October 2012

This month, we announced that Deep Freeze for Windows 8, the newest version of our instant system restore software, is scheduled to launch in November to support the Microsoft Windows 8 operating system. Windows 8 compatibility ensures that organizations who own Deep Freeze licenses are easily able to migrate to Windows 8 while still taking advantage of the many benefits of Deep Freeze for Windows 8 which include:

• Instant reboot-to-restore technology – Workstation configurations can be restored to a desired state defined by an IT department.
• Simplified Windows Update capabilities – Windows Updates can be scheduled and automated, as well as initiated from directly within the Deep Freeze Enterprise management console. Cached updates are automatically applied when machines are thawed, making the update process fast and efficient. Once the process is finished, machines are automatically returned to their frozen state.
• Central management – A comprehensive built-in Command Line Interface provides access to and control of Deep Freeze workstations from any third party Desktop Management System that can execute remote scripts including Microsoft SCCM, Dell KACE, Spiceworks and Symantec Altiris.
• Deep Freeze for Windows 8 addresses the limitations of the Reset and Refresh functionalities in Windows 8. While both Windows 8 Reset and Refresh require significant down time to run and reinstall the applications that were installed from disc, Deep Freeze for Windows 8 requires only a simple reboot, increasing user productivity and reducing the need to constantly reimage. For more information read this great blog post.

Faronics Insight 7.71

Faronics also forayed into the world of lambada and carnival with the release of Insight 7.71, now available with Brazilian Portuguese language settings. In addition to a ton of new features that extend existing functionality, this version resolves over 40 known issues.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s new:

• Apple OS X Mountain Lion Support (10.8)
• Brazilian Portuguese (Windows only)
• Additional Insight Connection Server feature support:
  • Limit Printing
  • Limit Drives
  • Keystroke History
  • Application History
  • Power on Student
  • Banned Word Support
  • Customizable background image for Blank Screen (Windows Teacher only)
  • Linux students report capabilities back to teacher consoles
  • New Insight Connection Server configuration options in ADM and ADMX files
  • Insight Connection Server debug log option
  • Improved student connection indicator for Insight Connection Server

For more details, check out our 7.71 release notes.

We recently launched a cool new online community we’ve affectionately dubbed the Faronics VIP AdvocateHub. We recognize that many of our customers have expressed their satisfaction with our products and shared their success stories, so we wanted to provide a platform that captured all this feedback in a fun way.

Complete short and simple challenges like sharing a YouTube video, following us on Twitter or joining our group on LinkedIn. With the completion of each challenge you earn points which you can redeem for cool rewards. Interested in learning more? Join the Faronics VIP community to check it out!

Join Faronics at EDUCAUSE 2012 for the best thinking in higher education IT. Representatives from all 50 states and over 51 different countries participated either online or at the face-to-face event. The EDUCAUSE Annual Conference is the one event not to be missed.

The conference attracts 3,500 to 4,000 key decision makers in higher education IT from the United States, Canada, and around the world. EDUCAUSE 2012 will be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, November 6-9, 2012.

Don’t miss your opportunity to engage with our team! Schedule a meeting with a member of the Faronics team here.

While the growing risk of cyber threats is relatively well known, many organisations still appear to believe it won’t happen to them. Although concerned about the amount of data held online, people are continuing to trust social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, with large amounts of personal and sensitive information posted online.

Check out this article for Business Computing World where Faronics’ VP of Product Management Dmitry Shesterin discusses the growing social media threat to network security.

Faronics Anti-Executable protects PCs from sophisticated threats like zero-day attacks, mutating malware, and advanced persistent threats. Application control provides security beyond the traditional anti-virus by ensuring that only approved applications are allowed to run, keeping machines free of infections. If a file isn’t on the list, it doesn’t run – simple as that. Check out this video to learn how you can protect your organization from unauthorized applications and give your support team a break.

Thank you for subscribing to the Faronics Monthly. To ensure we’re putting out the most valuable, entertaining newsletter we can, we want to hear from you – our most trusted advisors – on which topics we should be covering. Got a story idea? Looking to learn more about our products or the latest security trends? Is there a section in our newsletter that really stinks? Shoot us an email tomedia@faronics.com and let us know what you think.