many VDI users. Additionally, it achieved greater performance while using 91 percent less space and at a cost of only $167.89 per user in hardware costs.
By supporting more users, saving space, and its affordability, an upgrade to the Intel-powered Dell PowerEdge FX2 solution using VMware Virtual SAN can be a wise move when replacing your aging, older infrastructure.
Dell PowerEdge R720 rack server solutions for virtual desktop infrastructures Principled Technologies
Getting more value out of your servers is a smart way to reduce datacenter and VDI costs. In our tests, the Dell PowerEdge R720 server not only cost up to 5.4 percent less per user than the HP server, it also consumed 3.8 percent less power per virtual desktop user than the HP server when running workloads. When extrapolated over an entire rack of servers and with datacenters full of these racks, the potential savings both in hardware costs and in power costs could be dramatic.
Performance and battery life comparison: Samsung solid-state drive vs. hard d...Principled Technologies
A zippy Samsung SSD-based notebook computer can speed up your employees’ experience at work; saving a few seconds here and there over the course of the day might sound inconsequential, but can add up. Being able to take advantage of a power-saving feature such as Intel Rapid Start Technology extends battery life, which can make employees’ lives easier. Investing in Samsung SSDs for your Dell Latitude E6430 notebooks can deliver this improved speed and battery life, boosting both productivity and morale.
Microsoft System Center virtual environment comparison: Dell PowerEdge server...Principled Technologies
When repetitive and admin-intensive management tasks are quicker and easier to complete, that’s a win for your datacenter and IT administrators. We found that using Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for SCVMM took 74.6 percent less time to complete four key server management use cases on a single server, compared to performing the same use cases with HP OneView for System Center. When managing many servers, data extrapolated to 100 servers from testing on a second server shows the Dell solution would take 95.8 percent fewer steps and 96.5 percent less time than the HP solution. Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager also enabled IT admins to perform all of the server management operations through a single console—and staged firmware updates without necessitating a server power-down. Easier to use and less time-intensive, the results of our testing showed that the DLCI for SCVMM and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager can be a more efficient and effective combination for your virtualized datacenter.
Managing clients with Dell Client Integration Pack 3.0 and Microsoft System C...Principled Technologies
Client management is an important part of any enterprise. Employees have workstations in their offices or notebooks that travel with them around the globe, and efficient updates and remote management capabilities keep an organization’s IT assets ordered and secure. Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 can provide a robust, efficient, management system for your IT infrastructure. Selecting clients that not only operate within your IT framework, but that have built-in software to integrate with it seamlessly to make client management tasks even easier is an intelligent strategy for your IT department.
In our tests, we found that Dell client management tools (Dell Client Integration Pack, Dell Client Configuration Toolkit, and Dell OpenManage Client Instrumentation) integrated in a typical SCCM 2012 environment reduced the steps it took to complete client management tasks by as much as 77 percent, and included a number of features that weren’t available with clients from HP and Lenovo.
Better email response time using Microsoft Exchange 2013 with the Dell PowerE...Principled Technologies
In a market where servers can seem the same at a glance, look for the differences. Your email infrastructure choices will directly affect end-user experience for your UC&C applications. Equipped with more drives in its extra drive slots, the Dell PowerEdge R730xd delivered 31.7 percent better Exchange 2013 response times than a similarly configured, current-generation Supermicro server did. With better Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 response times, the PowerEdge R730xd can help deliver an improved experience for users in your organization.
Dell PowerEdge R920 and Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Migration and Benefits GuidePrincipled Technologies
The latest Dell PowerEdge R920 server is designed to provide highly scalable performance for large enterprises, with greater memory capacity, improved and expanded attached storage options, and processor architectures designed for high availability. Microsoft SQL Server 2014 is the perfect companion software to take advantage of the Dell PowerEdge R920’s impressive specifications. Upgrading has never looked more attractive, and with hardware/software upgrades must come data migration.
Migrating legacy database applications to the latest database technologies on newer Dell server platforms is a common task for businesses upgrading their hardware/software stack. As this guide shows, the process is straightforward and the cost benefits can be enormous. We calculated the savings attainable from multiple consolidation ratios, as well as how long it would take to pay off the replacement server. We found that a consolidation ratio of 13 to 1 could yield $531,725 in software savings, many times the cost of the replacement hardware itself. So not only will the business benefit from the massively-scalable current-generation Dell server technology paired with Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 running SQL Server 2014, but you can save money in the process.
Performance and durability comparison: Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series vs. Lenov...Principled Technologies
Durability and performance are important when selecting a notebook for employees in the workplace. The Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series performed comparably to or better than a similarly configured competitor system while also withstanding three drops without compromising physical data. The Lenovo ThinkPad T440 failed after two drops. This means that the Dell Latitude 14 5000 Series should handle common tasks for work and be durable enough for workers on the go.
Simplify administrator tasks and improve security and health monitoring with ...Principled Technologies
Management tools that reduce hands-on time and effort for recurring tasks provide real benefits to administrators with demanding responsibilities. In our comparison of the management portfolios from Dell and HPE, we found that the Dell tools we tested offered better ease-of use than their HPE counterparts, with many additional features and views that can streamline administrator tasks. Plus, the Dell management portfolio offered features that increase data security and allow admins to make changes without infrastructure downtime. By reducing time and effort for tasks like monitoring system health or updating firmware, your admins can focus their time on supporting key business initiatives.
Compared to aging desktops, new Dell OptiPlex desktops can allow employees to be more productive with faster and more reliable hardware while providing significantly lower power costs. Improved management technology with the new desktops can support the efforts of your IT staff and can reduce costly deskside visits. Upgrading your aging desktops with the Dell OptiPlex 9030 All-in-One or the Dell OptiPlex 9020 Micro desktops brings important improvements to your business through both hardware and software.
Streamline administrator duties and gain more security and analytics features...Principled Technologies
Vs. comparable tools from Vendor K.
In our comparison of tools in the Dell and Vendor K management portfolios, we found that Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 9 (iDRAC9) and Dell OpenManage Enterprise was easier to use and offered more security and analytics/reporting features to ease server management hassles for administrators. By reducing hands-on admin time and automating more tasks, organizations can watch the productivity of their IT staff climb, giving them more time to commit to bigger projects. Plus, additional security features offer more layers of protection for critical data, while expanded reporting/analytics features provide Dell OME users with better ways to gain insights about application performance.
Simplifying systems management with Dell OpenManage on 13G Dell PowerEdge ser...Principled Technologies
Automated systems management and additional connectivity solutions can reduce the number of administrators you need to run your datacenter or simply free up administrators to innovate rather than tying them up with routine management tasks. We found that the Dell OpenManage suite provides several new features for 13G Dell PowerEdge server solutions to streamline management tasks in both time and steps. Other new features let us easily connect to iDRAC right from the server. Updating firmware with Dell OpenManage features was also easier—eliminating 213 steps for updating a single server compared to updating manually.
The latest versions of the Dell OpenManage suite of system management tools and the power of iDRAC 8 contained within Dell 13G servers gives administrators increased flexibility and powerful new options for managing their data centers that translate to demonstrable savings in time and administrative effort. These automated enhancements and new technologies enable administrators to manage increasingly larger workloads while reducing the amount of hands-on work required for each system, bringing real value to systems management and datacenter operations.
A Dell PowerEdge MX environment using OpenManage Enterprise and OpenManage En...Principled Technologies
Compared to a Cisco UCS-X environment using Intersight, the Dell environment streamlined making changes to VLANs and helped avoid interventions during scheduled firmware updates
Conclusion
We executed two management scenarios in a Dell PowerEdge MX environment with Dell OpenManage Enterprise and OpenManage Enterprise Modular and a Cisco UCS X-Series chassis environment with Cisco Intersight. We learned that the Dell solution’s single-part profile modification for performing VLAN updates was quicker and simpler than the Cisco solution’s two-part profile deployment, requiring 40 percent less time and two-thirds as many steps. We also compared the firmware updating process on the solutions. Being able to schedule these updates to occur automatically from the online Dell repository offered an advantage over having to manually execute the same tasks from the Cisco Intersight repositories. Namely, administrators do not need to take action during maintenance windows but can instead schedule them ahead of time. Saving time on routine tasks frees administrators to pursue innovation, and being able to avoid middle-of-the-night duties helps companies provide a better work experience for admins. Together, these advantages help make Dell PowerEdge MX servers a good candidate for companies considering upgrading the older Cisco UCS servers in their data centers.
The evolution of Dell EMC PowerEdge server systems management - InfographicPrincipled Technologies
Technology that anticipates your infrastructure needs before you realize them may be closer than you think. Over 13 years of hands-on testing, we’ve found that the tools in the Dell EMC™ OpenManage™ Suite have steadily improved the speed and quality of systems management.
Speed up system deployment with Dell Connected Configuration servicesPrincipled Technologies
The days of administrators going through lengthy system provisioning procedures to update and patch client images on new employee systems are gone. With Dell Connected Configuration service, your organization can get any number of systems delivered to your door with the latest company image loaded and customized for your employees’ needs. Dell Connected Configuration Service lets customers using management software such as SCCM integrate existing software and processes securely into the Dell manufacturing process at the factory using a secure VPN with your own network/firewall standards, so you can change configurations from your location in real time, on your time. From your headquarters, you can complete a number of tasks on new systems, including imaging, updating BIOS settings, partitioning and encrypting hard drives, and installing user-specific software.
As we found, using Dell Connected Configuration Service could save significant time for a laptop deployment, allowing your administrative staff to focus on other ways to improve your business IT. Additionally, your employees can receive their new systems more quickly, potentially avoiding days of waiting for a system to be ready. These time saving advantages of Dell Connected Configuration services can mean a more efficient process for deploying new systems, and can boost productivity by putting the up-to-date tools employees need to do their jobs into their hands more quickly.
Systems management savings with Dell OpenManage on 13G Dell PowerEdge servers Principled Technologies
Administrators can spend their time doing routine tasks such as firmware updates, or they can spend their time on other initiatives to make your data center and your business more successful. Older servers keep admins focused on routine tasks instead of innovation because they just don’t have the capabilities to streamline management in a meaningful way to lessen the burden of routine management tasks.
In our hands-on tests, we found that Dell PowerEdge R730 servers with Dell OpenManage dramatically reduced the time it took to deploy, update, monitor, and maintain servers compared to completing the tasks manually on older systems. We estimate that you could save as much as 91.3 percent of administrator time—nearly 800 hours—over two years for a 200-server deployment.
Don’t let your older servers continue to be a time sink for administrators. By upgrading to new Dell PowerEdge R730 servers with new systems management features to handle routine tasks, you can potentially redirect those resources to innovation in other areas.
Dell Open Server Manager built on OpenBMC for security, lifecycle management,...Principled Technologies
A Principled Technologies research report based on publicly available information
Conclusion
With OpenBMC, it is possible to deploy BMC software that can work across a variety of vendors. Admins can create or purchase tools that use IPMI, Redfish, or SSH to perform industry-standard operations on hundreds or thousands of servers at once.
Dell Open Server Manager adds critical features to the OpenBMC firmware stack. The software providesthe safety of silicon-based root of trust, Dell lifecycle updates for easy firmware and BIOS management, and SupportAssist log bundles for expert Dell support.
Dell offers several Intel Xeon processor-powered server platforms with Open Server Manager capability, with a variety of configuration options to fit the needs of CSPs at any scale. The Dell PowerEdge HS5620 andPowerEdge HS5610 cloud scale servers build on the Dell and Intel commitment to working with other vendors to foster open standards.
Open Server Manager is a strong step towards allowing CSPs to manage hyperscale environments with products from many different vendors, especially as the adoption of OpenBMC and other open standards increases.
Client management with SCCM 2012: Dell Latitude 6430u Ultrabook vs. older Del...Principled Technologies
Client management is integral to the enterprise bottom line. Employees have notebooks that travel with them around the globe, and efficient management of client devices throughout the lifecycle improves productivity and security. Upgrading from an older notebook to a sleek and light Dell Latitude 6430u gives your employees extreme portability and even saves your IT staff time when completing routine client management tasks. In our tests, the Dell Latitude 6430u integrated seamlessly into the existing SCCM 2012 environment, and completed several tasks more quickly than the older notebook. This makes the Dell Latitude 6430u a compelling upgrade for older notebooks in any enterprise’s SCCM 2012 environment.
Implementing and managing large and distributed enterprise solutions presents unique administrative challenges. Anything that can streamline the process to minimize error and save administrator time and effort can have a strong, positive effect on your company’s bottom line. We found that the Dell Chassis Management Controller made deploying Dell PowerEdge M620 blades in a Dell PowerEdge M1000e chassis much quicker and easier by allowing you to import existing server profiles in just a few clicks. In our test case to configure for a common mission critical application, Citrix XenDesktop, manually deploying a full 16-blade chassis required 800 steps; but only 59 steps with Dell Chassis Management Controller, transforming a multi-hour task to one that took just minutes. Certain demanding applications can require even greater hardware configuration — these would benefit even more from the “all settings” profile capture and replication features of the Dell Chassis Management Controller.
The ability to pre-provision empty slots and export profiles for redeployment on other chassis further increases the value of the Dell Chassis Management Controller in bigger environments by largely eliminating tedious, redundant tasks and decreasing the opportunities for human error, while freeing administrators to perform other mission-critical or innovative activities. Choosing a solution that automates much of the deployment process is an asset to managing your infrastructure and your business.
Using Dell ProDeploy Plus for Infrastructure can improve deployment times for...Principled Technologies
Save valuable in-house admin time by using a Dell Technologies-certified engineer for installation and configuration of a Dell solution
New data center resources can be great for your critical workloads and applications, but deploying those resources can burden IT staff. Organizations adding Dell Technologies solutions to their data center can use the deployment service Dell ProDeploy Plus for Infrastructure to simplify deployment and save time.
We found that Dell ProDeploy Plus:
• Planned the deployment with minimal input from our in-house staff, which freed them up to focus on
organizational demands and other strategic initiatives during deployment
• Reduced deployment planning by 67 percent—down to just three hours and 34 minutes—saving significant pre-deployment time for our admin as well as in totality
• Deployed our Dell Technologies solution in just one business day, needing just four
hours and 17 minutes
• Reduced installation time by nearly 16 hours, or two days, compared to our admin—or in other words, deployed the solution three times as fast
With ProDeploy Plus for Infrastructure, your organization can realize a faster, more efficient deployment of Dell technology with minimal impact on your in-house IT staff.
Reduce complexity and save money with Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EV...Principled Technologies
Companies like ManuCorp have seemingly contradictory goals for their virtualized infrastructure: They want a solution that eases the deployment and management burden for generalized IT staff while simultaneously saving money over the long term. According to our analysis, ManuCorp would do well to choose Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EVO:RAIL, saving up to 63.9 percent in costs over three years compared to a solution with Cisco UCS blades and NetApp storage.
Less experienced administrators like ManuCorp already has in house would be able to plug in the Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EVO:RAIL and use its single, easy-to-use interface to deploy end-to-end virtual infrastructure and complete updates without any additional training or instruction. The Cisco UCS and NetApp solution required extra tools and a wider skillset, which can mean adding a more experienced person and inviting the chance for human error. In addition, the hyper-converged Dell Engineered Solutions for VMware EVO:RAIL appliance reduced power consumption compared to the do-it-yourself environment with Cisco UCS blades and NetApp, which can contribute to big operating cost savings.
Performance advantages of Hadoop ETL offload with the Intel processor-powered...Principled Technologies
High-level Hadoop analysis requires custom solutions to deliver the data that you need, and the faster these jobs run the better. What if ETL jobs created by an entry-level employee after only a few days of training could run even faster than the same jobs created by a Hadoop expert with 18 years of database experience?
This is exactly what we found in our testing with the Dell | Cloudera | Syncsort solution. Not only was this solution was faster, easier, and less expensive to implement, but the ETL use cases our beginner created with this solution ran up to 60.3 percent more quickly than those our expert created with open-source tools.
Using the Dell | Cloudera | Syncsort solution means that your organization can compensate a lower-level employee for half as much time as a senior engineer doing less-optimized work. That is a clear path to savings.
Dell Solutions Tour 2015 - Chromebook - Dell og Google viser vei, Ross Mahon ...Kenneth de Brucq
I USA har Chromebook blitt den meste solgte datamaskinen på skoler. Dell og Google forklarer hvorfor og forteller hvordan slike maskiner implementeres på beste måte.
Virtualization-management comparison: Dell Foglight for Virtualization vs. So...Principled Technologies
As your infrastructure scales up to dozens, hundreds, or thousands of monitored VMs, the time and complexity of performing tasks such as the ones we used for our testing workflows increases dramatically. The time savings that are possible when using Dell Foglight for Virtualization have the potential to remove an enormous management burden from your IT staff.
Thanks to its easy-to-use, powerful user interface and greater functionality, the Dell Foglight for Virtualization solution gives your staff the opportunity to identify and respond more quickly to problems, preventing and resolving issues with the potential to minimize downtime or poor performance for your customers and employees.
In the Principled Technologies datacenter, we tested the Dell Foglight for Virtualization Enterprise Edition management tool and compared it to the features that SolarWinds Virtualization Manager publicizes.
Using the Dell Foglight solution to perform virtualization-management workflows was up to 96.3 times faster and required up to 97.7 percent fewer steps than the SolarWinds solution. Dell Foglight for Virtualization also offers greater functionality in optimization, environmental change tracking, and problem remediation.
When IT staff can spend less time on routine management tasks, they have a greater opportunity to innovate and your business benefits.
Device management can be a challenging and time-consuming affair for your administrators to handle. But with the right tools, admins could finish their management tasks faster and dedicate their valuable time to other mission-critical work.
We found that the tools Command Suite offers can speed up and simplify device management compared to management through just Intel AMT on an HP device. The ease of configuring Intel AMT combined with task sequences, out-of-band management capabilities, one-to-many administration, and other features make Command Suite an attractive management solution for fleets equipped with Intel AMT.
When considering whether to upgrade to the new Dell PowerEdge VRTX or repurpose older hardware, the advantages of new hardware are clear. Not only do you get newer hardware that is faster and is better-equipped to handle the increasing demands of today’s business applications and workloads, but you also benefit from advances that make deployment and management easier than ever.
In our labs, we compared the Dell PowerEdge VRTX with four server nodes and shared storage and networking to a similar infrastructure using four legacy tower servers, external network switches, and an external SAN. Our testing revealed the following:
· PowerEdge VRTX took 78.5 percent less time and 150 fewer steps to configure and deploy out of the box compared to the legacy solution.
· PowerEdge VRTX It took less than 1 hour to unbox and configure into a highly available VMware vSphere cluster compared to over 4 hours on the legacy solution.
· Deploying the Dell PowerEdge VRTX used just a single management tool, the integrated Chassis Management Controller, whereas the tower solution required six separate management tools.
Choosing such a complete solution during your next server refresh can simplify infrastructure setup and configuration, boost performance through built-in high availability features, and potentially save your organization space and operating costs over the life of the hardware.
Similar to Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1 (20)
Investing in GenAI: Cost‑benefit analysis of Dell on‑premises deployments vs....Principled Technologies
Conclusion
Diving into the world of GenAI has the potential to yield a great many benefits for your organization, but it first requires consideration for how best to implement those GenAI workloads. Whether your AI goals are to create a chatbot for online visitors, generate marketing materials, aid troubleshooting, or something else, implementing an AI solution requires careful planning and decision-making. A major decision is whether to host GenAI in the cloud or keep your data on premises. Traditional on-premises solutions can provide superior security and control, a substantial concern when dealing with large amounts of potentially sensitive data. But will supporting a GenAI solution on site be a drain on an organization’s IT budget?
In our research, we found that the value proposition is just the opposite: Hosting GenAI workloads on premises, either in a traditional Dell solution or using a managed Dell APEX pay-per-use solution, could significantly lower your GenAI costs over 3 years compared to hosting these workloads in the cloud. In fact, we found that a comparable AWS SageMaker solution would cost up to 3.8 times as much and an Azure ML solution would cost up to 3.6 times as much as GenAI on a Dell APEX pay-per-use solution. These results show that organizations looking to implement GenAI and reap the business benefits to come can find many advantages in an on-premises Dell solution, whether they opt to purchase and manage it themselves or choose a subscription-based Dell APEX pay-per-use solution. Choosing an on-premises Dell solution could save your organization significantly over hosting GenAI in the cloud, while giving you control over the security and privacy of your data as well as any updates and changes to the environment, and while ensuring your environment is managed consistently.
Workstations powered by Intel can play a vital role in CPU-intensive AI devel...Principled Technologies
In three AI development workflows, Intel processor-powered workstations delivered strong performance, without using their GPUs, making them a good choice for this part of the AI process
Conclusion
We executed three AI development workflows on tower workstations and mobile workstations from three vendors, with each workflow utilizing only the Intel CPU cores, and found that these platforms were suitable for carrying out various AI tasks. For two of the workflows, we learned that completing the tasks on the tower workstations took roughly half as much time as on the mobile workstations. This supports the idea that the tower workstations would be appropriate for a development environment for more complex models with a greater volume of data and that the mobile workstations would be well-suited for data scientists fine-tuning simpler models. In the third workflow, we explored tower workstation performance with different precision levels and learned that using 16-bit floating point precision allowed the workstations to execute the workflow in less time and also reduced memory usage dramatically. For all three AI workflows we executed, we consider the time the workstations needed to complete the tasks to be acceptable, and believe that these workstations can be appropriate, cost-effective choices for these kinds of activities.
Enable security features with no impact to OLTP performance with Dell PowerEd...Principled Technologies
Get comparable online transaction processing (OLTP) performance with or without enabling AMD Secure Memory Encryption and AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization - Encrypted State
Conclusion
You’ve likely already implemented many security measures for your servers, which may include physical security for the data center, hardware-level security, and software-level security. With the cost of data breaches high and still growing, however, wise IT teams will consider what additional security measures they may be able to implement.
AMD SME and SEV-ES are technologies that are already available within your AMD processor-powered 16th Generation Dell PowerEdge servers—and in our testing, we saw that they can offer extra layers of security without affecting performance. We compared the online transaction processing performance of a Dell PowerEdge R7625 server, powered by AMD EPYC 9274F processors, with and without these two security features enabled. We found that enabling AMD Secure Memory Encryption and Secure Encrypted Virtualization-Encrypted State did not impact performance at all.
If your team is assessing areas where you might be able to enhance security—without paying a large performance cost—consider enabling AME SME and AMD SEV-ES in your Dell PowerEdge servers.
Improving energy efficiency in the data center: Endure higher temperatures wi...Principled Technologies
In high-temperature test scenarios, a Dell PowerEdge HS5620 server continued running an intensive workload without component warnings or failures, while a Supermicro SYS‑621C-TN12R server failed
Conclusion: Remain resilient in high temperatures with the Dell PowerEdge HS5620 to help increase efficiency
Increasing your data center’s temperature can help your organization make strides in energy efficiency and cooling cost savings. With servers that can hold up to these higher everyday temperatures—as well as high temperatures due to unforeseen circumstances—your business can continue to deliver the performance your apps and clients require.
When we ran an intensive floating-point workload on a Dell PowerEdge HS5620 and a Supermicro SYS-621CTN12R in three scenario types simulating typical operations at 25°C, a fan failure, and an HVAC malfunction, the Dell server experienced no component warnings or failures. In contrast, the Supermicro server experienced warnings in all three scenario types and experienced component failures in the latter two tests, rendering the system unusable. When we inspected and analyzed each system, we found that the Dell PowerEdge HS5620 server’s motherboard layout, fans, and chassis offered cooling design advantages.
For businesses aiming to meet sustainability goals by running hotter data centers, as well as those concerned with server cooling design, the Dell PowerEdge HS5620 is a strong contender to take on higher temperatures during day-to-day operations and unexpected malfunctions.
Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Red Hat OpenShift: An easily deployable and powe...Principled Technologies
The 4th Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor‑powered solution deployed in less than two hours and ran a Kubernetes container-based generative AI workload effectively
Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Red Hat OpenShift: An easily deployable and powe...Principled Technologies
The 4th Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processor‑powered solution deployed in less than two hours and ran a generative AI workload effectively
Conclusion
The appeal of incorporating GenAI into your organization’s operations is likely great. Getting started with an efficient solution for your next LLM workload or application can seem daunting because of the changing hardware and software landscape, but Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Red Hat OpenShift powered by 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors could provide the solution you need. We started with a Dell Validated Design as a reference, and then went on to modify the deployment as necessary for our Llama 2 workload. The Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Red Hat OpenShift solution worked well for our LLM, and by using this deployment guide in conjunction with numerous Dell documents and some flexibility, you could be well on your way to innovating your next GenAI breakthrough.
Upgrade your cloud infrastructure with Dell PowerEdge R760 servers and VMware...Principled Technologies
Compared to a cluster of PowerEdge R750 servers running VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)
For organizations running clusters of moderately configured, older Dell PowerEdge servers with a previous version of VCF, upgrading to better-configured modern servers can provide a significant performance boost and more.
Upgrade your cloud infrastructure with Dell PowerEdge R760 servers and VMware...Principled Technologies
Compared to a cluster of PowerEdge R750 servers running VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5
If your company is struggling with underperforming infrastructure, upgrading to 16th Generation Dell PowerEdge servers running VCF 5.1 could be just what you need to handle more database throughput and reduce vSAN latencies. As an additional benefit to IT admins, we also found that the embedded VMware Aria Operation adapter provided useful infrastructure insights.
Realize 2.1X the performance with 20% less power with AMD EPYC processor-back...Principled Technologies
Three AMD EPYC processor-based two-processor solutions outshined comparable Intel Xeon Scalable processor-based solutions by handling more Redis workload transactions and requests while consuming less power
Conclusion
Performance and energy efficiency are significant factors in processor selection for servers running data-intensive workloads, such as Redis. We compared the Redis performance and energy consumption of a server cluster in three AMD EPYC two-processor configurations against that of a server cluster in two Intel Xeon Scalable two-processor configurations. In each of our three test scenarios, the server cluster backed by AMD EPYC processors outperformed the server cluster backed by Intel Xeon Scalable processors. In addition, one of the AMD EPYC processor-based clusters consumed 20 percent less power than its Intel Xeon Scalable processor-based counterpart. Combining these measurements gave us power efficiency metrics that demonstrate how valuable AMD EPYC processor-based servers could be—you could see better performance per watt with these AMD EPYC processor-based server clusters and potentially get more from your Redis or other data intensive applications and workloads while reducing data center power costs.
Improve performance and gain room to grow by easily migrating to a modern Ope...Principled Technologies
We deployed this modern environment, then migrated database VMs from legacy servers and saw performance improvements that support consolidation
Conclusion
If your organization’s transactional databases are running on gear that is several years old, you have much to gain by upgrading to modern servers with new processors and networking components and an OpenShift environment. In our testing, a modern OpenShift environment with a cluster of three Dell PowerEdge R7615 servers with 4th Generation AMD EPYC processors and high-speed 100Gb Broadcom NICs outperformed a legacy environment with MySQL VMs running on a cluster of three Dell PowerEdge R7515 servers with 3rd Generation AMD EPYC processors and 25Gb Broadcom NICs. We also easily migrated a VM from the legacy environment to the modern environment, with only a few steps required to set up and less than ten minutes of hands-on time. The performance advantage of the modern servers would allow a company to reduce the number of servers necessary to perform a given amount of database work, thus lowering operational expenditures such as power and cooling and IT staff time for maintenance. The high-speed 100Gb Broadcom NICs in this solution also give companies better network performance and networking capacity to grow as they embrace emerging technologies such as AI that put great demands on networks.
Boost PC performance: How more available memory can improve productivityPrincipled Technologies
With more memory available, system performance of three Dell devices increased, which can translate to a better user experience
Conclusion
When your system has plenty of RAM to meet your needs, you can efficiently access the applications and data you need to finish projects and to-do lists without sacrificing time and focus. Our test results show that with more memory available, three Dell PCs delivered better performance and took less time to complete the Procyon Office Productivity benchmark. These advantages translate to users being able to complete workflows more quickly and multitask more easily. Whether you need the mobility of the Latitude 5440, the creative capabilities of the Precision 3470, or the high performance of the OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010, configuring your system with more RAM can help keep processes running smoothly, enabling you to do more without compromising performance.
Deploy with confidence: VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1 on next gen Dell PowerEdg...Principled Technologies
A Principled Technologies deployment guide
Conclusion
Deploying VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1 on next gen Dell PowerEdge servers brings together critical virtualization capabilities and high-performing hardware infrastructure. Relying on our hands-on experience, this deployment guide offers a comprehensive roadmap that can guide your organization through the seamless integration of advanced VMware cloud solutions with the performance and reliability of Dell PowerEdge servers. In addition to the deployment efficiency, the Cloud Foundation 5.1 and PowerEdge solution delivered strong performance while running a MySQL database workload. By leveraging VMware Cloud Foundation 5.1 and PowerEdge servers, you could help your organization embrace cloud computing with confidence, potentially unlocking a new level of agility, scalability, and efficiency in your data center operations.
Upgrade your cloud infrastructure with Dell PowerEdge R760 servers and VMware...Principled Technologies
Compared to a cluster of PowerEdge R750 servers running VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5
Conclusion
If your company is struggling with underperforming infrastructure, upgrading to 16th Generation Dell PowerEdge servers running VCF 5.1 could be just what you need to handle more database throughput and reduce vSAN latencies. We found that a Dell PowerEdge R760 server cluster running VCF 5.1 processed over 78 percent more TPM and 79 percent more NOPM than a Dell PowerEdge R750 server cluster running VCF 4.5. It’s also worth noting that the PowerEdge R750 cluster bottlenecked on vSAN storage, with max write latency at 8.9ms. For reference, the PowerEdge R760 cluster clocked in at 3.8ms max write latency. This higher latency is due in part to the single disk group per host on the moderately configured PowerEdge R750 cluster, while the better-configured PowerEdge R760 cluster supported four disk groups per host. As an additional benefit to IT admins, we also found that the embedded VMware Aria Operation adapter provided useful infrastructure insights.
Based on our research using publicly available materials, it appears that Dell supports nine of the ten PC security features we investigated, HP supports six of them, and Lenovo supports three features.
Increase security, sustainability, and efficiency with robust Dell server man...Principled Technologies
Compared to the Supermicro management portfolio
Conclusion
Choosing a vendor for server purchases is about more than just the hardware platform. Decision-makers must also consider more long-term concerns, including system/data security, energy efficiency, and ease of management. These concerns make the systems management tools a vendor offers as important as the hardware.
We investigated the features and capabilities of server management tools from Dell and Supermicro, comparing Dell iDRAC9 against Supermicro IPMI for embedded server management and Dell OpenManage Enterprise and CloudIQ against Supermicro Server Manager for one-to-many device and console management and monitoring. We found that the Dell management tools provided more comprehensive security, sustainability, and management/monitoring features and capabilities than Supermicro servers did. In addition, Dell tools automated more tasks to ease server management, resulting in significant time savings for administrators versus having to do the same tasks manually with Supermicro tools.
When making a server purchase, a vendor’s associated management products are critical to protect data, support a more sustainable environment, and to ease the maintenance of systems. Our tests and research showed that the Dell management portfolio for PowerEdge servers offered more features to help organizations meet these goals than the comparable Supermicro management products.
Increase security, sustainability, and efficiency with robust Dell server man...Principled Technologies
Compared to the Supermicro management portfolio
Conclusion
Choosing a vendor for server purchases is about more than just the hardware platform. Decision-makers must also consider more long-term concerns, including system/data security, energy efficiency, and ease of management. These concerns make the systems management tools a vendor offers as important as the hardware.
We investigated the features and capabilities of server management tools from Dell and Supermicro, comparing Dell iDRAC9 against Supermicro IPMI for embedded server management and Dell OpenManage Enterprise and CloudIQ against Supermicro Server Manager for one-to-many device and console management and monitoring. We found that the Dell management tools provided more comprehensive security, sustainability, and management/monitoring features and capabilities than Supermicro servers did. In addition, Dell tools automated more tasks to ease server management, resulting in significant time savings for administrators versus having to do the same tasks manually with Supermicro tools.
When making a server purchase, a vendor’s associated management products are critical to protect data, support a more sustainable environment, and to ease the maintenance of systems. Our tests and research showed that the Dell management portfolio for PowerEdge servers offered more features to help organizations meet these goals than the comparable Supermicro management products.
Scale up your storage with higher-performing Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS ...Principled Technologies
In our tests, Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS outperformed similarly configured solutions from Vendor A, achieving more IOPS, better throughput, and more consistent performance on both NVMe-supported configurations and configurations backed by Elastic Block Store (EBS) alone.
Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS supports a full NVMe backed configuration, but Vendor A doesn’t—its solution uses EBS for storage capacity and NVMe as an extended read cache—which means APEX Block Storage for AWS can deliver faster storage performance.
Scale up your storage with higher-performing Dell APEX Block Storage for AWSPrincipled Technologies
Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS offered stronger and more consistent storage performance for better business agility than a Vendor A solution
Conclusion
Enterprises desiring the flexibility and convenience of the cloud for their block storage workloads can find fast-performing solutions with the enterprise storage features they’re used to in on-premises infrastructure by selecting Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS.
Our hands-on tests showed that compared to the Vendor A solution, Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS offered stronger, more consistent storage performance in both NVMe-supported and EBS-backed configurations. Using NVMe-supported configurations, Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS achieved 4.7x the random read IOPS and 5.1x the throughput on sequential read operations per node vs. Vendor A. In our EBS-backed comparison, Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS offered 2.2x the throughput per node on sequential read operations vs. Vendor A.
Plus, the ability to scale beyond three nodes—up to 512 storage nodes with capacity of up to 8 PBs—enables Dell APEX Block Storage for AWS to help ensure performance and capacity as your team plans for the future.
Get in and stay in the productivity zone with the HP Z2 G9 Tower WorkstationPrincipled Technologies
We compared CPU performance and noise output of an HP Z2 G9 Tower Workstation in High Performance Mode to Dell Precision 3660 and 5860 tower workstations in optimized performance modes
Conclusion
HP Z2 G9 Tower Workstation users can change the BIOS settings to dial in the performance mode that best suits their needs: High Performance Mode, Performance Mode, or Quiet Mode. In good
news for both creative and technical professionals, we found that an Intel Core i9-13900 processor-powered HP Z2 G9 Tower Workstation set to High Performance mode received higher CPU-based benchmark scores than both a similarly configured Dell Precision 3660 and a Dell Precision 5860 equipped with an Intel Xeon w5-2455x processor. Plus, the HP Z2 G9 Tower Workstation was quieter while running CPU-intensive Cinebench 2024 and SPECapc for Solidworks 2022 workloads than both Dell Precision tower workstations. This means HP Z2 G9 Tower Workstation users who prize performance over everything else can do so without sacrificing a quiet workspace.
Open up new possibilities with higher transactional database performance from...Principled Technologies
In our PostgreSQL tests, R7i instances boosted performance over R6i instances with previous-gen processors
If you use the open-source PostgreSQL database to run your critical business operations, you have many cloud options from which to choose. While many of these instances can do the job, some can deliver stronger performance, which can mean getting a greater return on your cloud investment.
We conducted hands-on testing with the HammerDB TPROC-C benchmark to see how the PostgreSQL performance of Amazon EC2 R7i instances, enabled by 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, stacked up to that of R6i instances with previous-generation processors. We learned that small, medium-sized, and large R7i instances with the newer processors delivered better OLTP performance, with improvements as high as 13.8 percent. By choosing the R7i instances, your organization has the potential to support more users, deliver a better experience to those users, and even lower your cloud operating expenditures by requiring fewer instances to get the job done.
JMeter webinar - integration with InfluxDB and GrafanaRTTS
Watch this recorded webinar about real-time monitoring of application performance. See how to integrate Apache JMeter, the open-source leader in performance testing, with InfluxDB, the open-source time-series database, and Grafana, the open-source analytics and visualization application.
In this webinar, we will review the benefits of leveraging InfluxDB and Grafana when executing load tests and demonstrate how these tools are used to visualize performance metrics.
Length: 30 minutes
Session Overview
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During this webinar, we will cover the following topics while demonstrating the integrations of JMeter, InfluxDB and Grafana:
- What out-of-the-box solutions are available for real-time monitoring JMeter tests?
- What are the benefits of integrating InfluxDB and Grafana into the load testing stack?
- Which features are provided by Grafana?
- Demonstration of InfluxDB and Grafana using a practice web application
To view the webinar recording, go to:
https://www.rttsweb.com/jmeter-integration-webinar
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
State of ICS and IoT Cyber Threat Landscape Report 2024 previewPrayukth K V
The IoT and OT threat landscape report has been prepared by the Threat Research Team at Sectrio using data from Sectrio, cyber threat intelligence farming facilities spread across over 85 cities around the world. In addition, Sectrio also runs AI-based advanced threat and payload engagement facilities that serve as sinks to attract and engage sophisticated threat actors, and newer malware including new variants and latent threats that are at an earlier stage of development.
The latest edition of the OT/ICS and IoT security Threat Landscape Report 2024 also covers:
State of global ICS asset and network exposure
Sectoral targets and attacks as well as the cost of ransom
Global APT activity, AI usage, actor and tactic profiles, and implications
Rise in volumes of AI-powered cyberattacks
Major cyber events in 2024
Malware and malicious payload trends
Cyberattack types and targets
Vulnerability exploit attempts on CVEs
Attacks on counties – USA
Expansion of bot farms – how, where, and why
In-depth analysis of the cyber threat landscape across North America, South America, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East
Why are attacks on smart factories rising?
Cyber risk predictions
Axis of attacks – Europe
Systemic attacks in the Middle East
Download the full report from here:
https://sectrio.com/resources/ot-threat-landscape-reports/sectrio-releases-ot-ics-and-iot-security-threat-landscape-report-2024/
The Art of the Pitch: WordPress Relationships and SalesLaura Byrne
Clients don’t know what they don’t know. What web solutions are right for them? How does WordPress come into the picture? How do you make sure you understand scope and timeline? What do you do if sometime changes?
All these questions and more will be explored as we talk about matching clients’ needs with what your agency offers without pulling teeth or pulling your hair out. Practical tips, and strategies for successful relationship building that leads to closing the deal.
Search and Society: Reimagining Information Access for Radical FuturesBhaskar Mitra
The field of Information retrieval (IR) is currently undergoing a transformative shift, at least partly due to the emerging applications of generative AI to information access. In this talk, we will deliberate on the sociotechnical implications of generative AI for information access. We will argue that there is both a critical necessity and an exciting opportunity for the IR community to re-center our research agendas on societal needs while dismantling the artificial separation between the work on fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics in IR and the rest of IR research. Instead of adopting a reactionary strategy of trying to mitigate potential social harms from emerging technologies, the community should aim to proactively set the research agenda for the kinds of systems we should build inspired by diverse explicitly stated sociotechnical imaginaries. The sociotechnical imaginaries that underpin the design and development of information access technologies needs to be explicitly articulated, and we need to develop theories of change in context of these diverse perspectives. Our guiding future imaginaries must be informed by other academic fields, such as democratic theory and critical theory, and should be co-developed with social science scholars, legal scholars, civil rights and social justice activists, and artists, among others.
Connector Corner: Automate dynamic content and events by pushing a buttonDianaGray10
Here is something new! In our next Connector Corner webinar, we will demonstrate how you can use a single workflow to:
Create a campaign using Mailchimp with merge tags/fields
Send an interactive Slack channel message (using buttons)
Have the message received by managers and peers along with a test email for review
But there’s more:
In a second workflow supporting the same use case, you’ll see:
Your campaign sent to target colleagues for approval
If the “Approve” button is clicked, a Jira/Zendesk ticket is created for the marketing design team
But—if the “Reject” button is pushed, colleagues will be alerted via Slack message
Join us to learn more about this new, human-in-the-loop capability, brought to you by Integration Service connectors.
And...
Speakers:
Akshay Agnihotri, Product Manager
Charlie Greenberg, Host
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
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- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
Software Delivery At the Speed of AI: Inflectra Invests In AI-Powered QualityInflectra
In this insightful webinar, Inflectra explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming software development and testing. Discover how AI-powered tools are revolutionizing every stage of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from design and prototyping to testing, deployment, and monitoring.
Learn about:
• The Future of Testing: How AI is shifting testing towards verification, analysis, and higher-level skills, while reducing repetitive tasks.
• Test Automation: How AI-powered test case generation, optimization, and self-healing tests are making testing more efficient and effective.
• Visual Testing: Explore the emerging capabilities of AI in visual testing and how it's set to revolutionize UI verification.
• Inflectra's AI Solutions: See demonstrations of Inflectra's cutting-edge AI tools like the ChatGPT plugin and Azure Open AI platform, designed to streamline your testing process.
Whether you're a developer, tester, or QA professional, this webinar will give you valuable insights into how AI is shaping the future of software delivery.
LF Energy Webinar: Electrical Grid Modelling and Simulation Through PowSyBl -...DanBrown980551
Do you want to learn how to model and simulate an electrical network from scratch in under an hour?
Then welcome to this PowSyBl workshop, hosted by Rte, the French Transmission System Operator (TSO)!
During the webinar, you will discover the PowSyBl ecosystem as well as handle and study an electrical network through an interactive Python notebook.
PowSyBl is an open source project hosted by LF Energy, which offers a comprehensive set of features for electrical grid modelling and simulation. Among other advanced features, PowSyBl provides:
- A fully editable and extendable library for grid component modelling;
- Visualization tools to display your network;
- Grid simulation tools, such as power flows, security analyses (with or without remedial actions) and sensitivity analyses;
The framework is mostly written in Java, with a Python binding so that Python developers can access PowSyBl functionalities as well.
What you will learn during the webinar:
- For beginners: discover PowSyBl's functionalities through a quick general presentation and the notebook, without needing any expert coding skills;
- For advanced developers: master the skills to efficiently apply PowSyBl functionalities to your real-world scenarios.
Epistemic Interaction - tuning interfaces to provide information for AI supportAlan Dix
Paper presented at SYNERGY workshop at AVI 2024, Genoa, Italy. 3rd June 2024
https://alandix.com/academic/papers/synergy2024-epistemic/
As machine learning integrates deeper into human-computer interactions, the concept of epistemic interaction emerges, aiming to refine these interactions to enhance system adaptability. This approach encourages minor, intentional adjustments in user behaviour to enrich the data available for system learning. This paper introduces epistemic interaction within the context of human-system communication, illustrating how deliberate interaction design can improve system understanding and adaptation. Through concrete examples, we demonstrate the potential of epistemic interaction to significantly advance human-computer interaction by leveraging intuitive human communication strategies to inform system design and functionality, offering a novel pathway for enriching user-system engagements.
UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series, part 4DianaGray10
Welcome to UiPath Test Automation using UiPath Test Suite series part 4. In this session, we will cover Test Manager overview along with SAP heatmap.
The UiPath Test Manager overview with SAP heatmap webinar offers a concise yet comprehensive exploration of the role of a Test Manager within SAP environments, coupled with the utilization of heatmaps for effective testing strategies.
Participants will gain insights into the responsibilities, challenges, and best practices associated with test management in SAP projects. Additionally, the webinar delves into the significance of heatmaps as a visual aid for identifying testing priorities, areas of risk, and resource allocation within SAP landscapes. Through this session, attendees can expect to enhance their understanding of test management principles while learning practical approaches to optimize testing processes in SAP environments using heatmap visualization techniques
What will you get from this session?
1. Insights into SAP testing best practices
2. Heatmap utilization for testing
3. Optimization of testing processes
4. Demo
Topics covered:
Execution from the test manager
Orchestrator execution result
Defect reporting
SAP heatmap example with demo
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Deepak Rai, Automation Practice Lead, Boundaryless Group and UiPath MVP
Slack (or Teams) Automation for Bonterra Impact Management (fka Social Soluti...Jeffrey Haguewood
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We believe integration and automation are essential to user experience and the promise of efficient work through technology. Automation is the critical ingredient to realizing that full vision. We develop integration products and services for Bonterra Case Management software to support the deployment of automations for a variety of use cases.
This video focuses on the notifications, alerts, and approval requests using Slack for Bonterra Impact Management. The solutions covered in this webinar can also be deployed for Microsoft Teams.
Interested in deploying notification automations for Bonterra Impact Management? Contact us at sales@sidekicksolutionsllc.com to discuss next steps.
1. JUNE 2014
A PRINCIPLED TECHNOLOGIES TEST REPORT
Commissioned by Dell Inc.
REMOTE NOTEBOOK MANAGEMENT: DELL UNIQUE VPRO EXTENSIONS
AND DELL CLIENT INTEGRATION PACK 3.1
Notebooks offer convenience and mobility for your employees. For IT staff and
administration however, remotely managing employee notebooks can be a challenge.
Traditional software-based management solutions require the operating system of the
notebook to be up and running, and when the hard drive fails or the computer goes to
sleep, IT cannot service the device. Dell unique vPro extensions allow the Dell Client
Integration Pack 3.1 (DCIP) for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012
(SCCM) to manage Dell business client systems with Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors
quickly and efficiently, regardless of operating system status, hard drive failures, or
power state.
In our labs at Principled Technologies, we tested common remote management
scenarios to demonstrate the time you can save with DCIP and Intel vPro on a Dell
Latitude 7000 series. We found that, when compared to a mix of three-year-old Lenovo
ThinkPad notebooks managed only through SCCM, the Dell Latitude 7000 required 75
percent less time to change a single BIOS setting, 46 percent less time to change 10 BIOS
settings, 92 percent less time to remotely erase a hard drive, and 45 percent less time to
complete a Keyboard-Video-Mouse (KVM) Remote Control connection.
After performing the remote management tasks on a single Dell Latitude 7000
series notebook and a single Lenovo ThinkPad notebook, we then performed the tasks
on a pair of Dell Latitude 7240s and a pair of Lenovo ThinkPads, a T430 and a T420.
2. A Principled Technologies test report 2Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
While managing a second system required no additional steps and no increase in time
for the Dell systems, doing so on the Lenovo systems required additional steps and time.
This is because we had to complete each process separately for each ThinkPad. The Dell,
on the other hand, only requires the admin to select the changes and the target laptops,
and DCIP pushes those changes to the laptops selected.
DCIP and Intel vPro can improve scalability in your business: as administrators
connect more Dell Latitude 7000 notebooks through the DCIP plugin, it takes no longer
to change settings remotely on multiple Dell Latitude 7000 notebooks than it does for a
single notebook. With Intel Core vPro processors and Dell Business Client notebooks,
DCIP provides an invaluable addition to SCCM for remotely managing clients in any
state.
Figure 1 illustrates the IT admin time it took in our testing to change a single
BIOS setting. Note that in this chart and those similar to it that follow, the time for one
and two systems come from our hands-on testing and the time for 50 systems is an
extrapolation based on those times. For details on how we calculated admin time for 50
notebooks, see Appendix B. As Figure 1 shows, for the Dell system the time to change
the setting remained constant regardless of the number of systems on which we
performed the task. For the Lenovo systems, the amount of time increased as the
number of systems increased. Completing the task on 50 Dell notebooks would take
only 13 seconds whereas doing so on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 36 minutes.
This is a dramatic time savings that would increase with greater numbers of systems.
Figure 1: IT admin time to change
one BIOS setting on various
numbers of notebooks using the
two management systems. Lower
numbers are better.
In the following sections, we provide some background on out-of-band
management in general, Dell Client Integration Pack in particular, and how we
approached testing. To skip ahead to more of our findings, see the section Scalability
with DCIP and Intel vPro.
3. A Principled Technologies test report 3Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
OUT-OF-BAND: REMOTE MANAGEMENT REGARDLESS OF STATE
Remote management has traditionally required each managed device to fully
load its operating system and receive commands through a software-based
management agent, or in-band management. When the operating system is
unreachable however, IT administrators can use a special hardware-based channel to
connect with the device remotely, a process called out-of-band (OOB) management.
Intel considers notebooks OOB when the operating system has not loaded; when the
computer is plugged in or has battery power but is not actively running (either off, on
standby, sleep, or hibernation); or when the computer is booted into its operating
system, but the software-based management agent is not available.1
Intel Core vPro
processors offer a hardware-based option for OOB management with the Intel
Management Engine, an isolated and protected coprocessor that can communicate with
the network and draw power independently of the notebook’s main components.2
DELL CLIENT INTEGRATION PACK
SCCM includes built-in support for management of computers with Intel Core
vPro processors. The OOB Management Console of SCCM allows IT administrators to
execute simple management tasks for computers with Intel Core vPro processors,
including powering a device on or off, checking system information and status, booting
from a remote virtualized drive, and running commands. OOB management in SCCM can
be complicated and costly: without the resources to research and design workflows
customized to your remote management needs, using SCCM to manage even a small
number of computers can quickly become a time-consuming task.
As a visual interface that initiates management tasks, DCIP provides a no-cost
alternative to OOB management in SCCM that incorporates the Dell Client Configuration
Toolkit to provide BIOS configuration capability for Dell client systems. An IT admin can
easily add the DCIP plugin to an existing SCCM. With DCIP, an IT administrator can
quickly perform out-of-band management tasks and implement them broadly to
multiple clients within an enterprise network.
Our representative three-year-old notebooks, a Lenovo ThinkPad T430 and a
Lenovo ThinkPad T420, use Intel Core vPro processors, which means they have out-of-
1
en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/m/white_papers/20179305/download.aspx
2
https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/misc-devices/mei/mei.txt
Out-of-band
management
allows for remote
client maintenance
regardless of the
managed system’s
power state or
operating system
status. As long as
the client has
battery or AC
power and is
authenticated on
the network, IT
administrators can
remotely manage
the device.
4. A Principled Technologies test report 4Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
band-management capabilities with SCCM. However, to achieve the ease of use that
DCIP offers as a free plugin would require a third-party product or a custom built
solution.
Another advantage of DCIP is that IT admins can perform management tasks
without interfering with users and their ability to do their work. DCIP can issue changes
to a remotely managed client while the user is loaded and working in their operating
system. This translates to a productivity advantage. For the purposes of our tests, we
started timings with each system fully shutdown and turned off.
OUR CONFIGURATIONS
Our tests looked at the differences between remote management on Dell
notebooks managed through the DCIP 3.1 plugin and previous-generation Lenovo
notebooks managed only through SCCM 2012. We considered four common
management tasks IT administrators often perform remotely: changing BIOS settings,
erasing a hard drive, completing a KVM connection, and changing AMT power settings.
In our first set of tests, we counted the steps needed to accomplish each task
and measured IT admin time, the amount of time an IT administrator would spend
actively navigating through either DCIP or SCCM to fully initiate a task on a single Dell
notebook and a single Lenovo notebook. For the Dell notebook, we began measuring IT
admin time from the first launch of DCIP and ended our timing when we clicked “Finish”
and the job was added to DCIP’s task queue. For the Lenovo notebook, IT admin time
began with launching SCCM 2012 and ended with the last action required to complete
the process.
We reran all tests on two of each notebook to highlight the scalable advantages
of managing multiple Dell notebooks with DCIP over managing multiple Lenovo
notebooks with SCCM. Using two Dell notebooks and two Lenovo notebooks, we
measured the time and counted the steps it took to deploy the same four management
scenarios. The results demonstrate how DCIP saves IT administrators’ time with tools
that streamline the process of managing multiple connected clients.
We present the results below. For detailed specifications of the test systems,
see Appendix A. For a systematic presentation of how we tested, including all of the
steps required to perform the tasks with the two management approaches, see
Appendix C. For complete results, see Appendix D.
5. A Principled Technologies test report 5Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
SCALABILITY WITH DCIP AND INTEL VPRO
We used each of the two management systems to perform a set of four tasks on
a pair of each notebook. We then extrapolated the data from managing two systems to
managing 50 systems. With DCIP, increasing the number of systems did not increase the
management time because DCIP allows the IT admin to apply changes to multiple
systems simultaneously. It takes no longer to perform the tasks in our scenarios on 50
systems than it does to perform them on a single system. In contrast, an admin must
perform the tasks on one Lenovo system at a time, which leads to much more hand-on
time for multiple systems.
Scenario: Remotely managing BIOS settings
A company decides to limit employee access to the BIOS, but then encounters a
situation where changes to the BIOS need to be made. For example, a new sales person
may request a specific Bluetooth headset. While official company policy may not permit
enabling Bluetooth, management has made an exception in this case. On the Lenovo
notebook, the IT admin needs to schedule a maintenance time with the employee,
create a KVM connection to the system, enter the BIOS password, and change the
setting manually. On the Dell notebook, the administrator can use DCIP to send the
command over the network. On a larger scale, a new company security policy may
require the use of legacy ROMs to distribute new software. Had IT previously disabled
this functionality, an IT admin using only SCCM to manage the Lenovo notebooks would
need to change each system’s BIOS individually. With DCIP, the admin could schedule
this change in a matter of seconds.
Changing one BIOS setting
Changing BIOS settings on a user’s notebook has traditionally been inconvenient
for IT administrators because the ability to manage BIOS settings remotely has been
limited. Updating settings can mean hands-on time with each device, either through
KVM or in person–waiting for reboots, pressing complicated key combinations, and
navigating menus.
Notebooks with Intel Core vPro processors can communicate with a
management server before the BIOS loads. DCIP integrates with the Dell Client
Configuration Toolkit to enable BIOS configuration features, providing a simple interface
for remote management. On the Lenovo ThinkPad, the only option for remotely
managing BIOS settings without scripting requires initiating a KVM session and manually
booting into the BIOS menu itself. To demonstrate the time an IT admin would save by
using DCIP, we chose a single BIOS setting shared between the Dell and Lenovo systems
and measured the time and steps it took to implement changing that setting.
Using DCIP, the IT admin changed a BIOS setting in nine steps. Changing this
setting took just 13 seconds for the IT admin in our scenario. Changing the BIOS setting
6. A Principled Technologies test report 6Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
on the Lenovo system took 11 steps. It took the IT admin over 50 seconds to complete
this change. As we showed in Figure 1, completing the task on 50 Dell notebooks would
take only 13 seconds whereas doing so on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 36
minutes.
Changing 10 BIOS settings
We chose 10 BIOS settings shared between the Dell and Lenovo notebooks and
measured the steps and time it took to implement changes to all of the settings at once.
The BIOS Settings menu in DCIP lists all available BIOS options in one sortable list. After
selecting a specific BIOS configuration, an IT admin can apply the settings to any number
of connected clients.
Figure 2 lists the BIOS settings we changed between the two notebooks.
Changed BIOS Settings
Active Processor Cores: All
Bluetooth®: Enabled
Enable External USB Port: Enabled
Enable Intel SpeedStep®: Enabled
Enable Intel Virtualization Technology: Disabled
Enable VT for Direct I/O: Disabled
Hyper-Threading: Enabled
Touchpad: Enabled
Wake on LAN/WLAN (Notebook): LAN or WLAN
WLAN: Enabled
Figure 2: The BIOS settings we changed on the two systems under test.
Our IT admin was able to change all 10 BIOS settings we selected in just 18 steps
using DCIP, requiring less than 41 seconds to initiate the changes on a single system.
Doing so on a single Lenovo system took 30 steps, requiring 74 seconds. That is almost
twice as long to complete the same tasks in DCIP.
Figure 3 shows how this time difference increased when we changed 10 BIOS
settings on multiple systems. Completing the task on 50 Dell notebooks with DCIP would
take only 40 seconds whereas doing so on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 55
minutes.
7. A Principled Technologies test report 7Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
Figure 3: IT admin time to
change 10 BIOS settings on
various numbers of notebooks
using the two management
systems. Lower numbers are
better.
Changing the BIOS password
Unauthorized changes to the BIOS by inexperienced users could render a
notebook unstable or vulnerable. By using the change BIOS Password feature,
administrators can ensure that employee systems remain secure.
In this scenario, it took 11 steps to change the BIOS password using the BIOS
Passwords task on the Dell notebook using DCIP. Our IT admin initiated the change in 19
seconds. For the Lenovo system, it took 13 steps to change the BIOS password, but that
change took our IT admin 47 seconds.
Figure 4 shows how this time difference increased when we changed the BIOS
password on multiple notebooks. We calculate the task on 50 Dell notebooks would
take only 19 seconds whereas doing so on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 34
minutes.
Figure 4: IT admin time to
change the BIOS password on
various numbers of notebooks
using the two management
systems. Lower numbers are
better.
8. A Principled Technologies test report 8Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
Changing boot order
Sometimes it is necessary to make changes to the boot order of a large number
of systems. OS installations and firmware updates can prompt an IT administrator to
change the boot order. Using the change boot order feature, Dell systems can be
simultaneously instructed to set a specific boot order, either permanently or just for the
next boot. This means less time is needed navigating boot selection menus.
For the Dell notebook, it only took 10 steps to change the boot order using the
Boot Order task, requiring 13 seconds of IT admin time to initiate the change. It took 11
steps to change the boot order on the Lenovo ThinkPad and 42 seconds for the IT admin
to complete this change.
Figure 5 shows how this time difference increased when we changed the boot
order on multiple systems. Completing the task on 50 Dell notebooks would take only
13 seconds whereas doing so on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 29 minutes.
Figure 5: IT admin time to
change the boot order on
various numbers of
notebooks using the two
management systems. Lower
numbers are better.
9. A Principled Technologies test report 9Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
Remotely erasing a hard drive
Erasing a hard drive on a system that’s out-of-band is difficult if not impossible:
all software-based solutions rely on the operating system’s network communication to
receive the erase-disk command. Furthermore, in-band solutions are not useful when
the operating system is not responding or the computer is off. Our tests compared the
steps and time it took to erase the data on a solid-state drive (SSD) managed through
DCIP on a Dell system securely versus an older Lenovo system with a hard-disk drive
(HDD) managed through only SCCM.
With DCIP, it took only eight steps to complete the Erase Disk task. It took the IT
admin only 10 seconds to initiate the task. For the Lenovo system, it took 14 steps to
erase the disk. In this scenario, it took our IT admin over two minutes, to complete this
change on the ThinkPad.
Figure 6 shows how this time difference increased when we used the two
management systems to erase the hard-disk drives remotely on multiple systems.
Completing the task on 50 Dell notebooks would take only 10 seconds whereas doing so
on 50 Lenovo notebooks would take over 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Figure 6: IT admin time to remotely
erase the hard drive on various
numbers of notebooks using the two
management systems. Lower
numbers are better.
Did you know?
DCIP leverages ATA
Secure Erase capability
for hard-disk drives and
solid-state drives. Dell
notebooks that feature
ATA compliant drives
support Secure Erase
functionality—and with
Intel Core vPro
processors and DCIP,
Dell notebooks can
have sensitive data
securely erased, in-
band or out.
10. A Principled Technologies test report 10Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
Performing general remote management tasks
Initiating a KVM Connection
Occasionally, an IT administrator will need to access a laptop remotely. While
tools like Window’s Remote Desktop Connection are useful for this, they are limited if
the system is not booted into an operating system. DCIP provides KVM tools for
accessing systems remotely regardless of the system’s power state. No password is
required to complete this connection, though security precautions can be taken to
require the user of the laptop to provide consent to establish the KVM connection. By
enabling user consent, an employee is required to communicate a randomly generated
confirmation code to the remote IT administrator. The code is displayed on the screen
via a sprite file that is not accessible from the network. This ensures the safety of
employees. These features are available in both Configuration Manager 2012 and DCIP.
While the uses of the technology are similar for both systems, we found that it is faster
to navigate through the Dell AMT Plugin menus to create the connection, than in SCCM.
For the Dell system, it took five steps to complete the KVM connection using the
KVM Connect task, taking the IT admin just under 15 seconds to complete this task. For
the Lenovo system, it also took five steps to complete the KVM connection. It took the
IT admin 20.3 seconds to complete this task.
Figure 7 shows how this time difference increased when we used the two
management systems to complete the KVM session on multiple systems. Completing
the task on 50 Dell notebooks would take only 2.1 minutes whereas doing so on 50
Lenovo notebooks would take 3.3 minutes.
Figure7: IT admin time to
complete a KVM connection on
various numbers of notebooks
using the two management
systems. Lower numbers are
better.
11. A Principled Technologies test report 11Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
Changing the power profile
The AMT power profile specifies the states in which a system responds to
commands depending on the power state of the laptop. Power states describe whether
the laptop is on or off, hibernating, or connected or disconnected from an AC power
source. DCIP allows you to configure this setting remotely for multiple laptops from the
console. For example, a technician may want to set all of his laptops to respond only to
AMT requests when connected to a power source. By using the Intel® vPro™ AMT
Plugin, the administrator could quickly change the power setting on multiple laptops so
that they will only wake when attached to an AC adapter. This was not possible on the
Lenovo. While we were able to manage the BIOS settings on the older Lenovo laptops
through the KVM, the system was not able to boot into the management engine during
a KVM session. A technician using the Lenovo would need to walk to the target laptop
and make the changes manually using BIOS menus.
For the Dell system, it took nine steps to change the Power Profile using the
Power Profile task. In our scenario, it took our IT admin 13 seconds to initiate this
change.
We were not able to replicate this action on the Lenovo system because the
KVM connection could not reach the Management Engine interface while using the KVM
function.
Reporting and collecting information
Using DCIP, an administrator can collect data on provisioned computers using
multiple reports. Those reports are called OOB Manageability, Provisioning, Battery
Health, and Hardware Inventory. The OOB Manageability collects information about the
state of AMT management on the target laptops. The provisioning report provides
information to show when the laptop was provisioned and what methods were used.
The Battery Health report provides data about the type of batteries in your Latitude
systems and the health status of the batteries. IT admins could use this information to
determine whether employees will need a new battery, and what type of battery will
need to be ordered. IT can run the hardware inventory report to collect model numbers
and current version numbers on laptops. This report includes information such as the
model number for the laptop, IP address, or specifics about processor, memory, or
drives.
For all of these reports, IT can get some of this information for the Lenovo
notebooks from SCCM and the Out of Band Management console, but this process
involves entering the Out of Band Management Console for each system, and finding
the desired information. DCIP collects the information and allows the quick creation of a
report on multiple systems. The report can then be printed or exported into an Excel
document for further use.
12. A Principled Technologies test report 12Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
IN CONCLUSION
IT admins can spend considerable time managing employee notebooks. The Dell
Client Integration Pack 3.1 for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 can
greatly streamline the management process and allow admins to remotely perform
management tasks under a much broader range of conditions.
In our labs at Principled Technologies, we performed a series of remote
management tasks on Dell Latitude 7240 notebooks managed with DCIP and on Lenovo
ThinkPad notebooks managed only through SCCM. Executing these tasks on a single
system with DCIP was quicker and simpler than doing so with only SCCM. The time
savings was even more pronounced when we performed the scenarios on two systems
because DCIP lets you apply the same changes to multiple systems without taking any
additional time. For an organization with large numbers of notebook systems, the
economies of scale that DCIP provides would translate to the greatest savings.
13. A Principled Technologies test report 13Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
APPENDIX A – SYSTEM CONFIGURATION INFORMATION
Figure 8 describes our server configuration.
System Dell PowerEdge R510
Power supplies
Total number 2
Vendor and model number Dell L1100A-S0
Wattage of each (W) 1100
Cooling fans
Total number 5
Vendor and model number Delta Electronics Inc. PFC0612DE
Dimensions (h × w) of each 2.5″ × 2.4″
Volts 12
Amps 1.7
General
Number of processor packages 2
Number of cores per processor 4
Number of hardware threads per core 2
System power management policy Balanced
CPU
Vendor Intel
Name Xeon
Model number E5540
Stepping D0
Socket type LGA 1366
Core frequency (GHz) 2.53
Bus frequency 5.86 GT/s
L1 cache 4 × 32 KB
L2 cache 4 × 256 KB
L3 cache 8 MB
Platform
Vendor and model number Dell PowerEdge R510
Motherboard model number Intel 5500
BIOS name and version Dell Inc. 1.12.0 (07/26/2013)
BIOS settings Default
Memory module(s)
Total RAM in system (GB) 128 GB
Vendor and model number Hynix HMT42GR7MFR4C-PB
Type PC3-12800R
Speed (MHz) 1,600
Speed running in the system (MHz) 1,333
Timing/Latency (tCL-tRCD-tRP-tRASmin) 7-7-7-19
Size (GB) 8
Number of RAM module(s) 16
Chip organization Double-Sided
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System Dell PowerEdge R510
Rank Dual
Operating system
Name Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
Build number 9200
File system NTFS
Kernel ACPI x64-based PC
Language English
Graphics
Vendor and model number Matrox G200eW
Graphics memory (MB) 256
Driver 3.8.0.33w2
RAID controller
Vendor and model number Dell PERC 6/I Integrated
Firmware version 6.3.3-0002 (06/11/2013)
Driver version 5.2.122.0 (04/03/2012)
Cache size (MB) 256 MB
Hard drives
Type 1
Vendor and model number Dell MBA3147RC
Number of drives 4
Size (GB) 146
RPM 15K
Type SAS
Type 2
Vendor and model number Dell ST3600057SS
Number of drives 4
Size (GB) 600
RPM 15K
Type SAS
Ethernet adapters
First network adapter
Vendor and model number Broadcom® BCM5716C NetXtreme® II GigE
Type Integrated
Driver 7.8.53 (06/12/2014)
Second network adapter
Vendor and model number Broadcom BCM5716C NetXtreme II GigE
Type Integrated
Driver 7.8.53 (06/12/2014)
Optical drive(s)
Vendor and model number PLDS DVD+RW DS-8A3S
Type DVD+RW
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System Dell PowerEdge R510
USB ports
Number 4
Type 2.0
Figure 8: Configuration details for the test server.
Figure 9 provides configuration details for the four laptops we tested.
System Dell Latitude E7240 Dell Latitude E7240
Lenovo ThinkPad
T430
Lenovo ThinkPad
T420
General
Number of processor
packages
1 1 1 1
Number of cores per
processor
2 2 2 2
Number of hardware
threads per core
2 2 2 2
Total number of
processor threads in
system
4 4 4 4
System power
management policy
Default Default Default Default
Processor power-saving
option
Intel SpeedStep™
Enabled
Intel SpeedStep
Enabled
Lenovo Lenovo
System dimensions
(length × width ×
height)
8.3″ × 12.2″ × 0.79″ 8.3″ × 12.2″ × 0.79″ 13.4″ × 9.1″ × 1.4″ 13.4″ × 9.1″ × 1.4″
System weight 2.99 lbs. 2.99 lbs. 5.19 lbs. 4.81 lbs.
CPU
Vendor Intel Intel Intel Intel
Name Core i5 Core i5 Core i5 Core i5
Model number 4300U 4300U 3320M 2520M
Stepping C0 C0 D2 E0
Socket type and
number of pins
SOCKET 1168 BGA SOCKET 1168 BGA Socket 988B rPGA Socket 988B rPGA
Core frequency (GHz) 1.90 1.90 2.60 2.50
Bus frequency 5 GT/s DMI 5 GT/s DMI
L1 cache
32 KB + 32 KB (per
core)
32 KB + 32 KB (per
core)
32 KB + 32 KB (per
core)
32 KB + 32 KB (per
core)
L2 cache
512 KB (256 KB per
core)
512 KB (256 KB per
core)
512 KB (256 KB per
core)
512 KB (256 KB per
core)
L3 cache 3 MB 3 MB 3 MB 3 MB
Platform
Vendor Dell Dell Lenovo Lenovo
Motherboard model
number
OV120R OV120R 234222U 4177CTO
Motherboard chipset Intel 5 series chipset Intel 5 series chipset Intel QM77 Intel QM67
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System Dell Latitude E7240 Dell Latitude E7240
Lenovo ThinkPad
T430
Lenovo ThinkPad
T420
BIOS name and version
Dell A08
(02/18/2014)
Dell A08
(02/18/2014)
Lenovo G1ETA5WW
2.65 (04/15/2014)
Lenovo 83ET76WW
1.46 (07/05/2013)
Memory module(s)
Vendor and model
number
Micron
8KTF51264HZ-1G6E1
Samsung
M471B5173QH0-
YK0
Samsung
471B5273DH0-CK0
Samsung
M471B5773CHS-CH9
Type PC3-12800 PC3-12800 PC3-12800 PC3-10600
Speed (MHz) 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,333
Speed running in the
system (MHz)
1,600 1,600 1,600 1,333
Timing/Latency (tCL-
tRCD-tRP-tRASmin)
11-11-11-28 11-11-11-28 11-11-11-28 9-9-9-24
Size (MB) 4,096 4,096 4,096 2,048
Number of memory
module(s)
2 1 1 1
Total amount of system
RAM (GB)
8 4 4 2
Chip organization
(single-sided/ double-
sided)
Double-sided Double-sided Double-sided Double-sided
Channel (single/dual) Dual Single Single Single
Hard disk
Vendor and model
number
Samsung SSD SM841
mSATA
Samsung SSD SM841
mSATA
Hitachi
HTS725050A7E630
Hitachi
HTS725032A9A364
Number of disks in
system
1 1 2
1
Size (GB) 120 120 500 320
Buffer size (MB) N/A N/A 32 16
RPM N/A N/A 7,200 7,200
Type SATA III 6.0 Gb/s SATA III 6.0 Gb/s SATA II 3.0 Gb/s SATA II 3.0 Gb/s
Controller
Intel Mobile Express
Chipset SATA RAID
Controller
Intel Mobile Express
Chipset SATA RAID
Controller
Intel 7 Series Chipset
Family SATA AHCI
Controller
Intel Mobile Express
Chipset SATA AHCI
Controller
Driver
12.9.0.1001
(10/28/2013)
12.9.0.1001
(10/28/2013)
Intel 12.8.10.1005
(02/07/2014)
Intel 12.8.10.1005
(02/07/2014)
Operating system
Name
Windows 8 Pro 64-
bit
Windows 8 Pro 64-
bit
Windows 8 Pro 64-
bit
Windows 8 Pro 64-
bit
Build number 9200 9200 9200 9200
Service Pack NA NA NA NA
File system NTFS NTFS NTFS NTFS
Kernel ACPI x64-based PC ACPI x64-based PC ACPI x64-based PC ACPI x64-based PC
Language English English English English
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System Dell Latitude E7240 Dell Latitude E7240
Lenovo ThinkPad
T430
Lenovo ThinkPad
T420
Graphics
Vendor and model
number
Intel HD Graphics
4400
Intel HD Graphics
4400
Intel HD Graphics
4000
Intel HD Graphics
3000
Type Integrated Integrated Integrated Integrated
Chipset
Intel HD Graphics
Family
Intel HD Graphics
Family
Intel HD Graphics
Family
Intel HD Graphics
Family
BIOS version 2177.14 2177.14 2161.0 2.089.0
Total available graphics
memory (MB)
1,744 1,792 1,664 741
Dedicated video
memory (MB)
0 0 32 32
System video memory
(MB)
0 0 0 0
Shared system memory
(MB)
1,744 1,792 1,632 709
Resolution 1,920 × 1,080 1,920 × 1,080 1,366 × 768 1,366 x 768
Driver
Intel 10.18.10.3621
(05/16/2014)
Intel 10.18.10.3621
(05/16/2014)
Intel 9.17.10.2875
(10/17/2012)
Intel 9.17.10.2843
(08/21/2012)
Microsoft DirectX®
Version
DirectX 11.0 DirectX 11.0 DirectX 11 DirectX 11
Sound card/subsystem
Vendor and model
number
Realtek ALC3226 HD
Audio Codec
Realtek ALC3226 HD
Audio Codec
Realtek High
Definition Audio
Driver
Conexant 20672
SmartAudio HD
Driver
6.0.1.5988
(08/27/2013)
6.0.1.5988
(08/27/2013)
6.0.1.7040
(11/11/2013)
8.32.43
(08/08/2013)
Ethernet
Vendor and model
number
Intel Ethernet
Connection I218-LM
Intel Ethernet
Connection I218-LM
Intel 82579LM
Gigabit Network
Connection
Intel 82579LM
Gigabit Network
Connection
Driver
Intel 12.11.77.1
(03/13/2014)
Intel 12.11.77.1
(03/13/2014)
12.10.28.0
(08/21/2013)
12.10.28.0
(08/21/2013)
Wireless
Vendor and model
number
Intel Dual Band-AC
7260
Intel Dual Band-AC
7260
Intel Centrino®
Advanced-N 6205
Intel Centrino
Advanced-N 6205
Driver
17.0.0.32
(02/18/2014)
17.0.0.32
(02/18/2014)
15.10.3.2
(8/22/2013)
15.10.3.2
(8/22/2013)
Optical drive(s)
Vendor and model
number
N/A N/A Optiarc AD-7740H Matshita UJ8A0A
Type N/A N/A DVD-RW DVD-RW
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System Dell Latitude E7240 Dell Latitude E7240
Lenovo ThinkPad
T430
Lenovo ThinkPad
T420
USB ports
Number 3 3 4 3
Type USB 3.0 USB 3.0
2 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB
3.0
USB 2.0
Other Mini DisplayPort Mini DisplayPort
Media card reader,
Mini DisplayPort
eSATA & Media card
reader
Monitor
LCD type LED LED HD LED WXGA HD LED WXGA
Screen size 12.5” 12.5” 14.0” 14.0”
Refresh rate 60 Hz 60 Hz 60 Hz 60 Hz
Battery
Type Dell GVD76 Dell WD52H Lenovo 45N1011
Lenovo 42T4795
Lithium-ion
Size (length × width ×
height)
10.9″ × 3.1″ × .4″ 10.9″ × 3.1″ × .4″ 8.5″ × 3″ × .75″ 8.13 ″ × 2″ × .75”
Rated capacity
2,679 mAh / 11.1V
(31Wh)
6,700 mAH / 7.4V
(45 Wh)
8,400 mAh / 11.1V
(94.Wh)
5,200 mAh / 10.8V
(57Wh)
Weight .506 lbs. .586 lbs. 1.1 lbs. .68 lbs.
Figure 9: Configuration details for the laptops we tested.
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APPENDIX B – EXTRAPOLATING TO 50 NOTEBOOKS
When managing the Lenovo ThinkPads with SCCM, the first few steps are the same whether you are managing
one or multiple notebooks. However, once in SCCM, each notebook is managed one at a time. While DCIP allows Dell
notebooks to be managed in parallel, each step or task must be repeated on each individual Lenovo notebook. To
calculate the amount of time required to manage multiple Lenovo notebooks more accurately, we separated the
management time into three parts:
The time required to open SCCM and prepare it for remote management.
The time required to manage the first Lenovo notebook.
The time required to manage the second Lenovo notebook.
We ran each test 3 times and took the median of the three runs for each part of the process listed above. We
took an average of the time required to manage the first and second Lenovo notebook to determine the average time
required to manage one notebook. To present admin time required for 50 Lenovo notebooks, we multiplied the average
time required to manage one notebook by 50, and added the time required to perform the initial steps.
Time it takes to perform the initial steps + (Average Lenovo management time * 50)
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APPENDIX B – HOW WE TESTED
We used the following steps to create our test environment. Figure 10 describes our isolated testing
environment, which comprised one PowerEdge R510 server running Hyper-V with four virtual machines. We tested four
laptops, which we describe below. We used two Dell Latitude E7240s: one Lenovo T430 and one Lenovo T420. All
systems installed all available Windows updates before being configured.
Description Computer name Operating system Assigned IP vCPU vRAM
Domain Controller dc.test.local Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard 192.168.1.10 1 8 GB
Certificate Authority ca.test.local Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 192.168.1.15 1 8 GB
Database Server db.test.local Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard 192.168.1.20 1 16 GB
Management Server cm.test.local Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard 192.168.1.50 2 16 GB
Dell Latitude E7240 Dell1.test.local Windows 8 Pro 192.168.1.101
Dell Latitude E7240 Dell2.test.local Windows 8 Pro 192.168.1.102
Lenovo T430 T430.test.local Windows 8 Pro 192.168.1.103
Lenovo T420 T420.test.local Windows 8 Pro 192.168.1.104
Figure 10: The details of our isolated testing environment.
Required installation media
Each of the Microsoft Windows operating systems listed in Figure 10
SQL 2012 Enterprise (en_sql_server_2012_enterprise_edition_x86_x64_dvd_813294.iso)
System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1
(mu_system_center_2012_configuration_manager_and_enpoint_protection_with_sp1_x86_x64_dvd_1565907.iso)
Infrastructure construction
System configuration
The following steps were completed on each virtual machine.
1. Log in to the virtual machine as administrator
2. Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
3. Click Firewall properties.
4. On the Domain Profile, Private Profile, and Public Profile tabs, set the Firewall state to off. Click OK.
5. Set the host name and IP of each virtual machine as described above.
Installing the Active Directory and Domain Controller
1. On the Domain Controller, set a static IP, and set the DNS server to 127.0.0.1.
2. Click StartRun, and type DCPROMO in the Run field.
3. Leave defaults, and click Next on the Welcome window.
4. Click Next on the Operating System Compatibility window.
5. Choose Create a new domain in a new forest, and click Next.
6. Provide a name for the domain, and click Next. We used test.local
7. At the Domain NetBIOS name, enter a name and click Next. We used TEST
8. Set the Forest Functional Level to Windows Server 2008, and click Next.
9. Set the Domain Functional Level to Windows Server 2008, and click Next.
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10. Leave defaults on the Additional Domain Controller Options window, and click Next.
11. On the pop-up asking if you want to continue, click Yes.
12. Leave defaults on the Location for Database, Log Files and SYSVOL window, and click Next.
13. Enter a domain password, and click Next.
14. Click Next on the summary page.
15. Click Finish.
16. Click Restart Now.
Adding DHCP
1. On the Domain Controller, open the Add Roles Wizard.
2. Click Next.
3. Select DHCP Server and click Next.
4. Accept all defaults and click Next until you reach the Add Scope screen.
5. At the Add or Edit DHCP Scopes screen, click Add.
6. At the Add Scope screen, enter the Name DHCP Scope name.
7. In the next box, set the following values, and click OK.
Starting IP Address. We used 192.168.1.100
Ending IP Address. We used 192.168.1.150
Subnet mask. We used 255.255.255.0
8. Check the Activate This Scope box.
9. Click Next.
10. Accept defaults and click Next until you reach the Confirmation Page.
11. Click Install.
Configuring administrative rights for the management server
1. On the Certificate Authority and Database servers, run lusrmgr.msc.
2. Select Groups.
3. Right-click Administrators and click Properties.
4. Click Add.
5. Select Object Types, check the box for Computers, and click OK.
6. Add the computer name for the management server. We entered CM
Configuring the enterprise certificate authority
1. Log in to the Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise server designated for Certificate Authority as domainadministrator.
2. Launch Server Manager.
3. Select the menu item for Roles. Click Add Roles. Click Next.
4. Choose the option Active Directory Certificate Services. Click Next.
5. Click Next. Choose the option Certification Authority, and click Next.
6. Select Enterprise for the setup type, and click Next.
7. Choose Root CA for the CA type, and click Next.
8. Select Create a New Private Key, and click Next.
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9. Accept all remaining defaults, and click Next through the remaining screens.
10. When prompted to begin installation, click Install.
11. To exit the wizard, click Close. Restart the server before continuing to the next steps.
Installing SQL 2012
1. Log in to the Database server as domainadministrator.
2. Attach the installation media for SQL 2012, and run the setup.exe file.
3. Select Installation from the menu on the left, and then select New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add
features to an existing installation.
4. Allow the prerequisite check to finish and click OK.
5. A window with the title SQL Server 2012 Setup will appear and check prerequisites. When this is process is
complete, click Next.
6. Enter a valid product key and click Next.
7. Accept the license terms and click Next.
8. Select SQL Server Feature Installation and click Next.
9. Under Instances Features, select Database Engine Services with Full-Text and Semantic Extractions for Search and
Data Quality Services, Reporting Services, Management Tools - Basic, Management Tools - Complete, and SQL Client
Connectivity SDK. Click Next.
10. Allow the prerequisite checker to run and click Next.
11. Select Default Instance and an Instance ID. Click Next.
12. On the Disk Space Requirements Screen, click Next.
13. On the Server configuration screen, choose NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM for SQL Server Database Engine, and NT
AUTHORITYLOCAL SERVER for SQL Server Analysis Services and SQL Server Reporting Services.
14. Set Startup Type for Server Agent, SQL Server Database Engine, and Server Browser as Automatic, and click Next.
15. On the Database Engine Configuration screen, select Mixed Mode.
16. Enter a password for the system administrator (sa) account.
17. Click Add Current user.
18. Click Next four times.
19. Verify that the Summary is correct and click install.
20. Click finish when prompted.
21. Install SQL Server 2012 SP1 and CU9 from the following Web site: technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/sqlserver/ff803383.aspx. When the installation is finished, restart the server.
22. Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
23. Sign in to your SQL database.
24. Right-click your SQL host and select Properties.
25. Select the memory page.
26. Change maximum server memory to 16384. Click OK.
27. In SQL Server Configuration Manager, expand the SQL Server Network Configuration tree and double-click Protocols
for MSQLSERVER.
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28. Right-click Named Pipes and click Enable.
29. Do the same for TCP/IP.
30. In the left panel, click SQL Server Services, right-click SQL Server, and choose restart.
Installing required Windows features and roles for System Center Configuration Manager
1. Log in to the management server with domainadministrator.
2. Launch the Server Manager from the taskbar.
3. Click Add Features or Roles.
4. Click Next, and then click Next again.
5. Select Web Server IIS.
6. Click Add Required Role Services.
7. Add Windows Software Update Services.
8. Run Windows Update, and install updates.
9. Register ASP.NET with IIS by running the following command:
C:WindowsMicrosoft.NETFramework64v4.0.30319>aspnet_regiis.exe –r
Installing the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8 Release Preview
1. Download the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8 Release Preview from the following Web
site: www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29929
2. Run adksetup.exe.
3. Select Install the Assessment and Deployment Kit to this computer, and choose an installation path. Click Next.
4. Select No when prompted to join the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP).
5. Accept the license agreement.
6. Select Deployment tools and Windows Preinstallation Environment features, and User State Migration. Click Install.
7. Click Close when the install finishes.
Extending the Active Directory schema
1. Log on to the Domain controller with an account that is a member of the Schema Admins security group.
2. Run SMSSETUPBINx64extadsch.exe from the installation source to extend the AD schema.
3. Review extadsch.log in the root of the system drive to confirm the operation was successful.
Creating Active Directory accounts for System Center Configuration Manager
1. Log in to the Domain Controller using the domainadministrator account.
2. Create a global security group called Kerberos Admins
3. Add Domain Admins group to the Kerberos Admins global security group.
4. Add the computer account of the SCCM server to the Kerberos Admins security group.
5. Create an Organizational Unit for AMT managed systems called AMT
6. Create a security group called AMT
7. Add the Kerberos Admins group to the AMT security group.
Creating system management container and permissions
1. On the Domain Controller server, run adsiedit.msc, and connect to the domain for the management server.
2. Expand the Domain Controller computer FQDN, right-click CN=System, click New, and click Object.
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3. Select Container, and click Next.
4. In the Value field, type System Management. Click Next.
5. Click Finish.
6. Expand the management server’s domain in the console pane.
7. Expand DC=Site Server and then expand CN=System.
8. Right-click CN=System Management, and then click Properties.
9. Click the Security tab, and click Add to the management server computer account.
10. Grant Full Control permissions.
11. Click Advanced, select the management server’s computer account, and click Edit.
12. In the Apply Onto list, choose this object and all descendant objects.
13. Click OK to close ADSI Edit.
Creating certificate templates for OOB management
1. Log in to the Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise server designated for Certificate Authority as domainadministrator.
2. Click StartAdministrative ToolsCertification Authority.
3. Right-click the Certification Authority, and click Properties.
4. On the General tab, click View Certificate.
5. On the Details tab, scroll to and select Thumbprint. Copy the 40-character code displayed in the details. You will add
this information to the AMT BIOS later.
6. Click Ok to close the Certificate Authority properties.
7. Expand the Certification Authority, and select Certificate Templates.
8. Right-click Certificate Templates, and select Manage.
9. Locate Web Server in the list of available certificate templates. Right-click the template, and select Duplicate
Template.
10. Select Windows 2003 Enterprise, and click OK.
11. Change the template name to AMT Provisioning.
12. On the Subject Name tab, select Build from this Active Directory Information. Select Common Name, and choose the
option UPN.
13. On the Security tab, add the security group you created for your SCCM site server. Add the Enroll permission for the
security group. Ensure Domain Admins and Enterprise Admins have Enroll permissions.
14. On the Extensions tab, select Application Policies, and click Edit.
15. Click Add. Click New. Type AMT Provisioning for the name, and 2.16.840.1.113741.1.2.3 as the
Object Identifier. Click OK.
16. Ensure AMT Provisioning and Server Authentication are listed, and click OK.
17. Click OK to close the template properties.
18. Right-click the web server template, and select Duplicate Template.
19. Select Windows 2003 Enterprise, and click OK.
20. Change the template name to AMT Web Server Certificate Template
21. On the General tab, choose the option Publish Certificate in Active Directory.
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22. On the Subject Name tab, select Supply in the request.
23. On the Security tab, ensure Domain Admins and Enterprise Admins have Enroll permissions.
24. Click OK to close the template properties.
25. Log in to the management server as domainadministrator.
26. Click StartRun. Type mmc and press Enter.
27. In the mmc console, click FileAdd/Remove Snap-in…
28. Select Certificates, and click Add. Select Computer account. Click Next.
29. Select Local computer, and click Finish.
30. Click OK.
31. Expand CertificatesPersonalCertificates.
32. In the right panel, click More ActionsAll TasksRequest a new certificate…
33. Click Next.
34. Accept the defaults, and click Next.
35. Select the new AMT Provisioning certificate. Click Enroll.
36. Click Close.
Installing System Center Configuration Manager 2012 SP1
1. Attach the SCCM 2012 SP1 Installation media to the management server.
2. Open splash.hta.
3. Click Install.
4. Read the Before You Begin section, click Next.
5. Choose Install a primary site. Do not choose the typical options.
6. Choose the Evaluation option, or enter your license key. Click Next.
7. Check the box to accept the EULA, and click Next.
8. Accept the license agreements, and click Next.
9. Enter a path for the prerequisite file downloads. We used C:Downloads
10. Select a language, and click Next for both server and client.
11. Enter a site code for the primary site. We used PTL.
12. Enter a description.
13. Choose an install path. We accepted the default install path.
14. Ensure that the console will be installed, and click Next.
15. Install as a primary stand-alone site.
16. Enter the SQL server name and instance, and click Next.
17. Accept the default SMS provider, and click Next.
18. Select the option to configure the communication method on each site system role.
19. Select HTTPS, and click Next.
20. Select HTTP for Management Point and Distribution point, and click Next.
21. Enable CEIP if you wish to participate, and click Next.
22. Run the prerequisites check, and resolve any issues displayed.
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23. Click Begin Install, and click Close when the installation is complete.
24. Download and install the Cumulative Update 4 from the following Web site: support.microsoft.com/kb/2922875/en-
us
Adding site system roles for OOB management
1. Open the Configuration Manager console.
2. Click Administration in the lower left panel of the console.
3. Expand Site Configuration. Select Sites.
4. Right-click the management server, and select Add Site System Roles.
5. Click Next.
6. Accept the default for Proxy, and click Next.
7. From the list of available roles, choose the options Enrollment point and Out of band service point. Click Next.
8. Accept the defaults for the AMT Service Point, and click Next.
9. Click Browse to select the AMT provisioning certificate you created in the previous steps.
10. Clear the checkbox for Enable CRL checking for the AMT provisioning certificate. Click Next.
11. Accept the defaults for the enrollment point, and click Next.
12. Review the summary, and click Next.
13. Click Close to exit the wizard.
Installing Intel vPro™ add-on for System Center Configuration Manager
1. Download the Intel Core™ vPro processor add-on for System Center Configuration Manager from the following Web
site: downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21835&lang=eng
2. Extract the downloaded zip file to a location on your SCCM server. We used C:IntelvProSCCMAddOn-v2
3. Browse to C:IntelvProSCCMAddOn-v2x64, and run setup.exe.
4. Select I Agree, and click Next.
5. Accept the default installation location. Select Everyone, and click Next.
6. Click Next to begin installation.
7. Click Close.
Installing Intel SCS 9.1
1. Download IntelSCS_9.1.zip from the following Web address:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=20921
2. Extract the contents to C:IntelSCS_9.1
3. Browse to C:IntelSCS_9.1IntelSCSRCS
4. Run IntelSCSInstaller.exe.
5. Check the boxes for Database, Service, and Console. Click Next.
6. Select I accept the terms of the license agreement, and click Next.
7. Enter the credentials of the Domain account that will run the service. We used domainadministrator. Click Next.
8. Select the SQL server you want to use for the SCS database. This information may populate automatically. Click Next.
9. For Installer SQL Server Authentication, select Windows authentication (integrated security), and click Next.
10. For Service SQL Server Authentication, select Windows authentication (integrated security), and click Next.
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11. Review and confirm the setup information, and click Install.
12. Click Finish.
Installing and Configuring DCIP 3.1
1. On the management server, download DCIP-Build 99_ZPE.exe from the following Web address:
downloads.dell.com/FOLDER01459457M/2/DCIP-Build 99_ZPE.exe
2. Run DCIP-Build 99_ZPE.exe and unzip the files to C:Dell
3. Browse to C:Dell
4. Run Dell_Client_Integration_Pack.exe.
5. Click Next.
6. Agree to the License Agreement and click Next.
7. Select Complete and click Next.
8. Click Install.
9. Click Finish.
10. Open the Dell AMT Plugin.
11. On the Database and Password Configuration Page, click Retrieve SQL Servers. Select the site database server.
12. Select Integrated Security.
13. Click Retrieve SQL Databases, choose the SCCM site database.
14. For Windows Account, enter the credentials for the test.local administrator.
15. For AMT ME Account, for Username enter admin and for Password enter Password1!
16. Click Save.
17. Add Configuration Manager Console and Dell AMT Plugin to the task bar.
Getting the Intel vPro™ Use Case Remote Drive Erase image
1. Download the Intel vPro Use Case Reference Design - Remote Drive Erase from the following Web site:
downloadcenter.intel.com/confirm.aspx?httpDown=http://downloadmirror.intel.com/20971/eng/1083.zip&lang=en
g&Dwnldid=20971
2. Extract the downloaded file to C:1083
3. In the location C:1083rde_builder, find and open the file iso_builder.html.
4. In the Remote Drive Erase ISO Builder, select Take input from: KVM Session.
5. Click Build ISO.
6. Move the rde.iso file from C:1083rde_builder to C:usersadministrator.testDocuments
Setting up AMT provisioning with Intel SCS Remote Configuration Service
Creating the configuration profile
1. On the management server, launch the Intel Setup and Configuration Console.
2. Click the Profiles button.
3. Click the New button to construct a profile for deployment.
4. For Profile Name, enter the name of your target server. We used test-tp. Click Next.
5. Choose the options Active Directory Integration, Access Control List (ACL), and Transport Layer Security (TLS) and
click Next.
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6. Browse for the OU created for the AMT managed devices. We used OU=AMT, DC=test, DC=local.
7. Click Next.
8. Click Add.
9. Select Active Directory User/Group. Click Browse.
10. Add Kerberos Admin, Domain Admins, or other administrative users groups. Click OK.
11. Select Remote for Access Type.
12. Choose the option for PT Administration. Click OK.
13. Click Next.
14. Select your Enterprise Certificate Authority.
15. Select the Server Certificate Template you will use to generate certificates for your AMT devices. We selected
AMTWebServerCertificate. Click Next.
16. Choose the options Web UI, Serial Over LAN, IDE Redirection, KVM Redirection. Enter the RFB Password for KVM
sessions. We used Password1!
17. Enter the MEBios Extension password. We used Password1!
18. Select Use the following password for all systems. Enter the password for use after provisioning is complete. We
used Password1!
19. Choose the options Enable Intel AMT to respond to ping requests and Enable Fast Call for Help (within the enterprise
network).
20. Click Set… to Edit IP and FQDN settings.
21. Select Use the following as the FQDN, and choose Primary DNS FQDN from the pull-down menu.
22. Choose the option The device and the OS will have the same FQDN (Shared FQDN).
23. Select Get the IP from the DHCP server.
24. Select Update the DNS directly or via DHCP option 81. Click OK.
25. Click Next. Click Finish.
Laptop configuration
Repeat these steps for each laptop.
Reserving an IP address in DHCP
1. On the Domain Controller, run dhcpmgmt.msc.
2. Expand FQDNScope and double-click Reservations.
3. Click more actions then New Reservation.
4. For Reservation Name, enter the host name of the target laptop.
5. Enter an IP address to reserve.
6. Enter the MAC address of the target laptops Ethernet port.
7. Click Add.
Configuring policy on the target laptop
1. Log on to the target laptop using domainadministrator.
2. Download and apply all applicable driver packages from the manufacture’s website.
3. Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
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4. Click Firewall Properties.
5. On the Domain Profile, Private Profile, and Public Profile tabs, set the Firewall state to off. Click OK.
6. Set the host name and IP of each virtual machine as described above.
7. Join the system to the test.local domain and restart.
8. Run lusrmgr.msc.
9. Select Groups.
10. Right-click Administrators and click Properties.
11. Click Add.
12. Select Object Types, check the box for Computers, and click OK.
13. Add the computer name for the management server. We entered CM
Adding the enterprise certificate authority to the AMT trusted root certification authorities
1. Power on the target laptop.
2. During POST, press CTRL-P to enter the Intel Management Engine BIOS settings.
3. When prompted for a password, type the default password admin
4. Provide and confirm a new password. We used Password1!
5. Select Intel AMT Configuration. Press Enter.
6. Select SOL/IDER/KVM.
7. All features should be Enabled. Press Esc to exit the menu.
8. Select User Consent.
9. Change User Opt-in to None.
10. Change Opt-in Configurable from Remote IT to Disabled. Press Esc to exit the menu.
11. Change Password Policy to During Setup And Configuration.
12. Select Network Setup.
13. Select Intel ME Network Name Settings.
14. For Host Name, use the same host name used for the operating system.
15. For Domain Name, enter the name of your domain. We used test.local
16. For Shared/Dedicated FQDN, select Shared.
17. For Dynamic DNS Update, select Enabled. Press Esc to exit the menu.
18. Select Remote Setup and Configuration. Press Enter.
19. On Provisioning Server IPv4/IPv6, enter the IP address of the system center server. We used 192.168.1.20
20. For Provisioning Server FQDN, enter the FQDN of the management server. We entered cm.test.local
21. Select TLS PKI.
22. Select PKI DNS Suffix, type the FQDN suffix. We used test.local Press Enter.
23. Select Manage Hashes.
24. Press Insert to add a new hash.
25. Enter a descriptive name for your Enterprise Certificate Authority. We used test.local CA.
26. Press Enter.
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27. Following the syntax example provided in the prompt, enter the 40-character thumbprint previously copied from
your Enterprise CA root certificate. Press Enter.
28. Press Y to set the hash certificate as active. test.local CA will appear in the list of trusted root authorities.
29. Press Esc to return to the AMT Configuration Menu.
30. Select Activate Network Access. Press Y to confirm.
31. To exit, press Esc until prompted. Press Y to confirm exit.
Executing the remote configuration script on the AMT managed laptop
1. Log in to the AMT managed target laptop as domainadministrator.
2. Copy the Configurator folder from the SCS_9.1 directory located on the management server to C: on the local host.
3. Open a command prompt as administrator.
4. Type cd C:Configurator and press Enter.
5. Execute the following command (where cm.domain is the fully qualified domain name of the management server):
ACUConfig.exe /lowsecurity /output console /verbose ConfigViaRCSOnly
cm.test.local Test-TP
The Configurator utility will contact the Remote Configuration Service and apply the settings configured in the Test-TP
profile.
Setting up AMT discovery in SCCM
1. On the management server, open the SCCM Management Console. Locate your target laptop in the Devices panel.
2. Right-click the headings bar in the Devices panel and check the entries for AMT Status and AMT Version.
3. Right-click the server, and select Manage Out of BandDiscover AMT Status. Click OK to begin discovery.
4. Click refresh in the Home menu at the top of the panel. When the AMT Status for the target server displays
Detected, the AMT controller has been discovered.
Configuring the Configuration Manager Client
1. On the management server, navigate to the Microsoft Configuration Manager folder in program files.
2. Copy the Client folder and to the target laptop.
3. On the target laptop, run ccmsetup.exe. This task will run in the background and will take a few minutes to
complete.
4. In Control Panel, open Configuration Manager.
5. On the Site tab, click Configure Settings.
6. For Currently assigned to site code:, enter PTL and click Apply.
7. In the Actions panel, run the User Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle as well as the Machine Policy Retrieval &
Evaluation Cycle.
8. After a few minutes, the Actions panel will populate with more tasks. Run each one of the tasks.
9. On the management server, in Device Collections, right-click on the target laptop, navigate to Manage Out of Band,
and select Discover AMT Status. The Client, Site Code, and Client Activity fields will populate. The AMT Status will
change to Externally provisioned.
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APPENDIX C – WHAT WE TESTED
About our tests
Our testing took place in two phases. In the first phase, only one of the Latitude E7240s and the Lenovo T430
were provisioned and able to be managed Out of Band. We found the time required to administer the changes on each
of the laptops. We used Configuration Manager Console, the Out of Band Console, and the Intel vPro add-on to
complete the testing on the Lenovo system. The Dell system was managed through the Dell AMT Plugin. In the second
phase, we provisioned all four laptops in Configuration Manager and measured the amount of time required to make
changes on both systems.
For the Dell laptops, timing began prior to opening the Dell AMT Plugin. We then completed the steps required
to complete the task, as listed below. Timing ended when the Finish button was clicked and the tasks were added to the
queue for the system to administer.
For the Lenovo laptops, timing began prior to opening the Configuration Manager Console. We then completed
the steps required to complete the task, as listed below. Timing ended when the last step listed was completed.
All tasks started with the laptops powered off and plugged in to their AC adapter. We pinged each laptop to
verify that the management engine was available.
Out of Band Management tests in DCIP for Dell laptops
Change a single BIOS setting
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Client Configuration.
3. Select BIOS Settings.
4. On Active processor Cores, select All, and check Apply.
5. Click Next.
6. Click Add All.
7. Click Next.
8. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
9. Click Finish.
To change a single BIOS setting for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop in SCCM and
repeated the previous test.
Change 10 BIOS settings
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Client Configuration.
3. Select BIOS Settings.
4. On Active processor Cores, select All, and check Apply.
5. On Bluetooth, select Enabled, and check Apply.
6. On Enable External USB Port, select Enabled, and check Apply.
7. On Enable Intel SpeedStep, select Enabled, and check Apply.
8. On Enable Intel Virtualization Technology, select Disabled, and check Apply.
9. On Enable VT for Direct I/O, select Disabled, and check Apply.
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10. On Hyper-threading, select Enabled, and check Apply.
11. On Mouse/Touchpad, select Touchpad/PS-2 Mouse, and check Apply.
12. On Wake on LAN/WLAN (Notebook), select LAN or WLAN and check the Apply checkbox.
13. On WLAN, select Enabled, and check Apply.
14. Click Next.
15. Click Add All.
16. Click Next.
17. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
18. Click Finish.
To change 10 BIOS settings for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop in SCCM and repeated
the previous test.
Secure drive erase
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Operations.
3. Select Wipe Client Disk.
4. Select Schedule.
5. Click Add All.
6. Click Next.
7. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
8. Click Finish.
For secure drive erase for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop in SCCM and repeated the
previous test.
Change a BIOS password
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Client Configuration.
3. Select BIOS Passwords.
4. Select Admin.
5. For Admin Password, type Password1
6. For Confirm, type Password1
7. Click Next.
8. Click Add All.
9. Click Next.
10. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
11. Click Finish.
To change a BIOS password for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop in SCCM and repeated
the previous test.
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Change boot order
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Client Configuration.
3. Select Boot Order.
4. Select the CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive from the Device list and click the up Arrow button to move the drive up in the Boot
order once.
5. Select Permanent configuration.
6. Click Next.
7. Click Add All
8. Click Next.
9. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
10. Click Finish.
To change boot order for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop in SCCM and repeated the
previous test.
Open KVM session
Note: System is booted into BIOS before test.
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Operations.
3. Select KVM Connect.
4. Select Dell1 from the list and click Start.
To open a KVM session for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second Dell laptop and repeated the previous
test then repeated steps 4 for Dell2.
Change power profile
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Client Configuration.
3. Select Power Profile.
4. From the Mobile Power Package dropdown menu, in the dropdown menu, change the setting to On in S0; ME Wake
in S3/AC, S4-S5/AC.
5. Click Next.
6. Select the notebooks to add. We used Add All.
7. Click Next.
8. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
9. Click Finish.
To change the power profile for the two laptop test, we provisioned the second laptop and repeated the previous
test.
Note: We were not able to reproduce this process on the Lenovo.
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Schedule Data Collection
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Reports.
3. Select OOB Manageability.
4. Select Schedule.
5. Click Add All.
6. Click Next
7. Type a description in the Description field. We used test
8. Click Finish.
To schedule data collection for the two laptop test, we added Dell2 in SCCM and repeated the previous test.
Retrieve Report
The schedule data collection task must be completed before running the retrieve report task.
1. On the management server, open the Dell Intel vPro AMT Plugin from the Windows task bar.
2. Select Reports.
3. Select OOB Manageability.
4. Select Retrieve.
5. Click Add All.
6. Click Next.
To retrieve report for the two laptop test, we added Dell2 in SCCM and repeated the previous test.
Out of Band Management in SCCM tests for Lenovo laptops
Change a single BIOS setting
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the All Desktop and Server Clients Collection.
4. Right-click the notebook and in the menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select KVM.
5. Wait for the KVM prompt to report the connection complete and for the screen to appear black. In the task bar, click
Tools, and then click Power On.
6. During POST, press the F1 button to boot into the setup menu.
7. In the Security tab of the ThinkPad Setup menu, select I/O Port Access.
8. Select Bluetooth, and select Enabled.
9. Press Esc to close the current menu.
10. In the Restart Menu, select Exit Saving Changes.
11. Select Yes to save the configuration changes.
To change a single BIOS setting in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated steps 4
through 11 for the Lenovo T420.
Change 10 BIOS settings
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
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2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the group containing the notebook.
4. Right-click the notebook and in the menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select KVM.
5. Wait for the KVM prompt to report the connection complete and for the screen to appear black. In the task bar, click
Tools, and then click Power On.
6. During POST, press the F1 button to boot into the setup menu.
7. In the Config tab of the ThinkPad Setup menu, select Network.
8. Select Wake on LAN, and select AC Only.
9. To close the current menu, press Esc.
10. In the Config menu, select Keyboard/Mouse
11. Select Touchpad, and select Enabled
12. To close the current menu, press Esc.
13. In the Config menu, select Power.
14. Select Intel SpeedStep Technology, and select Enabled.
15. To close the current menu, press Esc.
16. In the Config menu, select CPU.
17. Select Core Multi-Processing, and select Enabled.
18. Select Intel Hyper-threading Technology, and select Enabled.
19. To close the current menu, press Esc.
20. In the Security tab, select Virtualization.
21. Select Intel Virtualization Technology, and select Disabled.
22. Select Intel VT-d Feature, and select Disabled.
23. To close the current menu, press Esc.
24. In the Security tab, select I/O Port Access.
25. Select Wireless LAN and select Enabled.
26. Select Bluetooth, and select Enabled.
27. Select USB Port, and select Enabled.
28. Press Esc to close the current menu.
29. In the Restart Menu, select Exit Saving Changes.
30. Select Yes to save the configuration changes.
To change 10 BIOS settings in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated steps 4
through 30 for the Lenovo T420.
Secure drive erase
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the group containing the notebook.
4. Right-click the notebook. In the menu, expand Manage Out of Band, and select Out of Band Management Console.
5. Select Power Control.
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6. When the options become available in the Boot Option list, select IDER.
7. Select Boot from file.
8. Select Browse.
9. Select the .iso file created by the Intel vPro Remote Drive Erase program. In our testing, the file was named rde.iso.
10. Click Power On.
11. In Configuration Manager, right-click the Lenovo T430. In the dropdown menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select
Start KVM.
12. When prompted, press C.
13. Identify the number of the disk that will be erased. Enter the number, and press Enter.
14. Type low and press Enter.
To securely erase the drive in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated steps 4
through 14 for the Lenovo T420.
Change boot order
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the All Desktop and Server Clients Collection.
4. Right-click the notebook and in the menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select KVM.
5. Wait for the KVM prompt to report the connection complete and for the screen to appear black. In the task bar, click
Tools, and then click Power On.
6. During POST, press the F1 button to boot into the setup menu.
7. In the Startup menu, Select Boot.
8. Select the CD drive from the list. Click the up arrow button.
9. Press Esc to close the current menu.
10. In the Restart Menu, select Exit Saving Changes.
11. Select Yes to save the configuration changes.
To change boot order in SCCM in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated steps 4
through 11 for the Lenovo T420.
Change BIOS password
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the All Desktop and Server Clients Collection.
4. Right-click the notebook and in the menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select KVM.
5. Wait for the KVM prompt to report the connection complete and for the screen to appear black. In the task bar, click
Tools, and then click Power On.
6. During POST, press the F1 button to boot into the setup menu.
7. In the Security Menu, select Password.
8. Select Supervisor Password.
9. For the new password, type Password1
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10. Confirm the new password, and press Enter.
11. Press Esc to close the current menu.
12. In the Restart Menu, select Exit Saving Changes.
13. Select Yes to save the configuration changes.
To change the BIOS password in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated steps 4
through 13 for the Lenovo T420.
Open KVM session
Note: System is booted into BIOS before test.
1. On the management server, open the Configuration Manager Console from the Windows task bar.
2. In Assets and Compliance, expand Overview, and select Devices Collections.
3. Select the group containing the notebook.
4. In Configuration Manager, right-click the notebook. In the dropdown menu, navigate to Intel vPro, and select Start
KVM.
To Initiate KVM Connection in the two laptop test, we repeated the previous test, and then repeated step 4 for the
Lenovo T420.
38. A Principled Technologies test report 38Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
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APPENDIX D – WHAT WE FOUND
Figures 11 and 12 show the detailed results of our testing using seconds and minutes respectively.
Time to
complete a task
in seconds
One notebook Two notebooks 50 notebooks
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Secure erase the
disk
10.2 134.7 10.1 263.1 10.2 6,352.4
BIOS management tasks
Change one BIOS
setting
12.8 50.6 12.4 95.9 12.6 2,174.4
Change 10 BIOS
settings
40.4 74.5 40.2 141.4 40.3 3,309.7
Change boot
order
12.6 41.7 12.8 79.5 12.7 1,748.4
Change BIOS
password
19.0 47.5 18.7 91.9 18.8 2,081.3
General management tasks
Initiate KVM
connection
7.2 13.1 9.7 16.6 127.1 196.3
Set the power
profile
12.77 12.90 12.84
Figure 11: Time in seconds to complete tasks. Lower numbers are better.
Time to
complete a task
in seconds
One notebook Two notebooks 50 notebooks
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Dell DCIM in
SCCM
Lenovo SCCM
only
Secure erase the
disk
0.17 2.25 0.17 4.39 0.17 105.9
BIOS management tasks
Change one BIOS
setting
0.2 0.8 0.2 1.6 0.2 36.2
Change 10 BIOS
settings
0.7 1.2 0.7 2.4 0.7 55.2
Change boot
order
0.2 0.7 0.2 1.3 0.2 29.1
Change BIOS
password
0.3 0.8 0.3 1.5 0.3 34.7
General management tasks
Initiate KVM
connection
0.12 0.22 0.16 0.28 2.12 3.27
Set the power
profile
0.2 0.2 0.2
Figure 12: Time in minutes to complete tasks. Lower numbers are better.
39. A Principled Technologies test report 39Remote notebook management: Dell unique vPro extensions and
Dell Client Integration Pack 3.1
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