Softpedia >Windows >Others >Finances & Business >Absolute Manage >  Changelog

Absolute Manage Changelog

What's new in Absolute Manage 6.7.1 Build 3856

Mar 6, 2015
  • User information that is normally read from Active Directory can now be imported manually from a text file for sites where no Active Directory server is available. This lets administrators assign VPP licenses to users before they have enrolled a device.
  • Mobile devices can now be put into an attention mode from Absolute Manage, directly or through actions. In this mode, a message is displayed on the device’s screen, but the device is otherwise completely locked.
  • The new “Disable App Store” payload for iOS configuration profiles allows installation of iOS apps through the MDM even when the access to the App Store is blocked on the device.
  • The new Mobile Device iTunes Store Account Is Part of VPP information item shows whether the active App Store account on a device is registered in the VPP.
  • For managed devices running iOS 8.1.3 and above, access to the dictionary, spellchecking, and autocorrection can be disabled through configuration profiles.
  • FileVault can now be configured through a configuration profile, using the Security & Privacy payload.
  • The FileVault recovery key for managed OS X devices can be stored and retrieved with Absolute Manage.
  • Enrollment profiles for iOS devices can now specify that the devices skip the Touch ID, Apple Pay, and Zoom setup screens. Enrollment profiles can now include a support e-mail address. Windows operating system patches can now be installed by assigning them to the All PCs group.
  • Available App-V applications are detected on administered Windows computers.
  • Absolute Manage can now erase and lock devices through Cisco ISE as well as send messages.
  • The bandwidth of distribution points can now be limited independently for client downloads and for mirroring with other distribution points.
  • Transferring large software distribution payloads over slow connections is more resilient.
  • Support for reporting CenterTools DriveLock encryption has been added.
  • Various performance improvements and bug fixes.
  • Support for payloads in configuration profiles has been added or improved:
  • iOS: Assessment Restrictions, Cellular.
  • OS X: Accessibility, AD Certificate, AirPlay, Directory, Ethernet, Finder, Font, Login Items, Login Window, Parental Control, Restrictions, SCEP, Security & Privacy, Software Update, Time Machine, VPN, WiFi, Xsan.
  • For consistency, all references to “wipe” have been changed to “erase”. This concerns:
  • The Wipe OS X Computer command (now Erase OS X Computer).
  • The Issue Remote Erase command (now Erase Device).
  • The Remote wipe server setting (now Erase device).
  • Several information items, as listed below.
  • Renamed information items:
  • Server Center > Software Distribution > Distribution Points > Download Bandwidth has been renamed to Distribution Bandwidth
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Remote Wipe Supported has been renamed to Mobile Device Remote Erase Supported Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Wipe Ack Time has been renamed to Mobile Device Erase Ack Time
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Wipe Request Time has been renamed to Mobile Device Erase Request Time
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Wipe Sent Time has been renamed to Mobile Device Erase Sent Time
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Last Device Wipe Requestor has been renamed to Mobile Device Last Device Erase Requestor Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Remote Wipe Status has been renamed to Mobile Device Remote Erase Status
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Remote Wipe Status Note has been renamed to Mobile Device Remote Erase Status Note
  • New information items:
  • Server Center > Software Distribution > Distribution Points > Mirroring Bandwidth
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Attention Mode Enabled
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device iTunes Store Account Is Part of VPP
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device App Store Disabled
  • Mobile Device Information > Mobile Device Enrollment Profiles > Enrollment Profile Company Support E-Mail
  • Mobile Device Information > Mobile Device Enrollment Profiles > Enrollment Profile Skip Touch ID Setup
  • Mobile Device Information > Mobile Device Enrollment Profiles > Enrollment Profile Skip Apple Pay Setup
  • Mobile Device Information > Mobile Device Enrollment Profiles > Enrollment Profile Skip Zoom Setup

New in Absolute Manage 6.0.1 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • Absolute Apps can now simply be downloaded from Apple’s App Store. It must no longer be signed and manually distributed, although this is still possible.
  • Creating and specifying the MDM push certificates required for managing iOS devices has been simplified. There is now a built-in assistant that is automatically called when a certificate must be specified.
  • You no longer need an enterprise developer account to create an MDM push certificate, just a normal Apple ID.
  • When the Policies category has been selected in the sidebar of the Mobile Devices window, the context menu of the main window area now contains commands to display the members of the individual policies.
  • The default category for items that are added to AbsoluteSafe is now “Utilities”.
  • The MacBook Pro Models introduced in October 2011 are correctly recognized.
  • Various performance improvements and bug fixes.

New in Absolute Manage 6.0 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • MDM support for devices running iOS 5 has been greatly expanded over the functions available for iOS 4 devices:
  • Managed apps are now supported that can be directly installed (without requiring a policy) and remotely removed.
  • The backup of app data can be suppressed.
  • The removal of the MDM management profile can be registered and can trigger the deletion of specific apps on the device.
  • Roaming options can be set and monitored remotely.
  • Absolute Manage now manages Android devices in addition to iOS devices. Almost all functions that are available for iOS devices are also supported for Android.
  • iOS device data from iTunes installed on managed desktop computers is no longer gathered. That means that mobile devices are now supported only through an MDM server.
  • A new iOS application, Absolute Safe, allows the distribution of media files to managed mobile devices. Media files can optionally be protected against further distribution. The capability to manage these media files has been added to Absolute Manage Admin and Absolute Manage Server. Absolute Safe is currently available only for iOS devices.
  • There is a new command for installing apps onto mobile devices without using policies. This command also provides a more direct installation process in which apps are not merely made available in AbsoluteApps but the user is actively prompted to install them.
  • For in-house iOS apps imported into Absolute Manage, you can now specify on which types of devices (iPod, iPhone, iPad) they can be installed.
  • Build numbers are displayed for imported in-house applications and commercial apps that are installed directly (without a policy).
  • The availability of configuration profiles that are applied to mobile devices through policies can be restricted to a one-time period or a daily interval.
  • Policies can be locked to profiles. Such policy-locked profiles are automatically installed when a device is added to the policy and deleted when the device is removed from the policy.
  • The detail views of app packages and configuration profiles display a list of policies to which the item is assigned.
  • All mobile devices listed in the sidebar of the Mobile Devices window now include a subcategory displaying the profiles (iOS devices only), media and apps assigned to them. If a profile is assigned through more than one policy, only the assignment with the highest precedence is listed. (For example, if a profile is assigned as forbidden in one policy and required in another, it is listed as required.)
  • Importing volume purchase codes now adds them to the existing list of codes (instead of overwriting the list).
  • Tracking can now be activated on multiple devices in one step. This requires a global passphrase to be used.
  • A new context menu command, Send Re-enrollment Message to Device, lets you easily re-enroll iOS devices. Reenrolling is necessary when the MDM privileges are changed.
  • Concurrent changes to administrator accounts, license monitoring settings, or software distribution settings are now handled smarter: Instead of blocking other administrators from changing these settings once one administrator has begun editing them, Absolute Manage now allows any number of administrators to work on the settings simultaneously and then
  • intelligently merges them. If there are conflicting changes, users are asked to resolve the conflict manually.
  • Smart groups for desktop and mobile devices can now be created based on the presence or absence of specified software on the devices.
  • There are new environment variables for identifying the registry paths for 32-bit and 64-bit software.
  • Context menu commands for creating groups and smart groups have been rephrased for increased clarity.
  • Warranty information is now also displayed for computers from Dell and Lenovo.
  • The version information for installed software on desktop devices is now available as a number (in addition to as a string) to allow sorting and comparison.
  • The Mobile Device Name information item can now be specified as a key field when custom information field data is imported.
  • New information

New in Absolute Manage 5.4.2 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • Mobile devices can now be enrolled using Open Directory credentials if users do not enter a domain as part of their credentials. Information from Open Directory can be displayed for users so enrolled.
  • There is a new information item “Server Center > Software Distribution > Payloads > Payload Unique ID”
  • The following computers are correctly recognized:
  • iMacs introduced in May 2011
  • Mac mini and MacBook Air introduced in July 2011

New in Absolute Manage 5.4 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • Mobile devices can now be enrolled using Active Directory credentials. Information from Active Directory can be displayed for users so enrolled.
  • The geographic locations of managed mobile devices can now be tracked. The locations are kept in a database table and can be displayed on Google or Bing maps. An iOS app for displaying tracked locations is scheduled to be available in the App Store in April 2011.
  • iOS apps purchased through the App Store Volume Purchase Program can now be managed through Absolute Manage. Users no longer need to handle purchase codes themselves.
  • Apps from the App Store can now be recommended to mobile users. They appear in a separate list in Absolute Apps iOS app.
  • Optional configuration profiles for on-demand installation can now be listed in the Absolute Apps iOS app and chosen by local users.
  • Absolute Apps has been localized into French, German, Japanese, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish.
  • Administrators can now be assigned to mobile devices through appointment groups, same as they are assigned to computers.
  • Custom information fields can now be defined for mobile devices.
  • The contents of custom information fields can now be used as substitution variables in configuration profiles for mobile devices.
  • Jailbroken mobile devices are now detected. The information is displayed in the Mobile Device Jailbroken information item.
  • Placeholder computer records can now be imported from tabdelimited text files (in addition to being created manually).
  • Absolute Manage now supports MSU update files for Windows computers.
  • Commands in the Commands menu are now disabled when they are not appropriate to the type of selected device.
  • The Execute Script command now supports PowerShell scripts for Windows targets. PowerShell scripts can also be selected as data sources for custom information fields.
  • Server settings and custom field definitions can now be exported and imported from the command line.
  • The log-in name for Absolute Manage Admin is no longer casesensitive.
  • The new PM Schedule Count information item displays the number of schedules active on a computer. It can be used to find computers without power management; in that case, the number is zero.
  • The new Configure iOS Apps utility makes it easier to prepare apps for distribution to managed mobile devices.
  • Several new models are now correctly identified:
  • MacBook models with Thunderbolt connectors introduced in February 2011
  • CDMA iPhones
  • iPad 2
  • New information items:
  • Hardware Information > System Information > Power Management Schedules > PM Schedule Count
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device OS Platform
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Cell IP Address
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device WiFi IP Address
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device WiFi IP Address (v6)
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device Jailbroken
  • Mobile Device Information > Device User Information (category)
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Tracking (category)
  • Mobile Device Information > App Store Application Packages (category)
  • Mobile Device Information > App Store Volume Purchase Codes (category)
  • Mobile Device Information > iOS Configuration Profile Definitions > iOS Profile Variables Used
  • Renamed information items:
  • Server Center > Administration > Administrators > Can Manage All Computers has been renamed to Can
  • Manage All Devices.
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device IMEI has been renamed to Mobile Device IMEI/MEID.
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device IPv4 has been renamed to Mobile Device Public IP Address.
  • Mobile Device Information > Device Information > Mobile Device IPv6 has been renamed to Mobile Device Public IP Address (v6).
  • Various performance improvements and bug fixes.

New in Absolute Manage 5.3 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • New, SSL-based security architecture. This is described below in “New security architecture introduced in Absolute Manage 5.3”.
  • Agent installation packages with preconfigured server information can now be exported from the Agent Deployment Center.
  • When configuring newly installed agents, the software distribution and license monitoring servers can be set at the same time as the inventory server.
  • Staging servers are now called “distribution points” for greater clarity. This does not involve functional changes.
  • iOS mobile device management.
  • This is described below in “iOS mobile device management”.
  • Support for reinstalling administered Windows computers.
  • This requires the installation of a separate FOG server. The requirements and installation procedure are described in detail in the Absolute Manage documentation.
  • New environment variables on administered Windows computers for the 32-bit and 64-bit system directories as well as the native system directory.
  • Several new models and components are now correctly
  • identified:
  • 3rd generation iPod Touch with 8 GB of RAM
  • 4th generation iPod touch
  • iPhone 4
  • New Mac minis introduced in June 2010
  • New iMacs introduced in July 2010
  • New Mac Pros introduced in July 2010
  • New MacBook Air introduced in October 2010
  • New Intel i3 processors
  • Various performance improvements and bug fixes.
  • Absolute Manage Agent no longer supports Windows 2000.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2.5 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • Identifying software for license monitoring purposes is now possible by installed Windows software.
  • Two new criteria for specifying identification criteria on Windows clients have been added:
  • The internal name of a file
  • The original name of a file
  • The iPad is supported as a connected device, similar to the way that earlier version already supported iPhones and iPod touch devices.
  • In connection with this new feature, “iPhone & iPod touch” has been renamed to “iPhone OS devices” in the names of commands, windows, and information items.
  • Absolute Manage now correctly detects:
  • iMac 21.5" and 27" released in October 2009
  • MacBook Pro models released in April 2010
  • MacBook released in May 2010
  • Core i5 and Core i7 processors
  • The computer production date can now also be extracted from Apple’s revised serial number scheme.
  • Various bug fixes and performance improvements.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2.4 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • Absolute Manage 5.2.4 no longer includes the capability to take webcam pictures in its TheftTrack feature. You can access pictures that have been taken with earlier versions of the software using Absolute Manage Admin 5.2.3 or earlier.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2.3 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • The name of the application was changed from LANrev to Absolute Manage.
  • Support for displaying information from Absolute Customer Center was added with the Absolute Insight feature. Note that this feature requires a separate license.
  • Various bug fixes and performance improvements.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2.2 (Feb 13, 2012)

  • When importing data into custom information fields, the Last User Account and Last User Name fields can now also be used as key fields.
  • The new Mac computers introduced in October 2009 (MacBook, iMac, Mac mini) are now correctly recognized.
  • Various bug fixes and performance improvements.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2.1 (Sep 29, 2009)

  • New toolbar to execute "Edit Custom Field Data" command.
  • Various bug fixes and performance enhancements.

New in Absolute Manage 5.2 (Sep 16, 2009)

  • Windows 7 Compatibility:
  • Maintain Windows 7 stability, compliance and security with patch management, license inventory, power management, theft tracking and FDCC scanning.
  • Norwegian Localization for the Agent:
  • Added Norwegian localization to the LANrev Agent interface for custom inventory input and on-demand software installations.