• SoftWatch generates real usage analysis as opposed to a simple inventory, or open/close information on running applications.
• SoftWatch differentiates between different usage modes, such as editing and viewing.
• SoftWatch is a standalone tool that doesn’t require, or rely on, Active Directory like SCCM and SMS.
• SoftWatch can be implemented in a straightforward and fast process.
• SoftWatch collects usage data through a non-intrusive software agent.
• The SoftWatch solution is generic and does not rely on an application signature database which is VERY difficult to maintain. Instead, SoftWatch will “learn” the enterprise’s applications based on executable names, no matter what they are, and monitor usage information for each executable detected.
• The SoftWatch solution analyzes enterprise-wide applications in a hybrid environment, including Web applications, and not only desktop applications.

SoftWatch supports export to the Microsoft® Excel® file format.

The only way to track real software usage is with an agent. It is the only way to successfully track focus, keyboard and mouse activities.

On average, the thin client’s CPU’s usage is ~0.00001%.

The agent collects:
a) Inventory of installed software and hardware
b) On running applications:
• Domain\user
• CPU and memory values
• Mouse movements
• Keyboard movements (not key logging, but rather a collection of interesting strokes)
• Window focus information
c) On Web applications:
• Browsing information
• Browser window titles

• The agent does not scan the registry. It reads a set of specific keys. This dramatically reduces network load.
• Running processes are constantly monitored and are reported every 8 minutes by default.
• Hardware and software inventory is reported every 24 hours and only if the agent detects changes.

The agent has minimal interaction with the operating system. This ensures virtually no adverse effect on performance. The average report size is only 7KB. All the reports, analysis and calculations are run on the server. Nothing is done on the agent to keep the client as thin as possible.

Yes. There is also a built-in engine that will save data during roaming periods for later reporting.

Yes. The agent’s unique inner topology consists of two elements. One will run on a system level, once per machine, and will provide data on all the running processes. The other will run once per logged on user, and provide data on usage, such as mouse, keyboard and focus information. This means that no matter how many users are connected to a single machine every session is monitored separately. Once the information is parsed by the SoftWatch server, it will be broken down according to user for each individual process.

Windows (NT and later), Linux/Unix and SUN/Solaris

Customers receive a ready to be distributed MSI file. There are many ways to deploy SoftWatch software agents on the network. As a best practice, we recommend using Standard Deployment Tools, Domain Logon Scripts or Active Directory GPO. Please note that the software agent requires full local administrator rights in order to install properly.

This depends on the organization’s VPN policy. The MSI packages are about 3MB in size. If distribution policy allows for such a size to be pushed over VPN then the agent will be installed.

For basic configuration there are no additional requirements. Once all agents are up and running, all the relevant information will be visible on the Web administration interface.

Only the number of licenses purchased for licensing information. For software mapping, only if some of the versions installed in the enterprise are not covered by the pre-mapped data, this version information needs to be entered.

When the licensing mode is set to “machine,” the install information is calculated per machine. When the licensing mode is set to “user,” the installed information is calculated per unique users actually using the application.

• Active – The amount of time the application was running
• Focus – The amount of time the application was the active, front screen
• Interactive – The amount of time that the user interacted with the application using the keyboard and/or mouse

No. The agent continues to collect and save offline data. Once the user is reconnected to the network, the data is pushed automatically to the server

No. Not all offline data is sent at the same time. The agent automatically sends it in small packages. In addition, the system automatically delays certain agents in order optimally allocate the load on the SoftWatch server.

Communication is in push mode. Agents push data to the server. Under no circumstances will the server ever initiate communication with agents. In fact there is no “listener” on the agent side at all.

Normally, the agent will report to port 80 (or 443) on the SoftWatch server. If the topology allows routing between all segments in such a way that will allow the http requests to move freely between the segments, there should be no problem. If, on the other hand, there is no link between segments, two separate SoftWatch servers will be needed.

Yes.