14 DAY TRIAL // Managing the security and compliance process is never an easy task at enterprise level. But when it comes down to Microsoft technologies, the Redmond company is offering customers a solution accelerator designed to streamline their work. At the end of January 2010, Softpedia readers were informed on the upcoming availability of a pre-release version of Security Compliance Manager. Well, the Beta review program for the Security Compliance Manager version 1.0 is now opened. IT professionals can start testing the resource by signing up via Microsoft Connect.
With the Security Compliance Manager, Microsoft is looking to provide customers with “centralized security baseline management features, a baseline portfolio, customization capabilities, and security baseline export flexibility,” according to Nick MacKechnie, a principal technical account manager at Microsoft New Zealand. MacKechnie explained that the solution accelerator was necessary for organizations looking to kick up a notch their security and compliance management associated with Microsoft software.
What is important to note is that the Security Compliance Manager Beta Review Program offers an excellent opportunity for customers to help shape the tool in accordance with their needs. Microsoft is welcoming feedback, and indicates that it will leverage input for the evolution of the solution accelerator.
The process of hardening environments can be simplified, and in this regard, the Security Compliance Manager is not a resource customers want to overlook. The solution accelerator has been tailored to scenarios in which customers need to plan, deploy, operate, and manage security baselines for both Windows client and server operating systems, but also for additional Microsoft applications.
MacKechnie enumerated the key features and benefits for “Security Compliance Manager 1.0:
– Centralized Management and Baseline Portfolio: The centralized management console of the Security Compliance Manager provides you with a unified, end-to-end user experience to plan, customize, and export security baselines.
– Security Baseline Customization: Customizing, merging, and reviewing your baselines just got easier. – Security Baseline Comparison and Export: Security Compliance Manager enables you to quickly adopt the latest Microsoft product releases. – Security Baseline Compliance Monitoring and Verification: Keep current with the latest releases from Microsoft; automate your security baseline compliance process, and take advantage of baseline version control and automatic update features.”