Dell KACE – A hidden gem for midsized businesses

Dell KACE – A hidden gem for midsized businesses

End-user computing and support organizations need tools to automate system and device management, client administration and support functions. The solution that will usually pop is System Center Suite from Microsoft with its most known component Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). This solution – that we master at ASP and we use daily at some of our customers – is the best fit for Enterprise Customers. Setting up the entire suite or even just a few components is a complex task (Servers, DB Servers, configuration, reporting … ), takes time and requires a lot of work to maintain. Not to mention the licensing cost that can be an issue for medium sized customers with hundreds or even thousands of devices.

The purpose of this blog is to highlight an alternative solution: Dell’s KACE

Dell KACE

This is where KACE shines, it is an optimized client management solution for the mid market and it is built around simplicity and ease-of-use. Dell KACE is based on 6 Pillars:

  1. Inventory & IT asset management
  2. Service desk
  3. System deployment
  4. Software distribution
  5. Patch management & security
  6. Mobile Device Management

Even better: it comes as an appliance ready to set up.

The Kace suite has 2 Appliances next to a virtual solution and one focused on mobility management:

  • K1000
  • K2000
  • K1000 SaaS – (cloud or software based)
  • EMM – Enterprise Mobility Management

Each appliance has its own specifications and is pretty easy to install. In less than 1 hour, your newly purchased Dell KACE is up and running. You may use one or all of the KACE suite products. They each have their unique uses and all of them are designed around simplicity and saving your company time and effort.

KACE K1000

The K1000 simplifies system and device management for the IT infrastructure.

Key features are:

Inventory & IT asset management

  • Laptops/Desktops/Servers/Printers/…
  • Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Unix, Chrome, IOS and Android

Patch management & security

  • The customer can download updates based on your requirements ( severity based ) and set up a schedule when the updates have to deploy on the devices
  • Patches includes: Windows / Mac OS and third party vendors Adobe / Oracle / Mozilla / Symantec / …
  • Security: Identify vulnerabilities with Oval and SCAP scanning

Software license management

  • Software inventory

Service Desk management

  • The end users portal and self service
  • Ticketing capabilities
  • Automate repetitive tasks

KACE K2000

KACE K2000 is a deployment appliance that streamlines and automate deployments for windows and Mac Devices.

Key features are:

Image deployment

  • Centralized deployment library
  • System and software deployment

Multicasting

  • Lighten the load on network resources and bandwidth
  • Improve the speed and reliability of large scale deployments

Remote site management

  • Deploy systems from a central location

Disk imaging

  • Image creation: automate pre and post-installation tasks

Dell Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

Supports your mobile device. This includes corporate and personally owned devices. With the K1000 the customer can see the entire inventory of the connected systems.

Key features are:

Mobile Management

  • Management of mobile devices as well as the applications and content from the devices

Mobile Workspace

  • An enterprise solution to optimize smartphones and tablets
  • Define rules and policies
  • Remote lock / wipe /perform operations on the smartphones or tablets

Conclusion

Dell KACE is a perfect product for mid-size or enterprise customers. The Dell KACE suite is a worthy competitor for Microsoft System Center Suite.

The appliances K1000 and K2000 can be bought together or separated. Whether you will need both will depend on your IT infrastructure needs.

If you want more information about the product itself or prices you can contact ASP. We will be happy to provide you with a demo from Dell KACE in our environment.

If you are looking for a system management tool that is easy, affordable and quick to set up, and will save your company time and money, be sure to check out KACE!

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