We have the next instalment in our series of Monitoring Template updates nearly ready to go. This release will enable you to apply multiple templates in one go, and roll them out at client and site level. This lets you set checks on devices in a consistent way, bringing better automation to the Dashboard while keeping your admin overheads in check.

We previously highlighted some of the business benefits, such as the ability to centrally share monitoring templates with your technicians so they’re all accessing the same set of checks. This release amplifies those benefits, by letting you push checks out to all devices at a client or site, simply by right-clicking in the Client Tree. For standardisation and scalability, Monitoring Templates are a great tool to use and offer a great new way for adding checks to devices en masse.

Please note that to use the latest update you’ll need to install the new RC Agent v9.8.11. We’ll turn this into the new GA agent as soon as possible so you can really start to take advantage of the latest enhancements.

All the details…
Here’s a quick run-through of the update…

1. First you want to set up your Monitoring Templates – if you’re not sure how, see this earlier post for details.

2. Pick a client or site from the Client Tree on the left-hand side, then right-click and select ‘Apply Monitoring Template’ (1). If you’re on a tablet you can navigate to this option via the ‘Edit’ drop-down menu above.

3. Select whether you want to apply the template to servers or workstations (2), then choose the templates you want to apply – simply click or drag them across (3). You can now pick up to 10 templates in one go! (Multi-select with CTRL+Click and Shift+Click.)

4. As before you can also say whether you want to add the checks from the templates to the existing checks on the devices, or whether you want to do a full replace and start afresh (4).
   
   You’ll notice that we’ve updated the look and feel of the dialog so it’s easier to use and a little nicer on the eye!

5. After hitting Apply, you’ll get a confirmation dialog telling you how many devices out of the total number under that client or site will be updated (5).
   

Some notes to go with the release:

• The new client and site-level option only works on devices that have the new RC Agent v9.8.11 installed.

• The new multiple templates option also requires the new RC Agent. The dialog will limit you to selecting just one template when it detects the device is on the old agent.

• When applying templates at client and site level it first has to process any pending template updates before it will apply a new one. Trying to apply a template on a device that’s still processing a previous update will fail the update.

• Devices that are offline or overdue at the time of applying a template at client or site level won’t receive the update.

Let us know what you think
We’d like to know how the enhancements to Monitoring Templates are helping you support your clients and streamline admin overheads – please share your thoughts and let us know how we’re doing. Next up we’re planning to include Automated Tasks in the templates, so they too can be rolled out centrally and with greater quality and management control.

And finally…
The staging release notes are listed below.

Staging Release Notes
Please note that staging release notes are subject to change. Final release notes will go out with the release.

Summary for Service Release

• Service release focused on new features, bug fixes and performance
• Dashboard v5.62
• Agent v9.8.9 GA, Agent v9.8.11 RC

Dashboard v5.62
UPDATE: Apply Monitoring Templates at client and site level (requires Agent v9.8.11 RC)
UPDATE: Apply multiple Monitoring Templates simultaneously to the selected devices (requires Agent v9.8.11 RC)
BUGFIX: Resolve issue whereby the entity mappings for some AutoTask PSA integrations was not pulling in all the data
BUGFIX: Ensure the Notes Report generates data for the selected client instead of all clients
BUGFIX: Show the PSA warning triangle top right on the Dashboard
BUGFIX: Ensure Take Control sessions consistently display the computer name that’s been connected to

Agent v9.8.11 RC
UPDATE: Apply Monitoring Templates at client and site level
UPDATE: Apply multiple Monitoring Templates simultaneously to the selected devices
BUGFIX: Ensure Kaspersky Endpoint Security 10 is detected correctly

Agent v9.8.9 GA
Includes all the updates since the current production Agent v9.8.8:

FEATURE: Choose whether to update or replace checks on devices when applying a Monitoring Template