1.1 Understanding the Secure Configuration Manager Components

The Secure Configuration Manager environment includes three primary components (Core Services, console, and the database), security agents, and compliance evaluation tools (Security Checkup Results Viewer and Secure Configuration Manager Dashboard). You can install the components, agents, and the Secure Configuration Manager Dashboard on separate computers.

Secure Configuration Manager deploys agents to collect information, stores information in a central database, and displays reports in the Secure Configuration Manager console. Secure Configuration Manager Core Services manages communication among the components.

Secure Configuration Manager includes the components listed in the following table.

Component	Description
Agents	Receive requests from Core Services and run commands or respond by returning data, status, or results. Agents run platform-specific software locally on assets throughout your enterprise.
Database	Stores product configuration data and results from security checkup reports in Microsoft SQL Server format.
Console	Serves as an interface for Secure Configuration Manager so you can perform the following functions: Add, remove, and view your IT resources Execute security checks and run policy templates Remediate policy exceptions Manage jobs Filter information Control automatic AutoSync updates Configure product settings
Core Services	Communicates between agents, the database, and console to perform the following functions: Manage interaction between agents and console Authenticate requests to the agents Receive data from agents and store it in the database Log product activity, security checkup results, and configuration data in the database
Dashboard	This Web-based overview of your environment’s compliance enables executives and managers to: View the overall compliance of their IT assets Perform a granular assessment of specific groups and computers View the overall posture and trends of security compliance at a single glance For more information about the Dashboard, see the NetIQ Secure Configuration Manager Dashboard User Guide.