Compaq Computer Corp.
rolled out a free, Web-based addition to its suite of PC management software. Insight Manager LC (for Light Console) is Compaq’s first software product designed specifically for workgroups. The company’s existing Insight Manager product, which is not free, is geared more toward server management, said Ed Reynolds, a director of marketing with Compaq’s PC products group. Insight Manager LC works with any PC equipped with the industry-standard DMI (Desktop Management Interface) 2.0 agent — not just Compaq machines. But there are a few added features that work only with select Compaq systems, Reynolds said. Once installed, Insight Manager LC automatically detects DMI-enabled PCs on a network, and presents information about a system’s processor, disk drive and other components on an HTML-based console that can be accessed from a Web browser. The software will also alert administrators to any problems with the PC’s components, Compaq’s Reynolds said. Compaq has included a diagnostics agent in some of its own PCs to help administrators diagnose client problems remotely. The agent will be included in Compaq’s Deskpro desktops, Professional Workstations and Armada notebook PCs starting this month. Existing customers with those models can download the agent from Compaq’s Web site at www.compaq.com.