Dell Marketing Usa, L.p.

Everdream Corporation

Dell Marketing L.p.

Russell S Rive

Peter J Rive

A method to facilitate provision of services to a managed system (e.g., a PC, PDA, cell phone) includes causing installation of an agent application on the managed system, the agent application including an install component to install at least one of a plurality of service applications on the managed system. Each of the plurality of service applications is to facilitate provision of a service provided by a respective service provider of a number of service providers to the managed system. A service input (e.g., from an IT administrator) is received at the management system. The service input identifies a subset of a number of service applications to be installed on the managed system. The subset of service applications is distributed to the managed system for installation by the agent application on the managed system.

Method and system to manage services for multiple managed computer systems

A method and system is provided of managing a current software item on a managed computer system connectable to a management computer system via a computer network. The method includes identifying, using an agent application, the current software item on the managed computer system, identifying if the current software item is an unauthorized software item; and selectively disabling the unauthorized software item.

Managing a software item on a managed computer system

Method of managing a software item on a managed computer system

A method and system for communicating with at least one managed system located behind a firewall are provided. The system includes an agent computer, located behind a firewall, to communicate with the at least one managed system and a management system. The management system communicates with the agent computer to provide computer related services. The management system is located on an opposed side of the firewall and communicates an envelope including at least one executable task to the agent computer for communication to the managed system. The executable task may be included in a script and the agent computer may poll the management system to determine if there is an envelope for it to receive.

Method and system for communicating with a managed system located behind a firewall

A method of responding to an event occurring on at least one managed computer system is provided. The method includes receiving event data from a monitoring agent on the managed computer system at a client installation, and processing the event data at a management system to determine if a verbal response is required. A voice call to the client installation is initiated when a verbal response is required. The method includes retrieving associated response data in a reference database wherein the associated response data is associated with the event and the managed system. In certain embodiments, the method includes identifying if the event meets a customer defined severity level, and initiating the voice call when the event meets the customer defined severity level.

Method and system for responding to an event occurring on a managed computer system

A method of providing a preconfigured computer system to a user commences with the installation of first and second applications on the computer system. The computer system is then configured to restrict access to the first application by a user, so as to inhibit ready and convenient execution of the first application by the user. However, access to the second application is not restricted, so that this second application can be executed or invoked in a usual and convenient manner. The computer system is then supplied to an end user, with the first and second of applications installed thereon. Responsive to a subsequent request from the user, the restrictions on the access to the first application are removed so as not to inhibit the execution of the first application by the user.

Method and apparatus for remotely enabling a preinstalled and previously disabled application on a computer system

A method and an apparatus for configuring a hard disk drive accessible by computer system increase the robustness and reliability of the computer system, so as to reduce technical support requirements and costs for the computer system. A first partition is defined within the disk drive that supports a first operating environment of the computer system. The content of this first partition is protected from both user modification, software modification and corruption by various mechanisms. Specifically, the first partition is protected from user modification when the first partition is active, in that the user is prevented from modifying the content of the first partition when the partition is active. A second partition is also defined on the storage device that supports a second operating environment of the computer system. Unlike the first partition, the content of the second partition is modifiable by the user, and the user is accordingly able to store applications and data within the second partition. A technical support service may then ultimately provide technical support for the first partition at a reduced cost in view of the protections implemented with respect to this first partition.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Russell S Rive