Absolute Publishes McAfee ePO Plug and Launches Netbook Tracking Service

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 05/14/09

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Absolute Software has created a free plug-in for the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO), which allows users to view Computrace tracking and security data within the McAfee ePO console. The company also has launched an IT asset management and theft recovery program for netbooks. ePO provides a central console from which administrators can manage agents, policies, and other security mechanisms on the network.

The ePO module allows IT administrators to:

• Use ePO software to deploy the Computrace plug-in on ePO managed assets;
• View Computrace plug-in coverage reports that include publisher, product, version, and other details;
• Get periodic summary reports in ePO dashboards on all computers or mobile smartphones that have the Computrace Agent installed and identify potential problems based on agent call patterns; and
• Determine when it's appropriate to take additional action in the Absolute Customer Center for geolocation tracking, recovery of missing assets, and/or performing remote data deletes.

The new solution for netbooks, which runs on both PCs and Macs, allows administrators to implement asset management and theft recovery.

"For IT asset management and data security personnel, the job of managing and securing mobile devices is becoming ever more complex and expensive," said John Livingston, chairman and CEO of Absolute. "Computer populations now include desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and now netbooks--often of different ages from a variety of manufacturers. Our goal is to provide visibility and security regardless of form factor and computer brand. We also feel that in today's economic environment, organizations need this to be delivered as a simple, managed service. Computrace for Netbooks extends this value to customers who have...netbooks in their mobile device population."

With Computrace for Netbooks, users can:

• Monitor, track, and manage all computers from a single Web interface, the Absolute Customer Center, regardless of whether a device is on or off the organization's network;
• Generate accurate inventories to assist in budgeting and refresh plans;
• Get visibility into the productivity and usage of investments in netbooks;
• Deter computer theft and recover those computers that are stolen; and
• Help police identify computer thieves and gather evidence for prosecution.

The Computrace software agent behind the Absolute tracing technology is embedded in the firmware of computers from major computer makers; or it can be installed by the administrator onto the computer. The agent regularly contacts the Absolute Monitoring Center--sending location and IT asset management information to the Absolute Customer Center portal. Customers log in to the Absolute Customer Center to access that information, manage their IT asset population, and run reports to identify changes in asset information.

If a computer is stolen, the Absolute Theft Recovery Team can use information sent by the computer and forensically mine it using a variety of procedures including: key captures, registry scanning, file scanning, geolocation, and other investigative techniques to determine who has the computer and how it is being used. Absolute then works with local law enforcement to help recover the computer. Embedded in the firmware of a computer, the agent is capable of surviving operating system re-installations, as well as hard-drive reformats, replacements, and re-imaging.

Computrace for Netbooks retails for $24.99 for a one-year license.