FAQ
What will Persystent Enterprise Suite do for me?
For end users, Persystent Enterprise delivers automated, policy-driven repairs to enterprise PCs and laptops. Day-to-day clutter, damage or unauthorized changes to applications, the operating system, DLL files, registries and user settings are corrected without IT or user intervention. Over time, these changes erode or halt PC performance. Daily correction protects PC availability so users can remain productive with a healthy PC every day.
For IT departments, Persystent puts IT back in control of the desktop so teams can focus on projects that add value to the business as opposed to daily firefighting.
Don't traditional imaging products provide essentially the same function as Persystent Enterprise?
No. Traditional imaging products completely overwrite the operating system, user files and settings, placing an entire stored image onto a user's computer, sometimes even downloading it over a network while the user waits.
Persystent provides automated repair at the file level, fixing only what is broken and removing unauthorized applications in accordance with policy. User data, applications and personalized settings are not removed or overwritten—unless they conflict with policy. Users don't have to restore personalized settings or suffer lost data. Applications and broken files and settings are simply restored to a working state.
What do end users have to do to make Persystent Enterprise work?
Nothing. The boot process triggers automated repair. There are no menus, no steps for users to walk through, no settings to adjust. Everything is driven by IT policies and automatically accomplished in the background, before the operating system launches.
How is Persystent Enterprise different from products that offer "self-service"?
Other products offer "self-service" tools, which simply shift the burden of support and troubleshooting to end users, taking them through lengthy diagnosis and remedy processes. This isn't more efficient. In fact, it actually makes employees less efficient, and often more frustrated.
Persystent is transparent and hands-off for users. All they experience is a healthy PC, day in and day out.
I need flexible policies that I can customize at the enterprise, group and individual user level. Can Persystent Enterprise accomplish that?
Yes. With Persystent, administrators can use built-in or customized policies to govern configuration and regulatory requirements at the enterprise, group and individual user level.
Are mobile and remote users protected by Persystent, or do they have to be connected to a corporate LAN?
Yes, mobile and remote users are protected. Persystent can make repairs to the operating system, applications and the registry to ensure a healthy device even without a network or Internet connection. Policy updates are delivered the next time users connect via the network or the Internet.
What if a PC operating system has been crippled by a virus or other issues?
Just reboot. Because Persystent operates in the preboot environment, it does not rely on a healthy operating system to work. Instead, Persystent restores a healthy operating system with every boot cycle.
Does Persystent Enterprise replace anti-virus software?
No. Persystent works as a second line of defense, removing viruses and spyware and repairing any damage. However, anti-virus software is still essential for active monitoring and proactive protection.
How does Persystent help me manage my support environment?
Persystent delivers a range of reports, including files repaired, hardware inventory, software inventory, software licenses in use, migration planning and more.
Administration is done through a centralized, intuitive and Web-based interface that controls deployment, policy creation and scheduling.
Will Persystent work with my existing management and distribution tools?
Yes. Persystent complements products as broad as Active Directory and as focused as PatchLink. It works with your existing environment to incorporate the value of what is already in place while adding the efficiency and value of automated availability and policy compliance.
What does preboot mean?
Preboot refers to the portion of the boot cycle when Persystent performs automated repair. After the BIOS loads, Persystent performs repairs and executes policy, and then gets out of the way so the PC operating system can launch. This process is more efficient and requires less systems resources than other methods of configuration management. The end result is that Persystent is completely transparent to the end user, without any added administrative burden on IT staff.
Can Persystent extend my PC lifecycle?
Yes. By restoring authorized settings and removing unauthorized files and applications with every boot, Persystent protects PCs from performance degradation over time. With Persystent, PCs perform at a high level far longer than those without our automated repair.
Does Windows Vista provide the same functionality as your solution?
No. Windows Vista provides improved end-user self-service, more robust anti-malware features and more granular Windows administration.
Persystent's value in a Vista environment is to provide automated repair and policy enforcement so that PCs maintain their desired state—without requiring end‑user self‑service or a system rollback that jeopardizes data and personalized settings. Additionally, Persystent provides a second layer of defense for Vista's anti-malware features, ensuring that end-users can immediately recover from disaster should malware defeat frontline measures.
Why do I need your product if I have a traditional desktop management solution?
Traditional support tools include products in the configuration management, performance and availability monitoring and application and patch deployment spaces. While these tools provide real value to support professionals, they can be greatly enhanced with Persystent. Traditional tools do not, generally:
- Collect data and monitor without a stable operating environment in place
- Significantly reduce the total number of support incidents
- Significantly reduce manual support processes
- Provide a proactive, automated means of ensuring desktop health
- Support devices without a network connection
- Provide a surgical way to remove applications and patches that cause system conflicts
In addition, the support option of last resort—reimaging a computer—is extremely expensive, causes a loss of data and personalization which further reduces end-user productivity and generates secondary help desk calls. Persystent Enterprise adds a new level of stability to traditional IT tools so they can continue to monitor, measure and deliver updates to the end-user environment. Additionally, Persystent dramatically reduces the total number of support incidents and manual support processes.
